Clean Air Tool
Research + design for a COVID resource tool
Overview
The Clean Air Tool is a product that uses scientific data and research to identify effective portable air cleaners that are customized to the dimensions of indoor spaces. Created during the peak of the COVID pandemic, it serves a purpose of providing extra security measures to mitigate virus transmission.
Team
UX Designer & Researcher (me)
PM
Researcher
PM
Graphic Designer
Developers
Timeline
6 months
Tools
Figma, Figjam, Miro
Clean Air Tool
Research + design for a COVID resource tool
Overview
The Clean Air Tool is a product that uses scientific data and research to identify effective portable air cleaners that are customized to the dimensions of indoor spaces. Created during the peak of the COVID pandemic, it serves a purpose of providing extra security measures to mitigate virus transmission.
Team
UX Designer & Researcher (me)
PM
Researcher
PM
Graphic Designer
Developers
Timeline
6 months
Tools
Figma, Figjam, Miro
Clean Air Tool
Research + design for a COVID resource tool
Overview
The Clean Air Tool is a product that uses scientific data and research to identify effective portable air cleaners that are customized to the dimensions of indoor spaces. Created during the peak of the COVID pandemic, it serves a purpose of providing extra security measures to mitigate virus transmission.
Team
UX Designer & Researcher (me)
PM
Researcher
PM
Graphic Designer
Developers
Timeline
6 months
Tools
Figma, Figjam, Miro
Background
Background
Background
Maintaining healthy air quality is a crucial factor in mitigating the spread of airborne disease and viruses.
Maintaining healthy air quality is a crucial factor in mitigating the spread of airborne disease and viruses.
Maintaining healthy air quality is a crucial factor in mitigating the spread of airborne disease and viruses.
What is it?
What is it?
My team and I were sponsored by the University of Washington Information School to redesign an existing product called Air Cleaner Calculator, created by the previous year's capstone team.
My team and I were sponsored by the University of Washington Information School to redesign an existing product called Air Cleaner Calculator, created by the previous year's capstone team.
The original product focused on helping small businesses owners to maintain safe air quality in order to operational during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, we have redesigned and expanded the versatility of our product for general use, as research shows the benefits of air cleaners for factors other than airborne diseases. The new product, rebranded as the Clean Air Tool, can be used to find portable air cleaners and achieve cleaner air for any indoor space, from a bedroom to an office building.
The original product focused on helping small businesses owners to maintain safe air quality in order to operational during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, we have redesigned and expanded the versatility of our product for general use, as research shows the benefits of air cleaners for factors other than airborne diseases. The new product, rebranded as the Clean Air Tool, can be used to find portable air cleaners and achieve cleaner air for any indoor space, from a bedroom to an office building.
My role
My role
As the UX designer and researcher, I collaborated with a cross-functional team over a span of 6 months. We focused heavily on user research in the first several sprints.
As the UX designer and researcher, I collaborated with a cross-functional team over a span of 6 months. We focused heavily on user research in the first several sprints.
Research
Research
Research
We consulted air quality experts, health experts & small business owners.
We consulted air quality experts, health experts & small business owners.
We consulted air quality experts, health experts & small business owners.
To ensure that we were utilizing the most accurate and up to date information for this problem space, we collaborated with professionals from the following organizations:
To ensure that we were utilizing the most accurate and up to date information for this problem space, we collaborated with professionals from the following organizations:
Washington State Department of Commerce
Restart Partners
Peacefield
University of Washington Environmental Health Sciences
University of Washington Environmental Health Sciences
Individual HVAC engineers
Small business owners
Washington State Department of Commerce
Restart Partners
Peacefield
University of Washington Environmental Health Sciences
University of Washington Environmental Health Sciences
Individual HVAC engineers
Small business owners
Literature reviews, stakeholder interviews, and moderated usability testing
Literature reviews, stakeholder interviews, and moderated usability testing
Literature reviews, stakeholder interviews, and moderated usability testing
The extensive research process also included an analysis of the original product, shown below. We identified the main areas of opportunity to be:
The extensive research process also included an analysis of the original product, shown below. We identified the main areas of opportunity to be:
Eliminating form fatigue
Educate users on the importance of good air quality
A more accessible and user-friendly interface
Eliminating form fatigue
Educate users on the importance of good air quality
A more accessible and user-friendly interface
Key Findings + Solution Approach
Key Findings + Solution Approach
Key Findings + Solution Approach
From an extensive research protocol, we were able to extract valuable insights that guided our solution approach and strategy.
From an extensive research protocol, we were able to extract valuable insights that guided our solution approach and strategy.
43% of small businesses had temporarily shut down during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Research has found that air cleaners can reduce the aerosol exposure by up to 65%.
The original product fails to educate users.
43% of small businesses had temporarily shut down during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Research has found that air cleaners can reduce the aerosol exposure by up to 65%.
The original product fails to educate users.
Design Approach
Design a user-friendly form
Hold the user's hand through the process of entering in their information, minimizing drop-off rates.
Hold the user's hand through the process of entering in their information, minimizing drop-off rates.
Create a personalized journey
Create a personalized journey
Explain the best options for air cleaners and efficiency results - not just the what but the why.
Explain the best options for air cleaners and efficiency results - not just the what but the why.
Emphasize education
Educating users on air cleaner maintenance is crucial in maintaining safe air quality long-term.
Educating users on air cleaner maintenance is crucial in maintaining safe air quality long-term.
Meet our user
Meet our user
Meet our user
Our user is a local business owner with main goals of employee safety, mitigating COVID transmission, and general ventilation issues.
Our user is a local business owner with main goals of employee safety, mitigating COVID transmission, and general ventilation issues.
Our user is a local business owner with main goals of employee safety, mitigating COVID transmission, and general ventilation issues.
Establishing Goals
Establishing Goals
Establishing Goals
How might small, independently owned businesses achieve cleaner air quality in indoor spaces so that they can maintain safe air conditions for their employees and customers?
How might small, independently owned businesses achieve cleaner air quality in indoor spaces so that they can maintain safe air conditions for their employees and customers?
How might small, independently owned businesses achieve cleaner air quality in indoor spaces so that they can maintain safe air conditions for their employees and customers?
Challenge: Managing ambiguity
Challenge: Managing ambiguity
Challenge: Managing ambiguity
Local, state, and federal COVID-19 laws were changing in real time.
Local, state, and federal COVID-19 laws were changing in real time.
Local, state, and federal COVID-19 laws were changing in real time.
The biggest challenge of this project was navigating ambiguity — specifically working around local, state and federal COVID laws that were often changing in real time. Phase restrictions and policies lifted during the course of the product development, and public concerns and risks were constantly evolving. This required flexibility, agile workflows and efficient decision making for scope and overall workflow. After additional research sprints, we decided to pivot our project into a general air quality tool that could serve multiple use cases in addition to virus transmissions, including pollution, smoke, and allergens.
The biggest challenge of this project was navigating ambiguity — specifically working around local, state and federal COVID laws that were often changing in real time. Phase restrictions and policies lifted during the course of the product development, and public concerns and risks were constantly evolving. This required flexibility, agile workflows and efficient decision making for scope and overall workflow. After additional research sprints, we decided to pivot our project into a general air quality tool that could serve multiple use cases in addition to virus transmissions, including pollution, smoke, and allergens.
Iterations & Testing
Iterations & Testing
Iterations & Testing
Over the course of 4 months, we continued to iterate and test wireframes / prototypes in both web and mobile view.
Over the course of 4 months, we continued to iterate and test wireframes / prototypes in both web and mobile view.
Myself along with another researcher conducted remote semi-moderated usability testings with the prototype with over 20 of our main users, including small business owners and service employees. From the findings, the biggest takeaway was that,
Myself along with another researcher conducted remote semi-moderated usability testings with the prototype with over 20 of our main users, including small business owners and service employees. From the findings, the biggest takeaway was that,
Users may not have the capacity to physically measure their indoor spaces.
Users may not have the capacity to physically measure their indoor spaces.
Users may not have the capacity to physically measure their indoor spaces.
A specific feature in finding an effective portable air cleaner was to input the dimensions of their indoor space. From this finding, we explored other design approaches to generalizing the data while presenting accurate data.
A specific feature in finding an effective portable air cleaner was to input the dimensions of their indoor space. From this finding, we explored other design approaches to generalizing the data while presenting accurate data.
Final Product
Final Product
Final Product
Clean Air Tool - Find the perfect air purifier for your space.
Clean Air Tool - Find the perfect air purifier for your space.
Results & next steps
Results & next steps
Usability scores of navigating key functions of the product significantly improved by 65%. Accessibility concerns with navigation, visual design, and information presentation were addressed and transformed into an intuitive, user-friendly interface. Last but not least, the purpose of the product was effectively communicated to users, which would create more value and impact during interactions.
Usability scores of navigating key functions of the product significantly improved by 65%. Accessibility concerns with navigation, visual design, and information presentation were addressed and transformed into an intuitive, user-friendly interface. Last but not least, the purpose of the product was effectively communicated to users, which would create more value and impact during interactions.
The project was sponsored by Washington Department of Commerce. Following the final prototype, it was handed off to Restart Partners, a non-profit organization that provides policy and technical assistance to small businesses and Washington state communities.
The project was sponsored by Washington Department of Commerce. Following the final prototype, it was handed off to Restart Partners, a non-profit organization that provides policy and technical assistance to small businesses and Washington state communities.
