This module focused on exploring how smart home technology could be designed in a creative and human centred way. I was first nervous about this project as I dont have that much knowledge about Smart Homes or Smart technology so making one was slightly nerve-racking. I had a lot of different ideas that I wanted to include so deciding on one was difficult, in the end the one that I was most drawn to was supporting eldelry people living indpenedently. I think what struck a nerve was thinking about my Great Granda and how he had to watch my Great Granny go though the nursing home experience. He is now 98, and fully capable of living alone, however just with old age he isn't as active as he used to be and sometimes can forget to take his vitamins and pain killers. Which then has a domino effect on others as they are worrying that he hasn't taken it. With all this in mind, I knew this is what I wanted to target.

Something that I found really important was getting real experience through an interview with my Great Granda really getting into his thoughts about the whole topic. This user research made the rest of the development process easy. I researched into eldelry people who live independently but may need support with things like medication and doctor appointments. From this, I came up with a smart home concept that used a medication dispenser and a connected app for family members to keep track of everything. The idea was to make things easier for the user without taking away their independence.

I really enjoyed this module because it pushed me to think outside the box and consider both the emotional and practical sides of design. It made me realise how powerful simple interactions can be when they’re done thoughtfully, especially for users who might be overlooked due to their technological capabilities.