This week I helped revise and narrow the MVP to a clear use case for our smart pillbox. The target user requirements were strengthened through research and published U.S. data. NHANES and MEPS findings indicated that adults 65+ take about 4.3 medications on average. The refill model and capacity assumptions were made also more explicit, along with a concrete definition of what a missed-dose means. I mapped the state transitions: dispensed, pending, taken and escalation if not taken. Additionally, the online/offline behavior was made more concrete.
One key user requirement was defined: since each compartment stores one type of pill, multi-pill doses require sequential dispensing. If the dispense process begins about 2 minutes before the scheduled time, there would be enough time for pills to dispense in the tray before the scheduled time of the dose. The tray would then open at scheduled time. Such an approach would prevent any delays or waiting on the user end. Lastly, I helped with making the proposal presentation.
Status: on schedule. Next week’s focus is to lock in all minute requirements in detail, finalize design decisions and tighten the app workflow.