Chronic Care
Type 1 Diabetes at School
dabi
dabi
Empowering Young Diabetes Warriors: A
Comprehensive Care Ecosystem
DISCIPLINE
TIMELINE
TOOLS
TEAMMATES
00.
How can technology assist in managing
home healthcare for chronic disease?
01
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
Our team thoroughly researched the needs of school-
aged children with Type 1 Diabetes.. Through interviews,
journey mapping, and treatment analysis, we identified
their unique challenges and milestones.
THE STATISTICS
In 2019, of the 283,000 children and
adolescents younger than 20 with diagnosed
diabetes, 244,00 had type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes is one of the most common
chronic diseases of childhood in the United
States, accounting for over 87% of all cases
in youth ages 10-19 years.
CURRENT SCHOOL REGULATIONS
FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES
Federal law gives students the right to
receive the diabetes care for safety
and full participation in school. Schools
must provide trained staff for
monitoring glucose levels and
administering insulin and glucagon.
Whether a student is allowed to self-
administer is dependent upon:
Approved paperwork from medical
provider, parent/guardian, and school,
child’s age and experience, and
possibly other school specific factors.
Middle school and high school aged
students: are usually able to self-
manage their diabetes depending on
the duration of diabetes and level of
maturity but will always need help when
experiencing sever hyperglycemia.
JOURNEY MAP
To School
At School
Attack
To Home
Going to School
Constantly checking blood level
Treatment & recovery
Slightly feeling symptom
Getting Attack
Routine & Home
Checking monitor status
Eating, Packing lunch
Frequent blood sugar
checks, Careful eating,
Split attention
Pre-Attack, During Attack,
Post Attack
Creating a routine,
Managing consistent spending
CARE AT SCHOOL
Diagnosis
Adjustment
Experiment
Routine
Being Diagnosed
Doing Research
Finding Products
that Work
Learning about Diagnosis
Experimenting with products
Being overwhelmed
Adjusting
Additional testing,
Initial instructions,
Purchasing first supplies
Dramatic lifestyle changes,
Check-ups, DSMES services,
Buying additional supplies
Trying new products, emotional
ups and downs, and increased
spending on various items.
Establishing a patient
routine, Maintaining
consistent spending.
DIAGNOSIS JOURNEY
Jake 12
Diagnosis: 2 months ago
CONCERNS
Social impact on his life
Lack of understanding about his disease
Feeling different from his peers
Jake was recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
Jake's insulin levels are stable, and his parents
handle most of his care. However, his biggest
challenges are social and emotional.
Danielle 16
Diagnosis: 5 years ago
CONCERNS
Paranoia about weight fluctuations
Feeling overprotected by her family
Burnout and overwhelm from condition
Danielle has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes
for a while.Danielle is now managing her own care
but is becoming more socially conscious as she
spends more time with friends.
Clara 40
Stay-at-home mom.
CONCERNS
Inability to monitor her daughter at school
Relying on school administrators for care
Learning to adjust to her daughter's condition
Clara’s 13 year old daughter was recently
diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Clara makes
most decisions for her daughter’s care and is the
first point of contact during of after emergencies.
Ms. Terry 37
Middle School Nurse
CONCERNS
Monitoring students' blood glucose levels
Effectively communicating with parents
Balancing care for multiple students at once
Ms. Terry is a middle school nurse with 3 years
of experience. She manages the school care system
and currently looks after two middle school students
with Type 1 Diabetes at her school.
PERSONAS
FACTORS OFTEN OVERLOOKED
Increases in estrogen and/or testosterone
during puberty can increase blood
sugar levels and cause insulin resistance.
PUBERTY
Blood sugar may rise 3-5 days before
periods due to hormonal changes.
Progesterone increases insulin resistance,
while serotonin decline leads to sugar cravings.
While unavoidable factors should be
considered, we must prioritize reducing waste
while maintaining or improving care quality.
ENVIRONMENT WASTE
MENSTRUAL CYCLE
...simplify diabetes tracking for caregivers?
...make diabetes management fun?
...create a diabetes ecosystem?
???
HOW MIGHT WE...
Type 1 Diabetes profoundly affects children’s daily lives, demanding careful attention
at home and school. Existing products often do not cater to their rapid growth and
developmental milestones like puberty and social awareness
Our goal is to alleviate the ongoing management stress for patients and caregivers
by filling these critical gaps.
THE PROBLEM
02
CONCEPT DESIGN
Rather than redesigning existing monitors or insulin pump, we focused on enhancing the overall
care system and communication among essential parties: nurses, parents, and patients. Our aim
is to streamline and simplify this process, reducing stress and improving efficiency.
A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH
BRAINSTORMING
We designed product thumbnails to
showcase various features that could
help manage diabetes.
DECISION BOARD
To organize our product ideas and identify key
features, we created a decision matrix. This matrix
categorized our thumbnails into physical and digital
solutions.
By analyzing common themes and desired features,
we identified three promising design directions. While
the lower half of our thumbnails represent digital features
we're already planning to incorporate, the matrix helped
us pinpoint additional physical and conceptual elements
to consider.
CONCEPT 1: ALERT WRISTBAND
This wristband offers a convenient and discreet way
to monitor blood glucose levels. By displaying color
changes and providing gentle haptic feedback, the
wristband alerts users to fluctuations in their blood
sugar, reducing the need for constant monitoring.
CONCEPT 2: EMERGENCY KIT
This emergency kit has a compact and portable design,
the kit can be easily stored at a child's desk or in the
nurse's office. Equipped with an integrated pressure
sensor to monitor blood sugar levels, along with other
essential supplies, the kit provides a centralized location
for emergency preparedness. This ensures that diabetic
children always have the necessary tools at their
fingertips, promoting safety and peace of mind.
APP CONCEPT
Tell us about the details of yourself
List you diagnosis details
How you want to manage your health
LOGIN
Monitor all students at once
Track students locations
Diagnosis details, medical information
CARE TAKER PAGE
Menstrual tracking page
CGM Tracking
Insight about CGM levels
Community for communicating
Resources about diabetes
MAIN PAGE
WIREFRAMES
This wristband offers a convenient and discreet way to monitor blood glucose levels.
By displaying color changes and providing gentle haptic feedback, the wristband alerts
users to fluctuations in their blood sugar, reducing the need for constant monitoring.
As stated previously, we created an ecosystem for communication between the patient;
parent, and caretaker(s). This ecosystem currently consists of an app, an indicator, and
an emergency kit that work in tandem with existing technologies to improve care.
THE ECOSYSTEM
03
FINAL PRODUCT
The core of our system is a multifunctional care app designed for the children, school nurse,
and parent. Beyond integrating with the indicator and emergency kit, it centralizes health
tracking (e.g., menstrual cycles), offers a community forum, and provides various resources.
The app adapts to the child’s growing self-care abilities, allowing for customized access
to interfaces and functions based on the user’s or guardian’s discretion.
03-01
THE CARE APP
The login process focuses on four key areas to understand
students’ chronic condition management: personal details,
diagnosis, self-care routines, and health goals. By asking
targeted questions, the AI collects essential data to
customize updates to user preferences.
LOGIN INTERFACE
The nurse receives updates on a child’s glucose levels
(steady. high, or low), current class, and brief symptom
explanations if levels are abnormal. Clicking the child’s
profile provides detailed information, including CGM data,
care plans, emergency contacts, and additional conditions.
CARE TAKER INTERFACE
The following is the main interface for student. It contains
5 different big sections: Insight, Menstruation, Diabetes
rates, Community, Resources.
Each of the sections provide students with important
information that helps understand their chronic illness to
more in depth level.
STUDENT INTERFACE
Our modular indicator, customizable for wristbands or keychains,
uses color changes and haptic alerts to notify users of blood glucose
fluctuations, reducing the need for constant monitoring
03-02
THE INDICATOR
Set up default color on app
Put on indicator (wearable)
**Receive a notification
Double tap to acknowledge
*Treatment mode*
Receive Treatment
Triple tap to finalize treatment
Return to normal activities
Our redesigned emergency kit for diabetic children is compact and
portable, perfect for keeping at a desk or in the nurse's office. It uses
integrated pressure sensors to track the presence of essential supplies.
03-03
THE EMERGENCY KIT
Low blood sugar alert!
Go to nurse to treat, and candy from kit
Caretaker(s) alerted about kit usage emptiness
Refill as needed
TO REITERATE
The purpose of this system is not to replace what
already exists, but to expedite and increase the
connections between devices and stakeholders.
CARE APP
INDICATOR
EMERGENCY KIT
GLUCOSE
MONITOR
ALL SCREENS
REFLECTION
04
With additional time, I would have prioritized user testing to gather valuable feedback
and refine the emergency kit's interface, focusing on the connection with the digital
device. Additionally, I would have explored developing age-appropriate interfaces to
cater to the evolving needs of children at different stages. This would have allowed
me to tailor the product experience to specific age groups and preferences, ensuring
optimal usability and engagement.
CONCEPT 2: EMERGENCY KIT
This emergency kit has a compact and portable design, the kit can
be easily stored at a child's desk or in the nurse's office. Equipped
with an integrated pressure sensor to monitor blood sugar levels,
along with other essential supplies, the kit provides a centralized
location for emergency preparedness. This ensures that diabetic
children always have the necessary tools at their fingertips,
promoting safety and peace of mind.
CONCEPT 1: ALERT WRISTBAND
This wristband offers a convenient and discreet way to monitor
blood glucose levels. By displaying color changes and providing
gentle haptic feedback, the wristband alerts users to fluctuations
in their blood sugar, reducing the need for constant monitoring.
DECISION BOARD
To organize our product ideas and identify key features, we
created a decision matrix. This matrix categorized our thumbnails
into physical and digital solutions.
By analyzing common themes and desired features, we identified
three promising design directions. While the lower half of our
thumbnails represent digital features we're already planning to
incorporate, the matrix helped us pinpoint additional physical and
conceptual elements to consider.
We designed product thumbnails to
showcase various features that could
help manage diabetes.
BRAINSTORMING
Type 1 Diabetes profoundly affects children’s daily lives, demanding careful attention
at home and school. Existing products often do not cater to their rapid growth and
developmental milestones like puberty and social awareness
Our goal is to alleviate the ongoing management stress for patients and caregivers
by filling these critical gaps.
THE PROBLEM
02
CONCEPT DESIGN
Rather than redesigning existing monitors or insulin pump, we focused on enhancing the overall
care system and communication among essential parties: nurses, parents, and patients. Our aim
is to streamline and simplify this process, reducing stress and improving efficiency.
A SYSTEMATIC APPROACH
00.
How can technology assist in managing
home healthcare for chronic disease?
01
RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
Our team thoroughly researched the needs of school-
aged children with Type 1 Diabetes.. Through interviews,
journey mapping, and treatment analysis, we identified
their unique challenges and milestones.
THE STATISTICS
In 2019, of the 283,000 children and
adolescents younger than 20 with diagnosed
diabetes, 244,00 had type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 Diabetes is one of the most common
chronic diseases of childhood in the United
States, accounting for over 87% of all cases
in youth ages 10-19 years.
CURRENT SCHOOL REGULATIONS
FOR TYPE 1 DIABETES
Federal law gives students the right to
receive the diabetes care for safety
and full participation in school. Schools
must provide trained staff for
monitoring glucose levels and
administering insulin and glucagon.
Whether a student is allowed to self-
administer is dependent upon:
Approved paperwork from medical
provider, parent/guardian, and school,
child’s age and experience, and
possibly other school specific factors.
Middle school and high school aged
students: are usually able to self-
manage their diabetes depending on
the duration of diabetes and level of
maturity but will always need help when
experiencing sever hyperglycemia.
JOURNEY MAP
To School
At School
Attack
To Home
Going to School
Constantly checking blood level
Treatment & recovery
Slightly feeling symptom
Getting Attack
Routine & Home
Checking monitor status
Eating, Packing lunch
Frequent blood sugar
checks, Careful eating,
Split attention
Pre-Attack, During Attack,
Post Attack
Creating a routine,
Managing consistent spending
CARE AT SCHOOL
Diagnosis
Adjustment
Experiment
Routine
Being Diagnosed
Doing Research
Finding Products
that Work
Learning about Diagnosis
Experimenting with products
Being overwhelmed
Adjusting
Additional testing,
Initial instructions,
Purchasing first supplies
Dramatic lifestyle changes,
Check-ups, DSMES services,
Buying additional supplies
Trying new products, emotional
ups and downs, and increased
spending on various items.
Establishing a patient
routine, Maintaining
consistent spending.
DIAGNOSIS JOURNEY
Jake 12
Diagnosis: 2 months ago
CONCERNS
Social impact on his life
Lack of understanding about his disease
Feeling different from his peers
Jake was recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.
Jake's insulin levels are stable, and his parents
handle most of his care. However, his biggest
challenges are social and emotional.
Danielle 16
Diagnosis: 5 years ago
CONCERNS
Paranoia about weight fluctuations
Feeling overprotected by her family
Burnout and overwhelm from condition
Danielle has been diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes
for a while.Danielle is now managing her own care
but is becoming more socially conscious as she
spends more time with friends.
Clara 40
Stay-at-home mom.
CONCERNS
Inability to monitor her daughter at school
Relying on school administrators for care
Learning to adjust to her daughter's condition
Clara’s 13 year old daughter was recently
diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Clara makes
most decisions for her daughter’s care and is the
first point of contact during of after emergencies.
Ms. Terry 37
Middle School Nurse
CONCERNS
Monitoring students' blood glucose levels
Effectively communicating with parents
Balancing care for multiple students at once
Ms. Terry is a middle school nurse with 3 years
of experience. She manages the school care system
and currently looks after two middle school students
with Type 1 Diabetes at her school.
PERSONAS
FACTORS OFTEN OVERLOOKED
Increases in estrogen and/or testosterone
during puberty can increase blood
sugar levels and cause insulin resistance.
PUBERTY
Blood sugar may rise 3-5 days before
periods due to hormonal changes.
Progesterone increases insulin resistance,
while serotonin decline leads to sugar cravings.
While unavoidable factors should be
considered, we must prioritize reducing waste
while maintaining or improving care quality.
ENVIRONMENT WASTE
MENSTRUAL CYCLE
...simplify diabetes tracking for caregivers?
...make diabetes management fun?
...create a diabetes ecosystem?
???
HOW MIGHT WE...
APP CONCEPT
Tell us about the details of yourself
List you diagnosis details
How you want to manage your health
LOGIN
Monitor all students at once
Track students locations
Diagnosis details, medical information
CARE TAKER PAGE
Menstrual tracking page
CGM Tracking
Insight about CGM levels
Community for communicating
Resources about diabetes
MAIN PAGE
WIREFRAMES
This wristband offers a convenient and discreet way to monitor blood glucose levels.
By displaying color changes and providing gentle haptic feedback, the wristband alerts
users to fluctuations in their blood sugar, reducing the need for constant monitoring.
As stated previously, we created an ecosystem for communication between the patient;
parent, and caretaker(s). This ecosystem currently consists of an app, an indicator, and
an emergency kit that work in tandem with existing technologies to improve care.
THE ECOSYSTEM
03
FINAL PRODUCT
The core of our system is a multifunctional care app designed for the children, school nurse,
and parent. Beyond integrating with the indicator and emergency kit, it centralizes health
tracking (e.g., menstrual cycles), offers a community forum, and provides various resources.
The app adapts to the child’s growing self-care abilities, allowing for customized access
to interfaces and functions based on the user’s or guardian’s discretion.
03-01
THE CARE APP
The login process focuses on four key areas to understand
students’ chronic condition management: personal details,
diagnosis, self-care routines, and health goals. By asking
targeted questions, the AI collects essential data to
customize updates to user preferences.
LOGIN INTERFACE
The nurse receives updates on a child’s glucose levels
(steady. high, or low), current class, and brief symptom
explanations if levels are abnormal. Clicking the child’s
profile provides detailed information, including CGM data,
care plans, emergency contacts, and additional conditions.
CARE TAKER INTERFACE
The following is the main interface for student. It contains
5 different big sections: Insight, Menstruation, Diabetes
rates, Community, Resources.
Each of the sections provide students with important
information that helps understand their chronic illness to
more in depth level.
STUDENT INTERFACE
Our modular indicator, customizable for wristbands or keychains,
uses color changes and haptic alerts to notify users of blood glucose
fluctuations, reducing the need for constant monitoring
03-02
THE INDICATOR
Set up default color on app
Put on indicator (wearable)
**Receive a notification
Double tap to acknowledge
*Treatment mode*
Receive Treatment
Triple tap to finalize treatment
Return to normal activities
TO REITERATE
The purpose of this system is not to replace what
already exists, but to expedite and increase the
connections between devices and stakeholders.
CARE APP
INDICATOR
EMERGENCY KIT
GLUCOSE
MONITOR
ALL SCREENS
Our redesigned emergency kit for diabetic children is compact and
portable, perfect for keeping at a desk or in the nurse's office. It uses
integrated pressure sensors to track the presence of essential supplies.
03-03
THE EMERGENCY KIT
Low blood sugar alert!
Go to nurse to treat, and candy from kit
Caretaker(s) alerted about kit usage emptiness
Refill as needed
REFLECTION
With additional time, I would have prioritized user testing to gather valuable feedback
and refine the emergency kit's interface, focusing on the connection with the digital
device. Additionally, I would have explored developing age-appropriate interfaces to
cater to the evolving needs of children at different stages. This would have allowed
me to tailor the product experience to specific age groups and preferences, ensuring
optimal usability and engagement.
04