Human-Centered Predictive Diabetes Care

Human-Centered Predictive Diabetes Care

Client

Toronto Rehab Center

Toronto Rehab Center

Year

2024

Summary

A diabetes app delivering predictive glucose insights, personalized dosing guidance, and care-circle collaboration.

Diabetes app with predictive glucose insights, personalized dosing, and care-circle support.

A diabetes app delivering predictive glucose insights, personalized dosing guidance, and care-circle collaboration.

Overview
Overview

Toronto Rehab Centre aimed to improve adherence and self-efficacy among diabetic patients managing care at home. While many diabetes apps exist, most fall short—offering data but not confidence, structure but not emotional support. They often ignore the realities of daily life: unpredictable routines, decision fatigue, and isolation. We partnered with clinicians, educators, and patients in a 15-week sprint to uncover these gaps and co-design a digital companion grounded in real-world needs.

Toronto Rehab Centre aimed to improve adherence and self-efficacy among diabetic patients managing care at home. While many diabetes apps exist, most fall short—offering data but not confidence, structure but not emotional support. They often ignore the realities of daily life: unpredictable routines, decision fatigue, and isolation. We partnered with clinicians, educators, and patients in a 15-week sprint to uncover these gaps and co-design a digital companion grounded in real-world needs.

Toronto Rehab Centre aimed to improve adherence and self-efficacy among diabetic patients managing care at home. While many diabetes apps exist, most fall short—offering data but not confidence, structure but not emotional support. They often ignore the realities of daily life: unpredictable routines, decision fatigue, and isolation. We partnered with clinicians, educators, and patients in a 15-week sprint to uncover these gaps and co-design a digital companion grounded in real-world needs.

Client

Client

Toronto Rehab Center

Toronto Rehab Center

Industry

Industry

Healthcare

Healthcare

Service

Service

Contextual Inquiry

Contextual Inquiry

Photo-Diary Studies

Photo-Diary Studies

Duration

Duration

15 weeks

15 weeks

The Challenge

The Challenge

Despite widespread CGM adoption, key gaps persist across most diabetes platforms—tools often prioritize data capture over real behavior change. Patients are left unsure how to act on glucose trends, while clinicians spend valuable time stitching together exports and PDFs. Generic advice dominates, with little regard for varied routines or emotional strain. These systemic challenges shaped our research direction and revealed why a new kind of solution was urgently needed.

Despite widespread CGM adoption, key gaps persist across most diabetes platforms—tools often prioritize data capture over real behavior change. Patients are left unsure how to act on glucose trends, while clinicians spend valuable time stitching together exports and PDFs. Generic advice dominates, with little regard for varied routines or emotional strain. These systemic challenges shaped our research direction and revealed why a new kind of solution was urgently needed.

Despite widespread CGM adoption, key gaps persist across most diabetes platforms—tools often prioritize data capture over real behavior change. Patients are left unsure how to act on glucose trends, while clinicians spend valuable time stitching together exports and PDFs. Generic advice dominates, with little regard for varied routines or emotional strain. These systemic challenges shaped our research direction and revealed why a new kind of solution was urgently needed.

The Process

To design a tool aligned with how people actually think, feel, and act in the context of diabetes care, we looked closely at daily routines, cognitive effort, emotional friction, and environmental realities. Our mixed-methods approach captured both lived experience and clinical expectations—giving us a multidimensional view of where existing tools break down.

The Process

To design a tool aligned with how people actually think, feel, and act in the context of diabetes care, we looked closely at daily routines, cognitive effort, emotional friction, and environmental realities. Our mixed-methods approach captured both lived experience and clinical expectations—giving us a multidimensional view of where existing tools break down.

The Process

To design a tool aligned with how people actually think, feel, and act in the context of diabetes care, we looked closely at daily routines, cognitive effort, emotional friction, and environmental realities. Our mixed-methods approach captured both lived experience and clinical expectations—giving us a multidimensional view of where existing tools break down.

The Process

To design a tool aligned with how people actually think, feel, and act in the context of diabetes care, we looked closely at daily routines, cognitive effort, emotional friction, and environmental realities. Our mixed-methods approach captured both lived experience and clinical expectations—giving us a multidimensional view of where existing tools break down.

Contextual Inquiry

Conducted five home visits to observe participants cooking, testing glucose, and managing insulin kits in their own environments. How it helped: It helped us understand environmental constraints—like lighting and workspace layout—that shape self-care workflows.

Contextual Inquiry

Conducted five home visits to observe participants cooking, testing glucose, and managing insulin kits in their own environments. How it helped: It helped us understand environmental constraints—like lighting and workspace layout—that shape self-care workflows.

Photo Dairy Studies
Task Flow Tracing

Conducted five home visits to observe participants cooking, testing glucose, and managing insulin kits in their own environments. How it helped: It helped us understand environmental constraints—like lighting and workspace layout—that shape self-care workflows.

Asked 10 participants to photograph their daily routines—meals, glucose checks, exercise, and device use—for two weeks. How it helped: It helped us pinpoint real-world logging gaps and identify exactly when users needed timely, context-aware support.

Conducted five home visits to observe participants cooking, testing glucose, and managing insulin kits in their own environments. How it helped: It helped us understand environmental constraints—like lighting and workspace layout—that shape self-care workflows.

Asked 10 participants to photograph their daily routines—meals, glucose checks, exercise, and device use—for two weeks. How it helped: It helped us pinpoint real-world logging gaps and identify exactly when users needed timely, context-aware support.

Photo Dairy Studies

Asked 10 participants to photograph their daily routines—meals, glucose checks, exercise, and device use—for two weeks. How it helped: It helped us pinpoint real-world logging gaps and identify exactly when users needed timely, context-aware support.

Contextual Inquiry

Conducted five home visits to observe participants cooking, testing glucose, and managing insulin kits in their own environments. How it helped: It helped us understand environmental constraints—like lighting and workspace layout—that shape self-care workflows.

Paitent Interviews

Ran semi-structured interviews grounded in each participant’s photos and notes. How it helped: It helped us surface users’ mental models, emotional pain points, and the reasons behind skipped or ignored logs.

Ran semi-structured interviews grounded in each participant’s photos and notes. How it helped: It helped us surface users’ mental models, emotional pain points, and the reasons behind skipped or ignored logs.

Ran semi-structured interviews grounded in each participant’s photos and notes. How it helped: It helped us surface users’ mental models, emotional pain points, and the reasons behind skipped or ignored logs.

Ran semi-structured interviews grounded in each participant’s photos and notes. How it helped: It helped us surface users’ mental models, emotional pain points, and the reasons behind skipped or ignored logs.

Expert Consultations

Interviewed six diabetes educators and endocrinologists about clinical workflows, dosing practices, and reporting needs. How it helped: It helped us clarify critical clinical requirements, safe dosage boundaries, and the key metrics needed for effective care coordination.

Interviewed six diabetes educators and endocrinologists about clinical workflows, dosing practices, and reporting needs. How it helped: It helped us clarify critical clinical requirements, safe dosage boundaries, and the key metrics needed for effective care coordination.

Interviewed six diabetes educators and endocrinologists about clinical workflows, dosing practices, and reporting needs. How it helped: It helped us clarify critical clinical requirements, safe dosage boundaries, and the key metrics needed for effective care coordination.

Interviewed six diabetes educators and endocrinologists about clinical workflows, dosing practices, and reporting needs. How it helped: It helped us clarify critical clinical requirements, safe dosage boundaries, and the key metrics needed for effective care coordination.

Thematic Analysis

Thematic Analysis

Thematic Analysis

Formative Studies

Formative Studies

Across diaries, observations, and conversations, certain tensions kept resurfacing—frustration at bedtime when logging felt impossible, confusion when numbers spiked without warning, and the quiet isolation of managing it all alone. We clustered moments like these—not just by what was happening, but by what they revealed about underlying needs: clarity, support, and a sense of control. These recurring moments became the foundation for six insight themes that would drive the design forward.

Across diaries, observations, and conversations, certain tensions kept resurfacing—frustration at bedtime when logging felt impossible, confusion when numbers spiked without warning, and the quiet isolation of managing it all alone. We clustered moments like these—not just by what was happening, but by what they revealed about underlying needs: clarity, support, and a sense of control. These recurring moments became the foundation for six insight themes that would drive the design forward.

1

Disruptive Fit

Traditional bras failed to accommodate symmetry, shifting postures or prostheses-making dressing a daily compromise in comfort and confidence.

2

Cognative Load is real

Dressing became mentally taxing — survivors described planning outfits around pain, visibility, and prosthesis behavior.

3

Lost Identity

Overly clinical or infantilizing designs led to emotional detachment — survivors longed for products that reflected their identity, not their condition.

1

Disruptive Fit

Traditional bras failed to accommodate symmetry, shifting postures or prostheses-making dressing a daily compromise in comfort and confidence.

2

Cognative Load is real

Dressing became mentally taxing — survivors described planning outfits around pain, visibility, and prosthesis behavior.

3

Lost Identity

Overly clinical or infantilizing designs led to emotional detachment — survivors longed for products that reflected their identity, not their condition.

Key Insights

Provider Communication
Gap

Patients often rely on manual exports, paper logs, or photos to share data with providers—resulting in delays, incomplete records, and shorter, less-informed clinic visits.

Logging Under Fatigue

By late evening, 70% of meals and glucose checks were skipped due to exhaustion and the effort of logging manually.

Routine Variability

Generic targets felt misaligned with real-life routines—prompting a need for insulin guidance that adjusts to individual schedules and patterns.

Summary Over Detail
Prefrence

When reviewing data, 90% of participants preferred a single “Daily Summary” over full graphs—highlighting a need for quick, at-a-glance insights.

Silent Isolation

Without peer reference or shared context, participants described diabetes care as a lonely “midnight struggle” and craved simple ways to feel seen and supported.

Habit–Outcome Disconnect

Participants often failed to link habits like poor sleep or late-night carbs to next-morning spikes, leaving them unsure how to respond.

Formative Studies

Across diaries, observations, and conversations, certain tensions kept resurfacing—frustration at bedtime when logging felt impossible, confusion when numbers spiked without warning, and the quiet isolation of managing it all alone. We clustered moments like these—not just by what was happening, but by what they revealed about underlying needs: clarity, support, and a sense of control. These recurring moments became the foundation for six insight themes that would drive the design forward.

Formative Studies

Across diaries, observations, and conversations, certain tensions kept resurfacing—frustration at bedtime when logging felt impossible, confusion when numbers spiked without warning, and the quiet isolation of managing it all alone. We clustered moments like these—not just by what was happening, but by what they revealed about underlying needs: clarity, support, and a sense of control. These recurring moments became the foundation for six insight themes that would drive the design forward.

System Design

Design

What follows are the core touchpoints of the experience—each crafted to solve a specific challenge surfaced during research. Whether it's reducing end-of-day friction, translating trends into action, or creating space for support, every interaction was designed to feel intuitive, timely, and human. These moments aren’t just features—they’re responses to lived pain points, reframed as opportunities for care.

Together, these insights exposed more than usability flaws—they revealed a mismatch between the rhythm of real life and the assumptions baked into existing tools. Among them, one theme stood out: when patients are most exhausted, overwhelmed, or unsure, support needs to be effortless, contextual, and deeply human. That single truth became the foundation for what came next.

Together, these insights exposed more than usability flaws—they revealed a mismatch between the rhythm of real life and the assumptions baked into existing tools. Among them, one theme stood out: when patients are most exhausted, overwhelmed, or unsure, support needs to be effortless, contextual, and deeply human. That single truth became the foundation for what came next.

Together, these insights exposed more than usability flaws—they revealed a mismatch between the rhythm of real life and the assumptions baked into existing tools. Among them, one theme stood out: when patients are most exhausted, overwhelmed, or unsure, support needs to be effortless, contextual, and deeply human. That single truth became the foundation for what came next.

Together, these insights exposed more than usability flaws—they revealed a mismatch between the rhythm of real life and the assumptions baked into existing tools. Among them, one theme stood out: when patients are most exhausted, overwhelmed, or unsure, support needs to be effortless, contextual, and deeply human. That single truth became the foundation for what came next.

Design must meet people in the moments they’re least ready to engage—offering clarity without effort, support without asking, and action without overwhelm.

Design must meet people in the moments they’re least ready to engage—offering clarity without effort, support without asking, and action without overwhelm.

Design must meet people in the moments they’re least ready to engage—offering clarity without effort, support without asking, and action without overwhelm.

Formative Studies

Across diaries, observations, and conversations, certain tensions kept resurfacing—frustration at bedtime when logging felt impossible, confusion when numbers spiked without warning, and the quiet isolation of managing it all alone. We clustered moments like these—not just by what was happening, but by what they revealed about underlying needs: clarity, support, and a sense of control. These recurring moments became the foundation for six insight themes that would drive the design forward.

Formative Studies

Across diaries, observations, and conversations, certain tensions kept resurfacing—frustration at bedtime when logging felt impossible, confusion when numbers spiked without warning, and the quiet isolation of managing it all alone. We clustered moments like these—not just by what was happening, but by what they revealed about underlying needs: clarity, support, and a sense of control. These recurring moments became the foundation for six insight themes that would drive the design forward.

Design

What follows are the core touchpoints of the experience—each crafted to solve a specific challenge surfaced during research. Whether it's reducing end-of-day friction, translating trends into action, or creating space for support, every interaction was designed to feel intuitive, timely, and human. These moments aren’t just features—they’re responses to lived pain points, reframed as opportunities for care.

What follows are the core touchpoints of the experience—each crafted to solve a specific challenge surfaced during research. Whether it's reducing end-of-day friction, translating trends into action, or creating space for support, every interaction was designed to feel intuitive, timely, and human. These moments aren’t just features—they’re responses to lived pain points, reframed as opportunities for care.

Design

What follows are the core touchpoints of the experience—each crafted to solve a specific challenge surfaced during research. Whether it's reducing end-of-day friction, translating trends into action, or creating space for support, every interaction was designed to feel intuitive, timely, and human. These moments aren’t just features—they’re responses to lived pain points, reframed as opportunities for care.

Built on ISO 9241-210 • FDA Human Factors Guidance • ISO 13485/14155

Built on ISO 9241-210 • FDA Human Factors Guidance • ISO 13485/14155

Empowering

Built on ISO 9241-210 • FDA Human Factors Guidance • ISO 13485/14155

Empowering

Use Case Diagram

Use Case Diagram

Activity Diagram

Activity Diagram

System Design

Use Case Diagram

Activity Diagram

System Design

System Design

Personalized Lifestyle Insights

Translating daily habits into glucose-linked insights helps users uncover patterns—like how late meals or poor sleep lead to next-morning spikes. Making these connections visible empowers more confident, informed routine adjustments.

Translating daily habits into glucose-linked insights helps users uncover patterns—like how late meals or poor sleep lead to next-morning spikes. Making these connections visible empowers more confident, informed routine adjustments.

Translating daily habits into glucose-linked insights helps users uncover patterns—like how late meals or poor sleep lead to next-morning spikes. Making these connections visible empowers more confident, informed routine adjustments.

Flexible Insulin Adjustments

Flexible Insulin Adjustment

Users with dynamic schedules—like irregular meals or spontaneous activity—needed the ability to fine-tune their insulin dosing on their own terms. This feature allows them to manually adjust their carb ratio, supported by a visual preview that helps them understand the potential impact before confirming their decision.

Users with dynamic schedules—like irregular meals or spontaneous activity—needed the ability to fine-tune their insulin dosing on their own terms. This feature allows them to manually adjust their carb ratio, supported by a visual preview that helps them understand the potential impact before confirming their decision.

Users with dynamic schedules—like irregular meals or spontaneous activity—needed the ability to fine-tune their insulin dosing on their own terms. This feature allows them to manually adjust their carb ratio, supported by a visual preview that helps them understand the potential impact before confirming their decision.

Effortless Report Sharing

With just one tap, users can generate a clean, clinically relevant summary to share with care teams or family. The report highlights key trends, averages, and insights—eliminating the need for manual exports or scattered screenshots, and supporting more informed, efficient conversations.

With just one tap, users can generate a clean, clinically relevant summary to share with care teams or family. The report highlights key trends, averages, and insights—eliminating the need for manual exports or scattered screenshots, and supporting more informed, efficient conversations.

With just one tap, users can generate a clean, clinically relevant summary to share with care teams or family. The report highlights key trends, averages, and insights—eliminating the need for manual exports or scattered screenshots, and supporting more informed, efficient conversations.

Shared Progress

Managing diabetes can feel isolating—especially without shared reference points. This space introduces curated groups, weekly challenges, and community updates that foster accountability and connection. By surfacing real activity and friendly milestones, it turns self-care into something shared.

Managing diabetes can feel isolating—especially without shared reference points. This space introduces curated groups, weekly challenges, and community updates that foster accountability and connection. By surfacing real activity and friendly milestones, it turns self-care into something shared.

Managing diabetes can feel isolating—especially without shared reference points. This space introduces curated groups, weekly challenges, and community updates that foster accountability and connection. By surfacing real activity and friendly milestones, it turns self-care into something shared.

Usability &
Summative Testing

Usability &
Summative Testing

Usability wasn’t a final phase—it ran alongside design. From low-fi flows to high-fidelity prototypes, we gathered feedback from patients and clinicians throughout. These sessions revealed moments of hesitation—like interpreting insulin ratios or navigating challenge states—which we used to refine copy, simplify interactions, and reduce visual overload. By treating each friction point as a learning opportunity, we shaped an experience that felt more intuitive, supportive, and grounded in real-world use.

Usability wasn’t a final phase—it ran alongside design. From low-fi flows to high-fidelity prototypes, we gathered feedback from patients and clinicians throughout. These sessions revealed moments of hesitation—like interpreting insulin ratios or navigating challenge states—which we used to refine copy, simplify interactions, and reduce visual overload. By treating each friction point as a learning opportunity, we shaped an experience that felt more intuitive, supportive, and grounded in real-world use.

Usability wasn’t a final phase—it ran alongside design. From low-fi flows to high-fidelity prototypes, we gathered feedback from patients and clinicians throughout. These sessions revealed moments of hesitation—like interpreting insulin ratios or navigating challenge states—which we used to refine copy, simplify interactions, and reduce visual overload. By treating each friction point as a learning opportunity, we shaped an experience that felt more intuitive, supportive, and grounded in real-world use.

83%

said the lifestyle insights helped them understand their glucose patterns

said the lifestyle insights helped them understand their glucose patterns

9 of 10

felt more connected and supported after engaging with peer features.

felt more connected and supported after engaging with peer features.

100%

of clinicians rated the shared report as easier to scan than traditional exports.

of clinicians rated the shared report as easier to scan than traditional exports.

70%

of users found insulin adjustments easier and felt more confident dosing.

of users found insulin adjustments easier and felt more confident dosing.

Outcome

Outcome

This project revealed that the real burden of diabetes lies in the small, constant decisions—not just the numbers. The MVP validated that users value clarity over complexity and support over instruction. While early feedback highlighted wins around lifestyle insights and report sharing, deeper questions remain around long-term use and emotional fit. The biggest learning? In chronic care, meaningful design meets people quietly—by easing effort, restoring confidence, and fitting into the life they already live.

This project revealed that the real burden of diabetes lies in the small, constant decisions—not just the numbers. The MVP validated that users value clarity over complexity and support over instruction. While early feedback highlighted wins around lifestyle insights and report sharing, deeper questions remain around long-term use and emotional fit. The biggest learning? In chronic care, meaningful design meets people quietly—by easing effort, restoring confidence, and fitting into the life they already live.

This project revealed that the real burden of diabetes lies in the small, constant decisions—not just the numbers. The MVP validated that users value clarity over complexity and support over instruction. While early feedback highlighted wins around lifestyle insights and report sharing, deeper questions remain around long-term use and emotional fit. The biggest learning? In chronic care, meaningful design meets people quietly—by easing effort, restoring confidence, and fitting into the life they already live.

PORTFOLIO

PORTFOLIO

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