ComBoard
Lead UX Research & Design (solo)
Figma
Problem:
Student's Tobii device induces strain due to small focus targets and reliance on fine motor control; additionally, both Tobiii and her plexiglass board are unwieldy, limiting her options for eye-based communication in most environments.
Goal:
Design a "pocket sized" digital replacement for the student's plexiglass communication board that limits strain.
Solution:
A responsive digital keyboard that can be easily personalized including preferred movements (Left-Right, Up-Down, etc.), preferred visual aids, preferred layout, and preferred focus targets sizes.
Note about constraints:
Work for this project was done part time, after work hours and on weekends.
(This is a fictional persona based on a real individual)
Methods
Recurring user interviews
Competitive audit of AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) devices and tools
Key insights
How might we…
design an AAC app that minimizes set-up and eye strain, integrates AI for predictive text and smart gaze tracking, and adapts to the unique needs of the individual so that they can communicate efficiently and independently without obscuring their face?
Quantitative Goal:
Double instances of spelling to communicate from 2x/month (spring 2024) to 4x/month (spring 2025)
Results:
980% increase in spelling instances using ComBoard 5x/week by spring 2025 on aide's phone and student's school tablet compared to 2x/month spelling instances when relying on heavy, bulky, plexiglass board.
Qualitative Goal:
User preference rating at least 20% higher than other methods.
Results:
Method preferences were scored by the user Tobii (1/5), Plexiglass board (3/5), ComBoard (5/5)
Based on observational data. Mid-summer 2024, the student began consistently choosing to use the digital ComBoard over the plexiglass. Once school started, this became the exclusive choice for spelling tasks in school, but it is my understanding that the plexiglass solution was still used at home.
My first approach was to make a communication board on google slides. My plan was for Ellie to communicate by using her eyes to select a category that their aide would then click. The slides would transition to the corresponding page and display more specific options for the user to choose. This is similar to the format of many current communication boards you might find online.
The limitations of this design became apparent very quickly, as I realized I would have to manually add each category and word option. This approach is not scalable and limits the vocabulary at the user's disposal regardless of their actual level of language development. The keyboard design puts more power back in the hands of the user.
Ellie revealed that spelling is difficult for her, and together, we decided that small icons on each key of the board would help.
I sketched up some ideas on paper, illustrated them directly in Figma, and began to test layouts with Ellie to find the right balance between the letter, the icon, and white space on each key.
Applying the principles of atomic design by creating atom-level components and variables and using them to create molecules and cards allowed me to apply changes in real time in collaboration with Ellie - all while maintaining consistency at each iteration.
Ellie indicated the following preferences for the key layout:
1. Alphabet-based organization to help her find the letters where she would expect them to be.
2. Diverse clusters to limit misinterpretation by an eye tracker, predictive text, or a communication partner.
3. Include all english sounds as keys, like "TH," to speed up spelling.
With Ellie's go-ahead (a rating of 5/5, her usual scale for communicating when a product or idea fully meets her expectations), I got to work making the text field interactive enough to test the usability of the design.
She rated the transition from main board to "selected card" view a 5/5, verifying that the reduction in clutter decreased her strain significantly.
Every button, tile, and card layout, along with their interaction states, used in both the mobile and desktop designs. This sticker sheet makes modifying and personalizing the ComBoard hassle-free, allowing me to continuously provide the student with a tool that best suits her needs as she is able to communicate them to me over time.
I worked with Ellie from 05/2024-06/2025 as her full-time, in-school aide. During that time, she completed over 20 courses ranging from Calculus II and Neuroscience to Liberation Theologies and Art History. Not to mention Poetry and Painting class and her Independent Study course. Throughout her senior year, she used her eye gaze to complete Calc summative assessments, write essays and poems, to create posters and presentations, and to contribute to classroom conversations.
My job was to notice, to listen, and to collaborate with her to translate her thoughts and ideas so that the world could hear them too. We primarily used left/right selections with hand signals to communicate. Multiple times a week I asked her to assess my efficacy as her aide with the following questions on a scale of 1-5: "Did I interpret your ideas correctly?" "How am I doing as your interpreter?" "How well does this sentence represent what you meant to say?"
ComBoard was used to write essays, chat during free time, and answer free response prompts.
The most crucial wins came from: