Syncscape.

An innovative iOS feature, to bridge the digital divide by enabling interactive screen sharing, recording, and dynamic playback for seamless remote tech support.

I’m passionate about making technology accessible, so I created Syncscape to help bridge the gap for older adults learning digital tools. Syncscape empowers seniors with simple, interactive guidance that supports them in navigating technology confidently and independently. It’s my personal project, designed to foster digital inclusivity, without any affiliation to Apple.

Try Syncscape out

Problem

Older adults with limited technological skills face significant challenges in confidently using digital products and aren’t sure where to turn to.

Outcome

I developed an iOS feature that enhances the video call experience for older adults by enabling screen sharing with real-time annotations and replayable sessions, making digital learning smoother and more accessible.

Role

UX Lead - Interaction Design, Visual Design

Timeline

Sep 2023 to Dec 2023

May 2024 to Sep 2024

Team

User Researcher, Product Designers and Project Manager

Where it starts.

Ever found yourself in a conversation like this?

Mamma

Challenge.

PROBLEM SPACE

Let's not leave our parents behind.

Older adults with limited technological skills face significant challenges in confidently using digital products, and aren’t sure where to turn.

Like many of us, I live away from my mom, and a regular routine interaction we have over calls is when she needs my help with learning how to use a new app or feature on her phone. As routine as this experience might be, it can get highly challenging. She struggles to keep up, feeling vulnerable and small. And I often repeat instructions till I grow weary and frustrated (not my proudest moments). This experience isn’t unique to me and my mom.

The Syncscape Experience.

Final designs and solutions.

An iOS operating system-level feature that enhances the video calling experience on iPhone and iPad devices by enabling screen sharing and recording with annotations, and playback of recorded sessions.

Research.

LITERATURE REVIEW

1 | Identifying Opportunities

Preliminary research to establish problem space.

Source(s) - Pew Research

Tech barriers persist

While 61% of adults aged 65 and older own smartphones, and 75% use the internet, attitudes of frustration and confusion with using technology persist among this population.

Lack of confidence

Many seniors express low confidence using digital technology, with only 26% feeling very confident with electronic devices.

Onboarding support

Older adults report often requiring assistance to set up or learn to use new devices, indicating a lack of digital readiness.

USER INTERVIEWS + SURVEYS

2 | Understanding the Problem

Hearing from the people directly to understand where it hurts most.

Once I identified the problem I wanted to reach out to people to hear their challenges, struggles and frustrations in their own words.

Instructors → Survey

Instructors are those who help others with using technology. For this type of user I used a survey given the assumption that they can comfortably fill out an online survey. Moreover, surveys were a sufficient method to collect required data from instructors.

Learners → User Interview

Learners are those who need help using technology. This is our primary user whose pain points and challenges I wanted to understand in detail. And therefore, I conducted in-depth, semi-structured user interviews with learners.

The priority rating is determined based on the popularity of the pain point and/or the extent of its detrimental impact on learners.

1

Interactive Learning

Older adults strongly prefer in-person, hands-on guidance when learning to use technology. They find traditional digital tutorials less effective and often face information overload.

2

Need for Repetition

Forgetfulness and difficulty in remembering steps are common issues faced by older adults. Features that support repetitive learning and easy recall are essential for this demographic.

3

Lack of Digital Readiness

A significant portion of older adults feel intimidated by technology and many express the need for help in setting up and learning new devices.

4

Language and Trust Barriers

Language barriers and general mistrust of technology are prevalent among older users. There is a clear need for simple, jargon-free communication and trustworthy platforms.

Design Strategy.

To narrow our scope and focus on the core challenges, I picked two pain points based on their priority rating and conceptualized what a solution would look like for each one.

1

EMULATING AN IN-PERSON EXPERIENCE

Interactive Learning

Keywords

In-person

Hands-on

Learner-Instructor Bond

HOW MIGHT WE

HMW provide a hands-on guided learning experience that mimics in-person instruction?

FEATURE

Screen sharing with real-time annotations.

2

SUPPORT REPETITIVE LEARNING

Need for Repetition

Keywords

Forgetfulness

Repetition

Easy Recall

HOW MIGHT WE

HMW support effective learning and retention for older adults?

FEATURE

Auto-record lessons and save to Photos for re-watching later.

LOW-FI

Sketching Concepts

The initial ideation phase allowed for the exploration of potential solutions visually, translating user insights into tangible design ideas.

Sketches by Alekhya Yadavalli (Super talented, check her portfolio out!).

MID-FI

Iterations and Usability Testing

In ensuring a solution that caters to the target users' unique challenges, I iterated on different approaches to the user flow. These approaches were put through rigorous testing to gain perspective on usability. Here are two such notable iterations.

Testing Environment

Remote

I used a remote testing environment to conduct the usability testing in order to accommodate a more diverse participant pool.

Think out loud

I encouraged participants to think out loud while interacting with Syncscape to understand why they took certain actions and how they reacted to it.

Post test interview

After the test, the participants provided open-ended feedback, highlighting any challenges and describing general attitudes about Syncscape.

1 | Discovered an unintuitive access leading to point of failure

BEFORE

Syncscape Access

Originally, I created a solution that required users to initiate Syncscape through the Control Center widgets.

Overview

COMPLETION RATE

0%

5 out of 5 test participants failed to locate this critical feature without guidance.

CHALLENGE

Unintuitive Access

To initiate Syncscape, users must access it in a concealed control center.

INSIGHT

Discoverability

Concealed elements are a bigger hurdle for our target users than an average user.

AFTER

Rethinking Access

Users indicated that 'Live Activities' provides higher discoverability making it easier to locate and access Syncscape.

Before

Users expressed frustration to discover and use this access point to initiate Syncscape through the Control Center and claimed it was unintuitive and concealed.

After

Users indicated that the 'Live Activities' provides higher discoverability making it easier to locate and access Syncscape during a call.

Why this approach?

The Syncscape button appears in the 'Live Activities' for easy, on-screen access during calls, reducing confusion and frustration for vulnerable learners.

2 | Familiar interfaces trump modern ones for the less tech-savvy

BEFORE

Syncscape Lessons

Originally, we chose to use the 'Live Activities' feature in the new iOS devices to allow Learners to revisit previously recorded lessons given its dynamic nature.

Iterations and Usability Testing

TASK ERROR RATE

80%

4 out of 5 test participants made errors in figuring out the touch and drag interaction.

CHALLENGE

Novel Interaction

To switch between the different modes, users must perform novel interactions with the ‘Live Activities’.

INSIGHT

Familiarity

To keep the solution user-centric, it must be simple and familiar to users.

AFTER

Reconsidering familiar interfaces

User testing revealed that Picture-in-Picture (PiP) was immediately intuitive to most users. This familiarity reduces its learning curve and improves usability.

Before

To change the 'Live Activities' modes, from compact to expanded to full screen, users must perform novel touch or drag interactions which proved to be challenging.

After

Picture-in-Picture (PiP)is a familiar interface element for our target users, making it highly usable and a perfect way for them to revisit lessons feeling confident and empowered.

Why this approach?

Using Picture-in-Picture (PiP) provides a familiar interface, boosting usability and empowering users to confidently revisit lessons.

See it in action.

Try it for yourself

One more thing.

Apple thinks like us.

Apple announced a very similar screen share and annotation feature in it’s upcoming released iPadOS 18

Conclusion.

1 | What I Learned

User-Centric Feedback and Perspective

Seeking diverse perspectives and feedback is essential for identifying areas of improvement, ensuring that Syncscape meets user needs at every stage.

Effective Communication

Clear language and effective communication are just as critical as visual design in creating an inclusive and accessible user experience.

Holistic Design Choices

Every element, from color scheme to interaction patterns, contributes to the overall perception and experience of the platform, underscoring the importance of thoughtful design.

2 | Areas of Improvement

Expanded Research Scope

While our research provided valuable insights, there’s a need to expand our sample size to include a more diverse audience. This will enable us to better understand the varied challenges faced by older adults across different backgrounds.

3 | Future Directions

Feature Development and Refinement

Continue developing each feature with a focus on seamless integration and user-friendly interactions.

Comprehensive User Testing

Conduct extensive testing with a larger, diverse group of older adults to validate Syncscape’s effectiveness and refine the user experience further.

Community Partnerships

Explore partnerships with organizations that support older adults, promoting digital literacy and gathering real-world feedback on Syncscape’s impact.

Introduction
Syncscape
Research
Strategy
Conclusion