A fast-moving, high-impact project to connect vulnerable families with available care homes in real time. As the lead UX designer on Bedfinder, I helped transform a complex, emotionally charged process into a calm, focused experience. Over six months, I led user research, defined the product vision, and delivered an intuitive search interface that was accessible to users of all ages and tech fluency levels.
“If the user is having a problem, it's our problem”
How do you create a product that serves both elderly users and tech-savvy young adults?
How do you reduce the emotional weight of searching for care without losing necessary detail?
How do you surface live bed availability without overwhelming the user?
This wasn’t just a design challenge, it was about delivering dignity, speed and clarity to people under stress.
Shaping strategy, guiding simplicity
Most senior of three designers; led the project end to end
Conducted research via on-site care home visits and stakeholder workshops
Defined the core user experience, from search flow to results page interactions
Worked closely with engineers, product managers, marketing, and the CEO
Tools used: Figma, InVision, Adobe Creative Suite
Simplified the product into a single goal: Find a care home with availability
Visited care homes and interviewed real users to understand pain points
Prioritised a streamlined search and filter system over multifunctional features
Led creative exploration of input methods: sliders, tags, icons instead of plain checkboxes
These changes dramatically improved engagement, especially among elderly users who were initially hesitant.
My end-to-end process included:
Built intuitive search filters inspired by travel and booking platforms
Highlighted the most requested info (phone number, room type, availability) on results cards
Created a feedback loop post-launch that revealed key areas of friction
Redesigned filters to reduce repetition and added visual clarity for hesitant users
On-site interviews at multiple care homes
Feedback sessions with younger users through UserZoom
Post-launch monitoring to identify usage patterns and improvement areas
Adjusted interaction types (e.g. sliders vs. checkboxes) based on real observed behaviour
Positive post-launch feedback from both elderly users and their families
Reduced hesitation and increased filter interaction after UI overhaul
Internal alignment across departments led to a more cohesive release
Application now serves as a user-friendly alternative to more cumbersome legacy systems
This is the first time I didn’t feel overwhelmed looking for care. My grandfather was even able to book care home for himself.
— User feedback
I really like the look and feel of the app. I couldn’t have found it any easier to book a suitable care home for my grandma.
— Anonymous user
What I find most impressive is the way I didn’t need any help to call some care homes near me.
— Anonymous elderly user
What I’m most proud of is transforming a moment of stress into a moment of ease. Whether it was a 70-year-old parent or a 30-year-old son, people felt empowered rather than intimidated. This wasn’t about flashy features, it was about thoughtful reduction, empathy, and trust. I also take pride in how I led this initiative from ambiguity to clarity, aligning diverse teams and turning a vision from the CEO into something tangible, validated, and loved.
