TapSpeech
TapSpeech enhances communication between speech-impaired elderly individuals and their caregivers. Designed for ease of use, it leverages intuitive touch-based interactions, speech-to-text conversion, and emotion recognition to address language barriers, emotional needs, and cognitive challenges.
ROLE
Head of Design
Co-founder
TEAM
2 Designers
7 Developers
TIMELINE
June 2021 -
January 2022
Millions of elderly patients face communication barriers in healthcare. TapSpeech bridges this gap with an intuitive platform for verbally impaired patients and caregivers, enabling emotion tracking, emergency alerts, and seamless coordination for timely, compassionate care.
Founded in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, TapSpeech aimed to address the lack of healthcare communication tools that effectively address emotional and psychological expression.
Having grandparents struggling with speech impairment, we noticed that the elderly felt that expressing their moods or emotions was burdensome and fatiguing. We quickly grew into a team of 12, successfully developed the app, and won the 2021 City Innovation and Technology Grand Challenge—Hong Kong’s largest and most prestigious tech competition.
The TapSpeech team after winning the 2021 City Innovation and Technology Grand Challenge.
Overview
Designed for Elderly Users
For elderly patients, the interface ensures a balance of functional depth and ease-of-use with visible elements, ensuring accessibility. It prioritizes safety with quick-access emergency tools, integrates contact options for immediate assistance, and includes an intuitive emotion registration feature to help users track and communicate their feelings effectively.
Request what you need simply by tapping.
A scroll down from the homepage, users can find different essential health-related requests, such as restroom assistance and medication reminders.
Start your day by writing about how you feel.
Elderly users can contact your nurses, caregivers, or close ones at the slide of a button and express emotions effortlessly with emotion tracking.
Stay connected to those who matter most
Contact caregivers, family members, or essential support quickly with ease. Whether you need immediate assistance, have a question, or simply want to stay connected
Final Product
Informative for Caregivers
The interface for caregivers is designed to provide real-time updates on patient needs, emotions, medical information, and location tracking. By integrating clear and organized request lists, emotion tracking, and spatial awareness tools, caregivers can respond efficiently and proactively.
Addressing Verbal Impairment
We aimed to address the hardships patients face due to the inability to communicate clearly. We talked to over 20 members of the elderly community, care homes, and our own family members.
User Empathy Map
We observed a density of pain points associated with expressing basic needs, leading to feelings of isolation, frustration, and anxiety.
-
Difficulty in making certain sounds, rendering comprehension difficult.
-
Flow of speech is disrupted with atypical rhythm and abnormal number or repetitions.
-
Difficulty in expressing ideas or needs.
Speech impairment directly implicates:
The design objective focuses on enhancing communication between verbally impaired patients and caregivers by addressing key challenges such as expressing emotions, requesting assistance in large hospitals, and communicating needs without speaking.
Framing By Asking Questions
User Scenario Mapping
Research
Home Screen Iterations
The homescreen saw the most iteration, prioritizing accessibility and ease of use. To streamline interactions, we shifted to a scrolling function, emphasizing emergency alerts, caretaker messaging, and daily needs tracking.
The wireframe maps out the core user flow, ensuring clarity, accessibility, and quick navigation from account setup to emergency assistance.
Wireframing Core Interfaces
Prototyping
Branding
Icons
Designed to be friendly and easily distinguishable for elders with weak contrast sensitivity
Colors
Clear, Gentle, Vibrant, Soothing
Typography
Proxima Nova
The logo was inspired by the Red Cross and the butterfly, synonomous with the process of growth and healing.
Logo Design
Design
Learnings
As my first-ever UX project and our team's participation in a competition, this experience was my introduction to user-centered design. Throughout the 12-week development process and 17 iterations, TapSpeech was shaped by continuous learning and adaptation. These are the key takeaways from our journey:
01 Prioritizing Emotional Expression in Healthcare Communication
Initially, our design focused on basic physical needs—sanitation, food, and activity. However, we realized that emotional well-being is just as critical in patient care. The addition of an emotion meter allowed elderly patients to register their feelings, giving caregivers a more holistic understanding of their needs.
02 Collaboration and Iterative Design Lead to Better Solutions
By working closely with programmers, designers, and caregivers, we fostered an environment where mutual understanding and teamwork were essential. When the design team needed more time, the developers agreed to pause and refine the product—this decision strengthened the final experience for both patients and caregivers.
03 Designing for Accessibility Requires Deep Empathy
To create a truly effective solution, I had to view the experience from the perspective of elderly patients, understanding the frustrations of those who cannot speak. This approach led to intuitive, accessible features, ensuring that TapSpeech was designed for real users, not just as a concept.
Huge thanks to my incredible team—Spencer Lee, Gabriel Yu, and my design partner Jasmine Leung.