Challenge

CS4 helps people with cognitive and physical disabilities live independently in shared housing, supported by educators who make daily visits.

Their existing solution – a 2011 domotic system with room monitors for task organization, communication, and emergency alerts – had become obsolete. They needed a portable, scalable replacement that maintained all existing functionalities.

Solution

We designed Abitare, a mobile app that helps residents manage both individual and shared aspects of independent living.

Key features include:

• Individual and shared calendars for tasks and events

• Pinboard for important information

• Expense tracking

• Shared recipes and grocery lists

• Alert system for emergency communications

• Activities bulletin from the social cooperative

A separate operator interface allows social workers to:

• Manage shift reports

• Organize resident schedules

• Share important communications

• Update household information

All of this, to speed up routine tasks and dedicate more time to relationships.

Research Methods

Due to time constraints and accessibility limitations, we focused on gathering insights from CS4 staff through:

• Analysis of CS4's documentation

• 4 interviews with CS4 operators (1 coordinator, 3 educators)

• 1 interview with the engineer who designed the previous system

Key Activities & Findings

Initial Research

Revealed critical insights about:

• Residents' surprisingly high technological literacy

• Essential features needed for daily coordination

• Information sharing patterns

• Operators' support and communication needs

Persona Development

We created three key personas:

The new resident requiring guidance.

The experienced resident needing coordination help.

The busy social operator managing daily visits.

Design Process

We progressed from initial sketches through user flows to wireframes and prototypes, focusing on:

• Centralized personal agenda for daily task management

• Shared household schedule to prevent conflicts

• Financial management tools for independence

• Collaborative features for household coordination

• Streamlined operator interface for efficient management

Conclusion

The project demonstrated how proper problem framing and continuous client involvement are crucial for success. The key challenge was finding the right balance between providing support and fostering independence.

Most importantly, it showed how UX design can create positive social change by developing digital tools that enhance quality of life and promote independence for individuals with disabilities, while bringing technological innovation to the social sector in meaningful ways.