How I improved Resident Navigation for 1,200+ Seniors
Details
Enso Village (A Kendal Affiliate)
Client
Lead UX Designer & Researcher (Team of 3)
Accessibility specialist . Lead Researcher
Role
Timeline
Q2 2023 - Q2 2024
QA team · Healthcare providers · Engineering · Residents
Collaborators
TL;DR
The Problem
Residents faced challenges navigating the campus and building meaningful connections within the community due to uniform hallways and a lack of visual cues.
What we did
We leveraged visual cues, community-building tools, and creative engagement strategies to enhance navigation, foster connections, and encourage meaningful resident interaction.
Situation
Ensō Village is a Zen-inspired life-plan community in Healdsburg, CA. The community contains 220+ independent residences, many owned by artists, gallerists, and art collectors.
40% of residents struggled to navigate the campus
Uniform hallways lacked distinctive visual cues
Residents felt disconnected and disoriented
Desk Research Insights
Themed environmental cues, enhance spatial memory by 40%.
Source: Journal of Environmental Psychology
Landmarks improve navigation ability by 50% for individuals with cognitive impairments.
Source: Alzheimer’s Association
Familiar & pleasing visuals reduce stress and anxiety in seniors by up to 60%.
Source: National Institute on Aging
Primary Research
(0-1 Discovery Phase) Enso Staff & Resident Interviews
Disorienting Hallways
"The hallways all look the same, and it's really disorienting."
Navigation Difficulties
"I often get lost because there aren't any visual cues in the hallways."
The Ensō App
“ The app is complicated and often glitches when I zoom in!”
Increased Stress
"It's stressful trying to find my way around here, it makes daily life more challenging."
Feeling of Home
"The sterile, uniform look here doesn't feel like home at all."
Ethnographic Diary Studies
Documented residents' daily interactions to reveal navigation issues and engagement opportunities, collecting firsthand insights to guide solutions.
Emotional Landscape
To wrap up our research, we mapped Resident emotions into categories to create an emotion wheel.
Key Insights from Empathy Mapping
In the context of the empathy insights for Ensō Village, Art came to the forefront as a solution because it addressed several key emotional challenges faced by residents
This led us to our Problem Statement
How can we make it easier for seniors at Ensō Village to find their way and feel more at home?
User Archetypes
Resident persona and current journey
Future State Map of the Residents Journey
Play Testing Concepts
Themed Artwork Corridors
[Disorientation]- Introducing [Themed Artwork Corridors]- Helps [orient residents]using Art on walls
Digital Showcase
[Need to find Purpose] - Introducing [Artist of the Month Showcase] - [Fosters pride and Encouragement]
Art Information Leaflets
Artists can choose their themes for handouts or make their own.
[Curiosity About Art] - Providing [Art Information Leaflets] - [Easy-to-read information] about displayed artworks
Friendship Toolkit
[Social Isolation] - Deploying the [Friendship Toolkit] - Encourages [Personal connections] through customizable door signs and prompts.
Ensō App Integration
[Navigational Challenges] - [Ensō App Integration] - Complements the physical art experience with [Digital maps and AR features]
Play Test Insights
"We found the app too complicated to follow; we prefer something we can touch and feel."
"It’s hard to keep track of where the art should go; we like to decide ourselves."
"Digital displays and brochures don’t feel as personal or engaging."
Moving from digital to analog solutions. Introducing,
Pathways to Connection
1. Friendship Board
How would a Board on a door help?
A door board provides visual cues for resident connection and communication, helpful for newcomers or introverts. It displays announcements or alerts (e.g., "HOH: Please call or switch the light on if there's no answer").
2. Art Info Leaflets
Printed on high-quality, easy-to-read paper. Each brochure is 8.5" x 11" in size.
Text sizes are at 18pt for body text and 24pt for headings, with a contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
How would an Art Tour Booklet help?
The booklet prompts exploration, guides residents through artworks, and boosts mental engagement. Personalized notes forge intergenerational bonds and keepsakes, helping memory-care seniors recall and share.
3. Art Tour Booklets
Spaces for residents' notes, reflections, and stories about the artworks. ADA-compliant text size and contrast. Compact 7" x 5.5" booklet—easy to carry.
The Art Info Leaflet maps artworks to help residents orient themselves and sparks community conversations about each piece’s story.
How would an Art Tour Booklet help?
4. Direction Boards
Large, bold floor numbers and clear signs help residents find their location and key areas quickly, boosting security and independence.
How would a Direction board help?
The Direction Board gives clear visual cues, helping HOH seniors identify their floor after exiting the elevator. It simplifies navigation, reduces confusion, and boosts residents' confidence and independence.
5. Digital Artwork Display
Display residents' art to foster community and participation.
High-contrast screens,
How would a Digital Display Screen help?
The Screen showcases residents' creativity, boosting pride and community recognition. Displaying artwork sparks engagement and storytelling, strengthening connections beyond routine notices.
Ensō App Accessibility Overhaul
Used Siteimprove to fix accessibility issues via the POUR framework.
Initial Siteimprove Audits Results showed room for improvement
Post implementation Siteimprove Audits Scores.
Debugs
Pilot Testing Results
Since joining the art tours, I feel more connected and motivated to walk the facility. It's wonderful exploring art with neighbors.
IMPACT - Improved Health: Art tours boosted physical activity and reduced isolation, enhancing residents' mental and emotional well-being.
The new signs made it easy to navigate, at a recent campus event I found it myself.
IMPACT - Navigational Autonomy: Clear direction boards and booklets increased residents' confidence in navigating independently.
“Seeing my neighbors' stories has brought us closer together."
IMPACT - Strengthened Community Bonds
The Friendship Board and digital displays fostered deeper connections and a collaborative spirit.
Impact
Resident engagement
20%▲
Reported isolation and stress
10%▼
Tracked via attendance and participation in art tours and community events before and after Pathways to Connection
Navigational satisfaction
15%▲
Assessed via resident wellness check-ins and staff anecdotes, focusing on social interaction and mental health after implementation
Assessed via resident surveys comparing navigation ease before and after installing direction boards and custom booklets
Handoff Process
All project assets have been handed over: tutorials, how-to Loom videos, style guides, manuals, and editable templates. Print-ready versions are included for handwritten use, so residents and staff can personalize materials as needed.
Before and After “Pathways to Connection” Suite
Leadership Testimonials
Dr. Erin Partridge, Head of Inspirement Studios at Enso Village
The residents are thrilled with what been done. The time and flexibility while the building is still under construction are much appreciated. This work showed how important community is and made residents feel empowered. It’s about people, not bought AI art.
Marc O'Brien, Mentor for Capstone Project under CCA X Enso
Vidhi led the Enso Village project and kept it on track. She planned project execution, ran site visits, and created user-focused UX strategies. She handled all UX documentation, organized media and participant recruitment, and wrote post-handoff support materials. She kept all stakeholders informed and supported the team.
Reflections
Designing for senior living communities is about more than meeting immediate needs; it’s about fostering connections and independence.
Well-designed, accessible solutions can enhance daily life and create a stronger sense of community.
Designing Within Constraints
A limited budget, existing infrastructure, and ongoing construction required cost-effective and adaptable solutions.
Creating a Sense of Home
Comfort and accessibility go hand in hand, meaning a balance between ADA compliance and a warm, familiar space that feels welcoming and lived-in.