Aether case study | Jonathan Andrew

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AETHER is a mobile application designed to ease the burden of form-filling for caregivers by streamlining complex documentation into an intuitive and efficient experience.

Role: Research & Ideation; Wireframing & Prototyping; UX/UI Design & Development
Team: Team of 10
Timeline: Sep–Dec 2024
Tools: Figma; Visual Studio Code; React / Next.js

Status: Academic project at BCIT, built but not released

Problem: Managing paperwork is an unavoidable yet often overlooked part of caregiving. Recognizing this, we set out to understand the impact of form-filling and how it affects the lives of caregivers.
Solution: Built with compassion and accessibility in mind, AETHER leverages AI-powered assistance to simplify data entry, reducing stress for those managing critical paperwork.
Result: Through research, testing, and iteration, AETHER evolved into an intuitive and efficient tool that empowers caregivers thanks to a team of hardworking individuals.

Caregivers spend up to an average of 15 hours a week managing forms and paperwork.

This equates to nearly 30 days a year spent away from things that matter most.

Who: Family caregivers and healthcare aides, in personal and professional caregiving roles.
Goal: Smooth and simple: caregivers complete forms efficiently, without unnecessary friction.
Research: Interviews, user personas and journey maps of how caregivers handle documents in real scenarios.

[ 1 ]Fill a form once, then let it fill itself

Research finding

The repetitive nature of form-filling was tiring.

Why

Caregivers save a profile for themselves and each person in their care, and AETHER auto-fills forms from it.

What testing changed

Some testers found auto-fill unclear and needed guidance on pre-saving information, so we added clearer instructions.

The My Profiles screen: a tip about storing care recipients' information for two-tap autofilling, and saved profiles for the caregiver, a care recipient and a grandfather — My Profiles — phone

[ 2 ]Plain words for complex jargon

Research finding

Understanding and remembering complex jargon was overwhelming.

Why

AI-driven guidance simplifies a form's jargon for clarity, and help with a form is the first thing the home screen offers.

The home screen: a greeting, a card asking “Need help clarifying a form today?” with Search, Scan and Clarify, and recent forms — Home — phone

[ 3 ]Every form in one organized place

Research finding

Managing volumes of information was confusing.

Why

Document organization keeps forms, profiles and history together, with a more intuitive display of saved documents.

The My Forms screen: search, tabs for forms, profiles and history, and saved forms with their status — My Forms — phone

[ 1 ] Research
Interviews with family caregivers and healthcare aides, turned into user personas.
[ 2 ] Ideation
Caregiver journeys mapped to find friction points and essential tasks.
[ 3 ] Wireframes
Load in, select a form, and complete it with ease.
[ 4 ] Refinement
Testing led to clearer guidance and a more modern, functional look.

Clarity is key to an efficient experience

Users need guidance. Early testing revealed confusion around our major features, leading us to improve onboarding and the inclusion of contextual tool-tips.

By prioritizing clarity, we ensured a easier learning curve for first-time and repeat users.

User-Centered Design is Essential

Every design decision was driven by real user needs. Continuous testing and iteration helped refine AETHER’s features, ensuring that the app not only functioned efficiently but also provided a stress-free experience tailored to caregivers.

By actively listening to user feedback, we were able to create an intuitive solution that seamlessly integrated into their daily routines.

Collaboration drives impact

AETHER’s success was built on teamwork, problem-solving, and a shared vision. Each phase of development—research, design, and iteration—was strengthened by open communication and adaptability.