Happy Hands
An interactive soap dispenser designed to help kids wash their hands for a doctor recommended 20 seconds
Timeline
10 Weeks
Deliverables
Research Plans
Prototypes
Context
UW MHCI+D Prototyping Class
Team
Angela Goldberg
Zoe Morken
Tavin Olarnsakul
Overview
Over 10 weeks, my team and I ideated, designed, and rigorously tested Inky, a soap dispenser designed to help kids wash their hands for a doctor-recommended 20 seconds, with 5 kids and 4 parents. We used a methodical iterative testing plan to not only move our design in the right direction, but ensure that we had the right design. We used various prototyping techniques to strategically test hypotheses about features and center the voice of our users which eventually led us into our final version of Inky.
My Role
UX Researcher
As a team, we were constantly coming together to brainstorm, ideate, strategize, synthesize, and more. Individually, I had distinct responsibilities:
Facilitated 4 prototype testing sessions with parents, children, and peers
Created 4 comprehensive research plans aimed at testing prototypes
Leveraged findings derived from user testing to shape and enhance interaction designs
Captured our progress and process as a team by shooting, producing, and editing videos throughout the entirety of the project
Background
As kids grow, they explore the world more and more: they hold hands, touch dirt, give high-fives, play at the park, and so much more. This exploration, however, also exposes kids to germs that they cannot see and that can lead them to fall sick. Good hand washing is the first line of defense against the spread of many illnesses: from the common cold to more serious infections, such as meningitis, bronchiolitis, the flu, hepatitis A, and many types of diarrhea. However, according to a study published by the American Cleaning Institute, 43% of children are not washing their hands enough.
More Secondary Research Findings:
The Center for Disease Control, CDC, recommends a 5-step process for healthy and effective hand-washing:
Wet hands
Get soap
Scrub for at least 20 seconds
Rinse hands
Dry
Hand washing with soap could protect about 1 out of every 3 young children who get sick with diarrhea and almost 1 out of 5 young children with respiratory infections like pneumonia.
Research in the development of logical time shows that before about 8 years, succession and duration are unstable concepts, and that children are misled by perceptual aspects of many tasks
kids’ learning can be improved by using audio and visual cues
Problem Statement:
Kids are not washing their hands enough, which can lead to sickness and absence from school.
Hypothesis
Based on our secondary research, our hypothesis was that if kids were creatively motivated to wash their hands, then they might do so more often. We started to wonder, what if kids had fun while washing their hands properly? This led us to our design challenge.
Other Assumptions:
Kids don’t like washing their hands because they don’t see its effects and it’s not fun
If kids could see the germs on their hands it might motivate them to wash their hands
Parents and kids alike don't know how long 20 seconds is
The birthday song doesn’t work well for knowing how long 20 seconds is
Design Challenge:
How might we enable and encourage children ages 5-8 to wash their hands properly for a full, doctor-recommended 20 seconds?
Ideation
After ideating over 25 design directions, we down-selected based on feasibility and impact, and moved forward with Happy Hands because we were motivated to transform a mundane part of everyday human life into a fun experience for kids.
Project Constraints:
We must use interactive electronics either as custom input or output (or both)
Our designs should support embodied, physical interaction
Move away from traditional 2D (digital screen) experiences - do not center screen-based interactions as the core to our designs
Study Overview
Iterative Research
I led our team through the iterative user testing of different hypotheses about how design changes would impact users. I leveraged secondary research throughout the entire project in order to inform design. After each round of testing, I analyzed findings and advocated for design changes.
l. Video Concept Testing (N = 4)
I shot, produced, and edited two videos that showcased our cheap, rapid prototype of Happy Hands to communicate the problem space, user needs, and present our initial solution. To test our concept, I shared our video with 2 parents of small children from my personal network, and we showed the video to our peers to gain feedback on the technical side of the design.
Method Rationale: An inexpensive and rapid way to understand parents and children's response to our idea before committing more resources to it.
Hypothesis: If kids can see their germs, they will be more motivated to wash their hands thoroughly.
Major Findings:
1/ The interactions were disjointed.
The blacklight, CPX lights, and neopixel LED strip felt like three different, incohesive components that needed integrating.
2/ Kids loved the music!
When showing the video to a child within our target user group, the child talked a lot about the fun happy birthday song and didn’t mention anything about being able to see the germs, which helped us re-prioritize the interactions we included.
3/ Parents had concerns with the Glo-Germ.
A parent raised the concern that their child may become hyperaware of the germs on their hands which could affect them negatively in the long-term.
4/ Disclosing solutions like Glo-Germ work in other contexts.
There are substances similar to Glo-Germ (a powder substance that allows people to visualize their "germs") used for similar purposes like teeth-brushing, which validates the potential of that approach.
Outcome:
I advocated for and executed a deepening of our research into other ways kids can be motivated to do something and other use cases of disclosing solutions like Glo-Germ
Our use of music as an engaging feature was validated
We identified germ hyperawareness as an undesired outcome and eliminated the Glo-Germ as a feature of our concept
Behind the scenes of me shooting concept video 2.
ll. Wizard of Oz Testing (N = 7)
We tested two versions of our faked prototype with 4 children and 2 parents, and gathered both qualitative and quantitative data. One version used a camera to monitor "quality" handwashing and the other version didn't. We recruited participants from our personal network. I developed the research questions and session guide for testing sessions, gathered and analyzed quantitative data, as well as created the video overview of our testing.
Method Rationale: Allowed us to examine the response to our envisioned technology before the technology was actually implemented.
Hypothesis: If kids see that they’re hand-washing is being monitored, then they will wash their hands better.
Major Findings:
1/ 5 year olds are very different than 8 year olds.
Both 5-year-olds we tested with did not understand that the music would play for 20 seconds – they began to rinse and dry before the music finished playing. The 8-year-old & 7-year-old participants were able to wash their hands for the entirety of the song, for both prototypes.
2/ Monitoring handwashing with a camera is counterproductive.
Because they’re being “watched,” the camera could potentially make children feel afraid or ashamed if they do not wash effectively. A parent also expressed that they would be uncomfortable having a camera in their bathroom.
“It would be embarrassing if people saw me stop washing my hands on the news.” - A kid
3/ Progression, not just perfection.
The prototype signaled to users when it was time to scrub their hands and when they were finished, but one parent expressed their desire to see the progress of the timer over time. In this case, visualizing progress was desired even with the knowledge that they scrubbed for a perfectly timed 20 seconds.
“How can it give you the cue to tell you that you’re almost there versus there?” - A parent
4/ Kids like the music they like.
One parent expressed that customization might cause their child to like it more, but other kids had fun trying to guess what song was being played as they scrubbed their hands.
“If it was more customizable for [8 y/o participant], if it played the Imperial March he would be really into it.” - A parent
Outcome:
I advocated for scoping our primary users as 5 year-olds since making the product usable for them would automatically make it usable for older kids
As a team we decided to let go of the motion-detection concept because our tests showed it wasn’t necessary or beneficial
We decided to choose one song for Happy Hands because high customization and personalization wasn’t technically feasible within the scope of our project, but recognized that it would be beneficial.
Building and testing our WOZ prototype in order to prepare for our testing sessions.
lll. Interactive Prototype A Testing (N = 2)
We informally concept-tested our interactive prototype with 2 peers with the goal of understanding how they would respond to the audio cues, manual form of the soap dispenser, and light progress indicator created using neopixel lights. We asked participants to use Happy Hands to wash their hands and talk-aloud about what they were experiencing.
Method Rationale: Allowed us to quickly get feedback on our prototype in order to uncover areas for improvement and move it in the right direction. Due to time constraints, we could not test with our target users.
Hypothesis: If participants are able to visualize their progress, hear audio cues, and interact with a familiar, manual device, then they will enjoy using Happy Hands.
Major Findings:
1/ Interactions were confusing and didn't match expectations.
Both participants were confused about what comes immediately after pressing the pump – their expectations of interactions were unclear. One participant felt that there might have been too much of a delay caused by the countdown period, and another participant was waiting for visual feedback before releasing their hand from the pump.
2/ The visual progress timer works well.
Participants understood that the lights on the neopixel were a countdown for 20 seconds, and they followed it well.
3/ The aesthetic is happy.
Both participants expressed that overall, the appearance and music were fun and friendly.
"Everything seems very happy and positive." - A participant
4/ The dispenser was hard to press.
One participant felt that the pump on this particular soap dispenser was difficult to press, but that it might be easier after the first try.
Outcome:
I re-designed the pump interaction in order to match it with user expectations from feedback
I conducted an informal competitive analysis to discover how other timed soap dispensers worked and used them as inspiration
I conducted more secondary research to ensure the audio cues were in line with best practices from child psychology research
Interactive prototype A in the making - our 3-d base didn't print correctly but we improvised with a cardboard backing.
The BIG pivot to an octopus.
After engaging in several conversations regarding possible form factors for Happy Hands, I came across an article that discussed how octopuses clean themselves before meals and employ their ink to scare potential threats. This idea struck me as an excellent basis for creating a relatable connection to hand-washing for children. Rather than scaring predators, we could utilize ink to wash off germs. I shared the idea with the team, and everyone was on board. Before we knew it, Inky was born.
My secondary research findings that significantly changed the audio cues.
I had ownership over coding and recording the audio interaction and cues for the project. I naturally incorporated the phrase 'good job' in the audio to encourage children when they finished washing their hands. However, during the later stages of the project, I proactively conducted additional research on child psychology. I discovered valuable insights in a scholarly psychology journal indicating that praise centered on ability and effort might have adverse effects on children's self-perception and self-esteem [1]. Instead, the research recommended using informational-based feedback to safeguard children's self-worth, especially in situations where they might encounter future setbacks.
Recognizing the potential impact of this research, I promptly shared my findings with the team and proposed a shift in our audio cues from an effort-based approach to an informational one. This new approach would simply inform children about their progress during the hand-washing process and signal when they had completed it. With the team on board, I modified the concluding audio cue from 'great job' to 'all done'. Although it may seem like a subtle alteration, it could profoundly influence how children perceive themselves in relation to their actions, helping them establish a healthier detachment from external validation.
[1] Xing et. al., Effects of Ability and Effort Praise on Children's Failure Attribution, Self-Handicapping, and Performance. Front Psychol. 2018 Oct 2;9:1883. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01883.How I re-designed Inky's timer using competitive analysis.
Stepping into the realm of designing a hand-washing timer, a new territory for me, I quickly conducted market research to identify how other products have successfully delivered intuitive and user-friendly timer experiences. Leveraging an online search, I explored various hand-washing and general timer devices to gain insights into what constituted user-friendliness. I gathered this valuable information and presented it to my team, igniting a collaborative brainstorming session where we sketched potential ways to integrate the timer seamlessly into our design.
Assigned with the task of coding the timer using Arduino and bringing our design to life, I made the deliberate choice that, upon initiating Inky, the timer would elegantly 'load up,' signaling to users that the countdown was about to commence. Coupled with an audio cue stating "time to scrub" and a whimsical bubble load-up sound effect, I firmly believed that this novel interaction would effectively convey to users both the start of the countdown and its completion, ensuring a clear and engaging user experience.
Previous-Interaction.movPrevious Interaction
The red light was alarming to people and confusing overall.
Redesigned-Interaction.movRe-designed Interaction
The new interaction which was found to be more intuitive.
lV. Interactive Prototype B Testing (N = 5)
After major modifications to our prototype based on key findings, we wanted to understand: if the design was intuitive, the impact of the progress indicator, and preferences for audio cues vs. no audio cues. We tested with 3 peers, 1 parent, and their 5-year old recruited from personal network.
I designed the study plan for testing, which includes defining research questions and writing the session guide, with input from my team.
I created a chart to help us map our findings to our modifications, and ultimately to our new research questions.
Method Rationale: Allowed us to get feedback on our prototype in order to uncover areas for improvement and move it in the right direction.
Hypothesis: If participants use Happy Hands with and without audio cues, then they will prefer the version without audio cues because it might not be as annoying.
Major Findings:
1/ The audio cues were engaging and memorable.
When the first audio cue of “Keep scrubbing” played, the child looked up at our facilitator with genuine amusement. Then, while her mother used HH, she repeated the words “All done” as Inky was saying them. The cues were so well-received that two of our peers expressed wanting additional cues and celebratory audio once the time was up.
"I don't know if i would have known to keep scrubbing without you [Inky] telling me.” - Peer Participant 1
"I feel like I wouldn’t know how much time has passed Without the “keep scrubbing”. It did feel shorter than 20 seconds which was nice." - Peer Participant 3
2/ People found it difficult to press down on Inky’s hat.
The child was able to press down on Inky’s hat hard enough to start the lights and music, but not enough to get soap. However, when her mother faced the same problem, the child helped her mother press harder. Although getting soap was harder than expected, the child still described the interaction as “fun” and preferred Inky over her automatic soap dispenser at home.
“I need to press down two times on it.” - Kid Participant
"I had to push really hard to get the soap to come out." - Peer Participant 2
3/ A parent had concerns about safety and durability.
When asked if she could imagine Inky in her home, the mother responded that she could because their sink is large enough. However, she also expressed concern for Inky being safe when wet. She was also concerned for her 3-year-old son because he “likes to play around” and could see him attempting to take off Inky’s hat.
"Is it run by a battery or electricity? Maybe that part [could be designed better for kids] because they’re easily attracted to the battery, there is safety concerns. What if it’s touched by water? Does it have safety issues?" - Parent Participant
4/ People used Inky according to their own hand-washing styles.
Our participants each had their own hand-washing habits, some of which did not align with how we designed Inky to be used. Our second and third participants found the ending cue confusing—“All done, time to rinse”—because they had scrubbed and rinsed during the 20-second period. This led us to realize that parents likely teach children how to wash their hands based on their own hand-washing habits and may also need education on the recommended procedure.
"I think if I used this, I would change how I washed my hands, use the soap first, scrub for longer, then start rinsing. I don’t know if it’s better" - Peer Participant 2
"Normally at home, I think she gets water first whereas with Inky, she immediately approached Inky and then washed it. For me, I am following the routine of what I did at home because I’m an adult, I guess" - Parent Participant
Outcome:
I expanded on and refined the audio cues
I realized that supplemental educational materials on proper hand-washing may be needed for parents and children alike to use Inky in our intended way
As a team, we acknowledged that there would be aspects of a real product that might not be feasible for our prototype, such as making the top hat easier for a kid to press
Soldering for the first time in order to create Inky's monocle timer.
Final Prototype
Earl of the Abyss Inkwellington is an octopus soap dispenser. When a user presses on his top hat, he releases charcoal soap from his “beak,” his monocle—the lighted progress indicator—lights up, and a song plays. Throughout the song, Inky provides audio cues such as “Keep scrubbing,” and “All done!” By the end of 20 seconds, the music finishes with a *ding* sound and the lights on the monocle have finished progressing.
Final prototype of Inky made using 3-d printing, Arudino Nano, and neopixels.
happy hands cp8.mp4Our final concept video where we show a demo of Inky and what we learned through each iteration.
If we had more time:
Inky’s size would account for varying countertop sizes (how can we make Inky more compact?)
Explore ways to create a more personalized experience with Happy Hands which might include being able to choose the song that plays
Incorporate the audio hardware into Inky, eliminating the need for a separate container
Limitations of the project:
We had difficulty recruiting kids due to their busy school and extra-curricular schedules
The presence of spectators may have influenced how children interacted with the device
While the testing environments simulated kitchen sinks, it's possible that participants did not wash their hands as they would at home
Reflections
Conducting research with kids requires a different approach - think about the kid's experience!
I truly enjoyed working with kids during this project (adorable) and quickly realized that everything from the language used when speaking to them to the environment you bring them into needs to be tailored to their needs. We had a 5 year old girl who came in to test Inky and when she came in she immediately saw paper and wanted to draw, so we got her a pencil to draw with. In the future it would be great to have that environment already setup in a way that is conducive to kids. Kids can also be timid when around a group of people they don't know so I think in the future limiting the number of people present during the testing could improve their experience of our testing session.
Research can and should inform design at any stage of the process.
When I made the first version of the audio track for Inky that included the song and audio cues, I didn't realize at the time but I made an assumption as to what types of audio cues would be beneficial for kids. With this section of the product being designed towards the end of the project, we weren't conducting any more secondary research as a group. However, after deciding to conduct secondary research on my own, I found that there were academic psychological research findings that could directly influence the script for the audio cues to make them more suitable for kids' long-term mental health. In design we can either make an assumption, or learn more about the space that brings a greater understanding of a particular topic.