Resound Smart 3D
ReSound is a part of The GN Group and works to provide hearing assistive technology for those with hearing loss. ReSound Smart 3D is a mobile application that allows hearing aid users to adjust features of their hearing aids including volume, directionality of microphones, and connectivity.
Why I chose to Redesign ReSound Smart 3D
During my time as a graduate school clinician, I observed my clients struggling and becoming frustrated with the hearing aid apps they used. I had always wanted to complete the UX process, interview users, and develop solutions to the problems that continuously affected my patients.
The purpose of this case study is to enhance the user experience of the ReSound Smart 3D mobile app. This will be achieved by making adjustments to current screens and incorporating new modules.
While I have several ideas for improving the UI and UX of this application, I decided to approach it as if I were part of a company with typical limitations such as time and money. Rather than completely redesigning the app's UI, I focused on addressing real user experience issues and finding ways to achieve the ultimate goal: increasing user satisfaction with ReSound hearing aids.
My Design Process
Empathize
To start, I conducted a competitive and feature analysis of the hearing aid applications in the market. I then surveyed and interviewed hearing aid users and those who communicate with hearing aid users to gain insight into their motivation and pain points. Here is my research plan. LINK
Competitive Analysis
I looked at direct competitors’ apps to compare features and find gaps in the competition. My plan was to incorporate new features inspired from other applications and to improve on underperforming features already found in the ReSound app.
Oticon on and myPhonak were great for overall ear health with myPhonak also adding general health information such as movement. Signia and Bose were great for using as remote controls for the hearing aids in a quick and clear manner.
Feature Analysis
Next, I identified features from the apps. Oticon On and Sigmia were great for allowing users to make adjustments to their hearing aids in both simple and advanced ways. Bose Hear allowed for fewer changes to be made, but had an intuitive flow that allowed for quick and accurate adjustments. MyPhonak was the most involved app allowing for many adjustments to be made as well as including other health information such as activity levels.
Heuristic Evaluation
I wanted to pinpoint faults with individual elements early in the process determine their overall impact on user experience. When combined with user testing and my knowledge from working with previous patients, this information is useful for making the appropriate changes to ReSound Smart 3D.
Task: Change hearing aid settings to match your current environment
App Store Reviews
To gather data from a large group of people quickly, I read through reviews of the application on the Apple Store and Google Play Store. I gathered information that helped me make design and usability decisions as I continued through the process.
User Survey & Analysis
I gathered 12 participants who use ReSound hearing aids with the ReSound Smart 3D application. They were given a 10 question user survey to help me gain quantitative data to identify feature adjustment habits, pain points, and wants of current users.
From the survey results, I found that:
- 91.6% of users make adjustments to the volume of their hearing aids daily. All of these users reported using the ReSound Smart app at least half of the time when changing volume.
- 67% of users stated that they have troubles seeing or reading information on the app.
- 75% of users would like to make more exact changes to the sound of their hearing aids.
- 33% of users said there are lots of options but they do not understand what they do.
- 75% of users are in loud environments at least once a week.
User Interview & Analysis
Next, I conducted 8 user interviews and combined this information with insights I have gathered from the hundreds of patients I have seen in clinic.
Insights I gathered about the current form of ReSound Smart 3D:
- It is helpful for simple adjustments(mainly volume control) or switching between preset programs set by the audiologist. However, the volume control is small and hard to control.
- Symbols and wording are not clear on what is being changed in the hearing aids
- There are too many buttons and pathways on the front page. It is difficult to know where to complete certain tasks
- Battery percentage of each hearing aid is one of the main reasons people check the app.
Other insights gathered include:
- Hearing aid users would like to know if they have been in loud environments and when they should switch to hearing protection
- Hearing aid users, especially new users, struggle to wear the hearing aids consistently.
- With rechargeable hearing aids, users want to be reminded of low battery or if they forgot to charge it during a period of non-use.
Define
In the second step of my design process, I created user personas, a user journey, an empathy map, and defined a problem statement. I wanted to ensure I continued with the user in mind and pulled from research I have completed.
User Personas
I used my research and knowledge of hearing aid users to create 1 primary persona and 1 secondary persona to help me focus on the individuals who will be using this application.
 |  |
|---|---|
| Primary Persona | Secondary Persona |
User Journey
I created a user journey to help me visualize when an individual may use ReSound Smart 3D to either adjust settings on their hearing aid or check other features. This allowed me to understand other factors that may impact how someone interacts with their hearing aid/app. Other factors such as the environment, weather, time constraints, and movement all impact how well someone is able to use an application. Completing user journeys allows me to think about those other factors.
Problem Statement & Improvement Opportunities
After completing these steps, I developed problem statements and opportunities for improvement in ReSound Smart 3D to use as a guide as I move forward.
Primary
Richard is a former farmer with severe hearing loss who just received hearing aids for the first time and wants to be able to change and save volume and other settings on his hearing aids because he wants to find benefit from them in various environments without focusing on the hearing aids.
Secondary
Sakina is the mother of a child with hearing aids who needs to be able to monitor and control her child’s hearing aids because she wants to ensure her daughter is getting benefit from them and wearing them consistently throughout the day.
Opportunities
- Optimize the app for accessibility by including, at minimum: Robust images throughout, accessibility-friendly color options, optimal button sizes, etc
- Be strategic in optimizing the app’s **information architecture **and make sure that it serves user needs- including simple screens with advanced options in later steps
- Provide more ability to personalize programs and save them for future use without visiting the audiologist
- Involve hearing health information including sound exposure tracking and hours wearing the hearing aid.
- Clearly label buttons and icons
- Provide additional information about what changes are made to the hearing aids by adjusting settings
- Allow for settings to be limited for varying ages or wants of users but allow those who want the options to have access to these settings.
Ideate
After looking at user reviews from app stores, user interviews and surveys, and creating personas, I found major and minor issues or missing opportunities in ReSound Smart 3D. I used this time to brainstorm using various techniques and start to solidify my research data into action points and changes/improvements I wanted to make throughout the app.
Solution
- Improve accessibility and simplify- Change colors, backgrounds, sizes of buttons, and icons to increase accessibility and create an intuitive design.
- Build Routine/Gamify the experience- Form a habit and make wearing hearing aids and completing hearing practices effortless
- Provide reasonings and learning opportunities- Enhance the hearing aid experience by providing information about changes and opportunities to learn more about hearing health
Idea Brainstorming
To begin this phase of the process, I wanted to think about many different ideas that could be done to improve the app. I started by listing ideas for improving the aspects of the app that were already present. I wanted to include both large and small adjustments that could be made based off of user feedback.
- Change the background image to make text more accessible
Provide information about the meaning of “bass boost” and “treble boost”
- Make the volume bar more prominent
Change icons for sound enhancer and separate volume changes to be more different from one another
Change “sound enhancer” button to be more clear for what it is for- include a notification if changes to the program have been made
Information Architecture
I created a flow map that showed various ideas that could be implemented if time and budget allowed. I included many ideas and proceeded to narrow down to ideas that could be implemented to start and a list of other options that could be added later.
Sketches
I created sketches by hand keeping in mind accessibility, user needs, and other design principles. I started with crazy 8 exercises and compiled the best ideas/designs into a more finalized sketch before moving onto low-fidelity wireframes on Adobe XD.
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
I moved to Adobe XD to create low and mid-fidelity wireframes that could later be used for user testing. I wanted to ensure I had designs that were quick and low-cost to create but could be used for prototype testing before investing time into high-fidelity designs.
Prototype
Mid-Fidelity wireframe was created followed by a UI kit and high-fidelity mock ups.
With a color scheme and main UI design already in place, I developed a UI kit based on the set business colors and design. This helped to create continuity when moving throughout the app. A grid system was created help with responsive design as well.
Ui Kit
With a color scheme and main UI design already in place, I developed a UI kit based on the set business colors and design. This helped to create continuity when moving throughout the app. A grid system was created help with responsive design as well.
Usability Testing
I conducted usability testing with 6 participants in person, each lasting around 30 minutes.
objective of the test:
- Observe if users can accomplish the 3 specified tasks. If they make a mistake, can they recover? What is the time span to complete the task?
- Identify areas of the app that require a change to improve user performance and satisfaction. Have changes in the original design improved or fixed the problems encountered before?
With the provided feedback, I created revisions to fill the gap between my understanding of the users and whatthe users experienced.
Final Mockup & Validation
Using this UI kit and information I gathered through user testing, I created a high-fidelity mockup. I then tested 10 potential users on specific user journeys to find areas of improvement. After gathering this information, I compared data to the original user testing and heuristics to ensure effective changes were made to ReSound Smart 3D to improve problems revealed in past testing.
Reflection
What's Next?
I have a large list of features and improvements that can be made to ReSound Smart 3D including an entirely new aspect of including cochlear implant information and controls. This would be a large addition that could be added if time and budget allowed.
- Continued Development of Hearing Practice- Other screens and active vs in-active states of components need continued testing, development, and designing.
- Loud Noise Indication- Show the user how much time is spent in certain types of noise, notify the user if they might be damaging their hearing, and provide information regarding noise exposure and hearing protection
- Hearing Journal- research shows that those with hearing loss or are new to wearing hearing aids can benefit from reflecting on situations that are good or bad with their hearing. Providing a space to document different experiences and thoughts may help users benefit more from their hearing aids.
- Cochlear Implant Coordination- ReSound is a hearing aid brand that is known to coordinate with cochlear implants. Creating an all-in-one app that can help those that have both devices could help users improve their outcomes thus becoming a recommended brand to use by audiologists.
- Light mode- While dark mode is a popular presentation for apps to use, feedback from users said that they would like the option for a light mode version of the app.
Lessons Learned
Throughout my time as a clinician in graduate school, I saw how my clients struggled and became frustrated with the apps that controlled their hearing aids. Completing the UX process, interview users, and develop solutions to the problems I continuously saw patients have, was something I long wanted to do. This project demonstrated to me the importance of the entire design process. I had various ideas of what to improve prior to starting this project based on what I had heard from patients, but I learned of many new opportunities and design flaws throughout user testing, brainstorming, and designing.
Although I have many ideas for improvements of UI and UX in this application, I wanted to treat this as though I was part of a company with typical restrictions such as time and money. Rather than doing an entire redesign of the app’s UI, I chose to focus on true user experience issues and ways that would help the ultimate goal: increasing user satisfaction with ReSound hearing aids.