University of Exeter
Finding a way through the fog of long COVID
We designed an app for this academic study and set of cognitive tests, which reveal the effects of long COVID on mental capabilities.
What we did
- User research
- User experience design
- Visual design
Impact measured against UN Sustainable Development Goals
Emerging evidence and patient testimony is showing a growing number of people who contract COVID-19 cannot shake off the effects of the virus months after initially falling ill.
Symptoms are wide-ranging and fluctuating, and can include:
breathlessness
chronic fatigue
‘brain fog’
anxiety and stress that are not explained by an alternative diagnosis
While we have learned lots about COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic – and new treatments are available – the long-term effects of the illness can be debilitating.
Even for young, fit people, or those who did not go to hospital when they initially had COVID-19 symptoms.
The BEACON app is searching for a path to help the millions of people still suffering with long COVID.
If someone has had COVID in the last 12 months and wants to contribute their brain power to the cause, they can download the app and join the growing community trying to find answers and treatments.
The benefits of taking part
Given the complex nature of the double-blind trial, and the sensitive information that is to be shared by participants, the sign-up and consent journey is extensive.
In order to increase sign-up completion rates, we demonstrated the benefits of the study to participants and the wider community.
A set of initial screens gave an overview of the study, eligibility criteria, and the benefits of joining.
Breaking up the sign-up journey
Throughout the user sign-up journey, we broke each stage into smaller tasks. This ensured that each step was as simple as possible, while also creating repeated successful moments to encourage people to continue with the sign-up process.
With an audience of people who may be suffering from long-term fatigue, the ability to save and come back to the process at multiple points was paramount.
Dashboards and game loops
Once signed up, each participant must complete an ongoing series of questions, while also playing the brain training games.
Again, we made a complicated experience as simple as possible by breaking the content into a series of dashboards, that illustrated the next step that people needed to take, while also showing where they were in their wider journey.
Demonstrating progress
Throughout the journey, we demonstrated to users how far they had come with a series of badges and comparison to the wider community.
Through our co-design and testing, we found these to be some of the most powerful techniques to get people to continue engaging with the trial.
Constant positive feedback
After each game, participants are shown how they did and how they compare to the wider community. This is a powerful anchoring technique to get people to continue engaging with the trial.
Making the complicated simple
Each brain training game is necessarily complex, given that the study aims to assess how people’s higher cognitive functions are operating.
In order to avoid frustration and encourage engagement, we created animated explainers to guide participants through the gameplay mechanics.
The explainers were shown before each game started and could be revisited at any time through the pause menu.
