Shraddha Jain
Designing an educational platform for incarcerated woman trying to re-enter society.
Client: Rebel Health
Duration: 3 months.
Industry: Non-Profit
Project Details
Team of UX Designer where in each of us worked on designing 2 features for the app
Role:
Tablet Application
Platform:
About
Rebel Health is a non-profit organization looking to help incarcerated women have smooth transition experience during their re-entry to society.
Challenge
Rebel Health tasked us with designing an platform to help system-impacted women to easily adapt to changes in society upon release.
Expected Outcome
The goal was to design a simple simulation that helps system-impacted women feel more comfortable using technology. By building digital skills and reducing fear, the simulation supports them in adjusting to everyday life and lowers the chances of them going back into the system.
What was the problem?
How might we help incarcerated women get easily adjusted to life upon release from prison?
What was the barrier in resolving the above?
System Impacted Women do not have the adequate proficiency in technology which led to struggle to adapt to life upon re-entry.
Women are the fastest-growing segment of the incarcerated populations across the nation, with 80% of women in jail being mothers [1]. To aid this population in the re-entry process, they need support to help with adjusting to their new environment and accessing essential services.
However, most essential services have moved to digital platforms (e.g., Housing, Food, Medicaid) which makes them inaccessible to those who do not know how to use technology.
How can we address the Issue?
Conducted co-design to identify the touchpoints to help them gain digital literacy skills. .
Concept 1 Feedback:
Educational programs already existed.
Concept 2 Feedback
Having an e-commerce helps in planning and avoids waiting in line for hours just to know the product is not available.
Concept 3 Feedback:
Sending gifts to family is helpful as it helps in staying connected.
How might we help incarcerated women have adequate proficiency in technology to access essential services so that they could easily blend into society upon reentry?
User Scenario 1
System-impacted women struggled with privacy upon release. They are unaware of how to keep their data secure, like two-factor authentication.
Feedback 1:
“I struggled to maintain privacy, so many passwords and codes and unsure what password to share and what should not be. It was really difficult to adapt”
Solution
Why commecary?
System impacted women were used to ordering from a commecary through paper forms. I use the commecary as a platform for them to learn different ways of security practices and gain trust in using technology.
System Impacted woman Practicing ordering products with safe security practices.
Practice Authentication Methods through an educational simulation
Simulated ordering through a commecary
An interactive dice where when users tap on it- they are provided with a new security feature to learn password management and build trust in technology.
Interactive dice for learning new security measures
Description of the Method for users to learn
Users using online security methods to unlock C-Mart Locker Hub
User Scenario 2
Incarcerated women struggled to access essential services once they re-entered society because they lacked digital skills and technological knowledge.
Feedback 2
“Skills are needed to navigate the internet and use information safely to purchase things online. Since no one to teach them, they struggled to trust anyone and anything “
- Former System Impacted woman
Solution
Responsive dice that generates new challenges when tapped.
Reward store where items can be sent to loved ones through the reward points.
Learning technology via interactive educational missions.
Daily Mission’s Dashboard
Using the bonus points the users are provided with an opportunity to purchase items or gifts for their closed ones or even sell items that was created by them within the system to encourage entrepreneurship skills and create a sense of belonging.
The more challenges they complete, the more points the women earn, enabling to buy gifts with the point system.
Behavioural Design Decision: This helps them to keep them motivated to get used to using technology.
Client Feedback
“This is a really good concept as there are not enough security staff to deliver the items or manage the commissary store. Since woman’s prison do not have enough funds, if we miss out placing an order while that time, we will not be able place an order until next time they are collecting. Having an app is very useful.”
- System Impacted Woman 3
Design Process
February
March
April
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Research
Problem Identification
Concept Ideation
Co-design
User-flows
Concept Testing
Building wireframes