3LPlace Clothing Advisor
3LPlace Clothing Advisor is an application designed for a day center in Somerville, MA for Adults with Autism that assists the members in deciding and understanding what to wear when transitioning between inside and outside.
Background
Position
Human Factors Engineering Student at Tufts University
Year
2024
Who: Adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Where: 3L Place
What: Help users decide what to wear stay comfortable based on their body temperature and the weather.
Why: Some of the members at 3L Place have difficulty understanding thermostatic differences and deciding what to wear for the weather.
User Needs
3L Place Members
Assistance knowing when to take off or put on coat
Assistance with coat zipper
Solution must empower them to make decision, not tell them to do something
Must be comfortable / meet sensory needs
3L Place Staff
Solution must empower their members and provide a greater sense of independence
Be comfortable for members
Assist in outside/inside transition without disruption
Work for most, if not all members, despite their individual reason for not taking coat off/on
Member Parents / Caregivers
Solution must be able to be used outside of 3L Place
Assist in outside/inside transition without disruption
Increase independence
Design Process
User Flow
Version 1
Users from 3L Place provided valuable feedback on the first version of the Clothing Advisor app. They appreciated the clear layout of the decision tree. Additionally, they found the inclusion of "feels like" temperature and the explanation of precipitation percentages in easy-to-understand language to be helpful features. However, the user experience wasn't perfect. Some users found the buttons too small for easy interaction, suggesting a need for increased size. They also expressed a desire for a more visual experience, preferring to see more pictures compared to text descriptions. Finally, the feedback highlighted a potential accessibility issue with the contrast between the background and text, indicating a need for improvement in visual clarity.
Version 2
Feedback for version 2 included color-coding the temperature display and incorporating an audio narration function were suggested for better accessibility. These suggestions aligned with design principles outlined by Pavlov (2014) for user interfaces geared towards autistic users. Pavlov emphasizes the importance of combining clear and concise written instructions with corresponding visuals placed strategically on the left side of the interface.
Final Version
The 3LPlace Clothing Advisor App presents a promising solution for addressing clothing challenges faced by autistic adults. User testing yielded positive results, with members and staff expressing satisfaction with the final design and enthusiasm for its implementation. This project demonstrates the potential of technology to empower autistic individuals and foster greater independence in daily activities. The positive outcomes from 3LPlace paves the way for further exploration of similar app-based solutions to support the autistic community.