Individuals with ADHD may attempt to mask their difficulties by focusing their energy on work or studies, resulting in depleted energy levels that negatively impact other areas, such as household tasks. This, in turn, can contribute to adverse effects on the individual's well-being, both physically, such as developing allergies, and mentally, including increased stress, shame, depression, and anxiety.
This is my thesis project from when I studied Industrial Design at Umeå Institute of Design, where I aimed to answer the question "How can individuals with ADHD who lives alone be supported and motivated to manage their household chores?"
This project was in collaboration with Abilia, which is, among other things, the leading company in Sweden when it comes to cognitive aids. I also worked with occupational therapists from Norrland University Hospital specialized in Neuropsychiatry.
The result was presented during UID24, Umeå Institute of Designs event where all graduating students exhibits and pitches their graduation projects for attending companies. Here you can see my 3 minutes pitch for VisQuest.
VisQuest, short for Visual Quest, is a 'holographic digital planner' designed to assist individuals with ADHD in managing household tasks. With its balanced size, VisQuest is both portable and capable of displaying information clearly from a distance. It motivates users through “Visuals”— virtual growth representations that flourish with each completed task, transforming mundane chores into engaging quests.
The device helps users prioritize tasks, provides step-by-step breakdowns, and enhances motivation through gamification. Its sleek black exterior ensures that the vibrant Visuals stand out, making household management a visually rewarding experience. By merging functionality with a gamified approach, VisQuest aims to improve the well-being of its users, both mentally and physically.
For individuals with ADHD, deciding on task priorities in a sea of responsibilities is often challenging. VisQuest addresses this by suggesting which tasks should be prioritized. To maintain user engagement and combat the loss of novelty, the virtual growth can be personalized to match the user’s interests.
While many smartphone applications offer similar functionalities, they can often be overshadowed by other notifications or more attention-grabbing apps. VisQuest, as a standalone product, serves not only as a “to-do” list and task manager but also as a visual reminder of what motivates users. Additionally, it functions as a visually appealing and ever-changing art piece in the user’s home.
VisQuest’s sleek dimensions ensure it’s compact enough to move around your home effortlessly while maintaining a clear and visible display. Perfect for use in various household locations, like on the sink during chores.
The touchscreen features an ergonomic angle for comfortable interaction, and the inner screen facilitates the diorama effect that creates the illusion of the Visuals floating within the VisQuest.
The black exterior further hightens the visual appeal of the different Visuals. The handles on the backside to invite the user to pick up the VisQuest and move it around the household. The placement is to make it more secure and help the user to avoid unintentional interaction with the touchscreen.
When it's not in active use the VisQuest can be placed openly on a bookshelf, as the Visuals both works as an evolving art piece that grows with the users progress on their quests, as well as a visual reminder and a motivator to do the quests. It was important to me that the result wasn't something that would be stored away and forgotten by the user, as many said that a problem with the aiding tools is that they were forgotten.
For the UID24 event we also had our own stands where we showed off our workshop prototypes. I made the prototype with 3D printing in different forms, as well as CNC milling and forming a plastic sheet with a hot air gun.
I also made a cardboard prototype to test the size and feel in my home.
When I realized that Figma prototypes works on iPad, I reworked some of the scaling and assets to fit to my iPads screen size. The original screen size of the VisQuest is not based on any pre-existing screen size. It's still a work in progress, and my goal is to be able to make it in Unity to test it out on my iPad in the long run, as VisQuest is aimed towards longterm use in a way Figma Prototyping can't test out.
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