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i2UX > Case Study > “智有腦” Cognitive Brain Games System

“智有腦” Cognitive Brain Games System

Project Brief

Funded by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, The Hong Kong Society for the Age develop cognitive training games for the HK Elderly. I2 response the revamp the systems and from UX, Games and System design to make the games more suitable for elderly.

Target users

Primary Target User

  • Age 60 – 80
  • Local Elderly
  • Normal or early dementia patients
Primary Target User
Primary Target User

Problem Statement

We launched the cognitive games system in 2012 and it has run over 10 years. Client decided to enhance the project to provide a better UX for the users.

 

The challenge of the task is

  1. How to let the elderly willing to learn how to play the games?
  2. How to motivate the elderly to play the games statedly and reduce the quiet rate?

Design Thinking

Design Thinking Diagram

User Research

Qualitative Research

  • Focus groups
  • Interview with target user (Existing game users)

5%-8%

Dementia over aged 80

Age 65+

20%-30%

Dementia over aged 80

Age 80+

Prealence rates of dementia in Hong Kong
(Source from H.K. Hospital Authority)
Primary Target User

Persona

Anti Leung
Age: 75
Single

Anti Leung, she went to the community center to play and learn some interactive cognitive games 2-3 times per weeks

She starts feeling bored for playing games after few months therefore she changes her hobby to watch TV. Her famous drama are some oldies like “Hong Kong 81-85” 順嫂and 真情- 好姨

Research Persona Image
Research Persona Image
Research Persona Image

Mr. Wong
He lives with his family and has a healthy life. He does exercise twice a week and spends time on social media e.g. Facebook / WhatsApp.

He plays mobile games like “Candy Crush” and other mini games instead of playing cognitive training games which he thinks it is bored.  He likes watching TV and Movies especially the oldies TVB drama and 80’s movies.

Research Persona Image
Research Persona Image
Research Persona Image

Persona

Mr Wong
Age: 70
Single

Primary Target User

Insights

Insights Image
  • Games are difficult to keep the motivation of playing
  • It is better to use voice for game introduction for helping players to get used to the game
  • Uses the mobile phone with two hands
  • Putting some oldies elements in the games can make it more attractive

Solutions

1

Create characters as role-play game

Develop role-play games to increase the user’s engagement

Create characters as role-play game
Create characters as role-play game
Create characters as role-play game

2

We added the voice-over to introduce how to play the game

We added the voice-over to introduce how to play the game

3

Design the game in horizontal for allowing using two hands to control

Design the game in horizontal for allowing using two hands to control

4

Game Layouts

Create games with more familiar elements of elderly.
e.g. foot massage, public housing environment, kerosene stove (火水爐）

Game Layouts
Game Layouts
Game Layouts
Game Layouts
Game Layouts
Game Layouts

Review

After the project is launched, the participation of cognitive games are increased.

Review Chart
Review Chart
Review Image

The project is launched on 2021 and invited The Department of Rehabilitation Sciences of H.K. PolyU to collaborate on a study to explore the effect of the “智有腦 – Smart Brain” game on improving the cognitive ability of the elderly. PolyU conducted a study on 145 elderly people aged 65 to 85.

Research results showed that after playing the cognitive games, their cognitive ability improved, and the effect was sustained, and the cognitive ability at completion was still maintained after 3 months level. The results of the study showed that the average assessment score of elders without risk of cognitive impairment was 23.03 (out of 30) before receiving game training, which increased to 25.11 after training; The assessment score was 15.74, which increased to 21.51 after training.