I’m Ella, a final year product design student with a passion for empathetic and user-centered design. I have always had a deep interest in helping others, but it wasn't until starting my degree that this interest started to become scalable - designing solutions for a wide range of people, not just a family member or friend. Learning over the years the impact design can have for people has been truly inspiring; getting the chance to hear users open about their problems and having the opportunity to try to develop something meaningful for them has been such a privilege. My strengths lie in research analysis and developing innovative solutions to complex problems. My final year project, Noli, is a great example of this.
Noli – The Vicinity-based Emergency Wristband
Over 90% of mental health nurses have been assaulted by patients, often due to an escalation that could have been prevented. Noli is a vicinity-based emergency wristband that contacts the nearest colleagues in the event of an emergency. This product was originally developed for primary school teachers, a user group that represents just one subgroup of a much larger ecosystem of lone responders who are often alone when a situation escalates. Despite lone responders often working in varied fields, their problem remains shared - a lack of access to immediate and efficient backup during an emergency.
To trigger an alert, the user pulls and holds the strap of their wristband, triggering a button that is inaccessible by hands or fingers, making accidental alerts near impossible and discreet alerts natural. Noli aims to improve physical and mental wellbeing in both staff and patients, diminishing assaults and seclusions in our healthcare system.
