The aim of the master's thesis was to develop and design a prototype interface of a Slovenian-language mobile application to assist with virtual care and to document the entire production process from start to finish.
In the theoretical part of the thesis, we discussed different types of mobile applications and highlighted key factors that influence the quality of the user experience and effectiveness of user interface. Particular attention was given to understanding the technology acceptance model (TAM) in context of the elderly population, and the user centered design (UCD) approach, which was applied throughout all stages of the system development.
In the experimental part of the thesis, we firstly explored the field and analysed the existing market, with focus on technologies used in both professional and at home environments. Based on the questionnaire results we defined two representative personas, system functionalities and arranged them hierarchically. We developed two corresponding information architectures. The development process began with basic sketches, which were later transformed into digital wireframes, interconnected to form the first version of the interactive prototype in Figma. The whole process was carried out according to the UCD methodology, with the system being continuously adapted and improved based on feedback from testing. This was followed by the design of the system's overall graphical design and its interface. The interactive prototype was validated through user testing with focus groups, using a standardised UEQ questionnaire to evaluate the user experience. The evaluation results showed a positive response and confirmed a high level of user experience across all measured dimensions. We also tested the transfer of the system to an alternative environment in order to improve the acceptance of the technology among the elderly.
The result of the master thesis is an interactive prototype of a mobile application interface for caregivers and care recipients, serving as an intuitive, efficient and user-friendly tool to support virtual care.
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