The Power of User-Centric Design

From analogue to digital, from 2G to 4G: Our welfare technology has come a long way since we started 50 years ago. Over time we have developed a more person-centred approach to design, that involves understanding the user’s journey and designing products to meet their needs and enhance their experiences. In this article our global portfolio planner Linnéa Ahlbeck and engineering manager Jonas Eden share insight into the process of how we develop products and share their thoughts on what the future holds.

“In the past, some people hid their in-home personal alarms because they thought they were too ugly. However, nowadays in welfare technology design, we consider all aspects, from appearance to functionality, to be equally as important, tailoring solutions to the specific needs of the users”, Jonas, who works in the development team in Kalix, Sweden explains. “Additionally we consider the variations between different countries and their respective requirements”.

Today, we are the market leader in technology enabled care across Europe, currently providing around 400,000 people with our services and products. Our customers depend on us to be able to live a richer and more independent life.

Linnéa, Global Portfolio Planner, explains how our design ideas arise from understanding how people live. “Our design process always starts with the needs of the customer. Our remote monitoring solution Visit is a great example of that. We saw that for service users who needed nightly welfare visits many found them disturbing. Not being able to sleep until the carer arrives is disruptive to routine and, in the end, your circadian rhythm is ruined so you don’t get the rest you need.”

The solution was a night camera to be used as a virtual check-in, that sends a video to a monitoring centre. However, we also wanted to overcome privacy concerns, therefore we modified our remote monitoring system, so the camera is only activated when in use. This way, the service user can sleep without feeling watched.

What we strive for at Careium is that technology should be there without being noticeable and at the same time improve your life quality, giving you the freedom to live life to the fullest
Jonas Eden

Another example where a user-centric design has been adapted is the evolution of the digital hub Elisa S +. Its contemporary design is tailored to fit seamlessly in the modern home and based on the input from customers where it is clear that good design has no age limit. In the development of the hub our employees at the monitoring centres’ experiences also have had a great impact where their knowledge is the service users’ voice to the solution.

Ellis a pendant alarm that can be connected to the Elisa S + also had a user-centric design in focus where the individual’s needs came first in the design process. Designed as a piece of jewellery and worn around the neck on a chain and with the alarm button located on the back it had the specific aim to create an alarm where function and aesthetics go hand in hand. The solution was tested by service users in Lunds municipality, Sweden where the users gave it positive reviews and claimed that they wanted to keep it.

Although a lot has happened since our start in 1974, our main approach has remained the same. Our core strategy has always been to be a supplier you can rely on, providing secure products and services.

About Eliza S+

The latest design of our flagship Eliza digital hub and the big sister of Eliza S, the slimline Eliza S+ has been developed with modern interior living in mind. Eliza S+ seamlessly integrates with new digital infrastructure and works as a digital hub for current and future TEC accessories, like smoke sensors and fall alarms. It comes as standard with the waterproof (IP67) alarm trigger Enzo – a compact and discreet alarm trigger that can be worn both on the wrist and around the neck.