Doctors and nurses use iPad Pocket for collaboration, patient education and team diagnosis. Pocket gives doctors, nurses and patients a convenient place to display images and share navigation tasks. One nurse said: “it turns care into collaboration.”

1) Empathy- We needed to think like patients and work like nurses. What was our context? Older patients distrust technology. Younger patients seek it. Nurses see it as an obstacle.

2) Need- “Who needs a cart for something you can hold in your hand?” Our challenge was to validate the need. Everyone was skeptical.

3) Concept- We needed to help Nurture see that carts support activities, not objects.

4) Schedule- We had to research, design, engineer and build a prototype in fewer than sixty days. Steelcase had a firm deadline at NeoCon and there was no room for a schedule slip.

5) Cost- We had to match the quality and affordability of the iPad.

1) Possibility- This project started in March 2010, before the first iPad was shipped. “Who needs a cart for an iPad?” Based on experience with hand carried ultrasound, we knew people would find ways to put iPads on carts to share images and organize work tools like PDA’s and pens.
2) Identity- To create an effective solution, we needed to capture the simplicity and visual appeal of the iPad. We needed to complement the iPad without imitating it.
3) Personal- An iPad can be a personal tool or public good. We needed to create a solution that could be used as a temporary home or a longer term pedestal. We understood the use model would change when an iPad is used as a waiting room kiosk instead of as an emergency room assistant.

1) Jam – We started with a two day Jam Session to align our team on design goals. We went through a compressed series of exercises using attribute sorting, role playing, test driving, metaphor hunts and process visualization. We had to move fast and we needed to be aligned.

2) Market – We built a visual market profile on a large image board. We profiled target users, documented similar products in adjacent markets and linked images with colored yarn to identify unexpected patterns and relationships. Our board showed everything from music stands and lecterns to pulpits and ticketing kiosks.

3) Research – We drew on our research in compact ultrasound. We interviewed doctors, nurses, and bio techs and we had hundreds of photo images. We expected the iPad use model would evolve along similar lines. There were no iPads in use when we started. Today, it is hard to appreciate how much of a white space product the iPad Pocket was when it was introduced.

4) Regulatory – In addition to meeting user needs, we needed to meet the needs of regulatory compliance officers. We carefully documented and met all regulatory and safety requirements including RoHS (reduction of hazardous substances), German Green Dot packaging standards and IEC 60601-1, 2nd Edition.

5) Culture Hurdle- Commercial furniture has a conservative culture that relies heavily on customer request for product development ideas. “If my customer is not asking for it, they probably do not need it.” To build support for iPad Pocket, we announced it as a concept and let user interest validate the demand over 14 months. A stream of customer inquiries convinced the dealer network the market was real and Nurture decided to launch. We added an arm to support the iPad and released the first units in May 2011.

1- Easy- iPad Pocket gives nurses a “third hand” so they can listen to a heartbeat, provide a reassuring touch or take a blood pressure.

2- Likeable- The scale and weight of the design echo the usability of the iPad.

3- Control- iPad Pocket changes the social dynamics of care. Instead of a doctor holding all your healthcare information, iPad Pocket puts that information in a neutral space where you and your doctor can share navigation tasks. The result is a more open and collaborative approach to patient care and a more relaxed patient education experience.

4- Simple- Five parts go together with one tool in less than seven minutes. A first year nurse can put it together with no instructions.

5- Responsible- We used as little of everything as we could to create something simple and light. The Pocket iPad Cart only weighs 22 lbs. and 97% of it can be recycled.

6- Smooth- We used a unique, bottom-up caster mounting to reduce cost and eliminate chatter. The sealed bearing design simplifies cleaning, eliminates jamming and is quiet enough for nearby patients to get some rest.

7- Personal- Nurses give their Pockets names like “Reggie” for patient registration. One doctor repurposed Pocket as a medical school lectern. Like their iPads, people make Pocket personal.