Ingleside Enhances Resident Experience with User-Friendly Design

"FullCount is a company open to client suggestions that actually does something about it. Believe it or not, it’s so rare in senior living." - Dusanka Delovska-Trajkova, Chief Information Officer at Ingleside.

Ingleside, the parent organization of three premiere, not-for-profit Life Plan Communities in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area, has long been recognized for its dedication to enhancing the lives of its residents through innovation. Recently, this commitment was showcased through a successful collaboration with their Point of Sale provider, FullCount, aimed at improving the usability of the Dining Portal, where residents can access account information, order food, reserve spots in the dining room and more.

Spearheaded by Liz Keller, Resident Technology Engagement Manager, and Radhika Bezawada, UX Design and Research Fellow at Ingleside, the project brought significant usability enhancements. They listened to resident feedback, relayed their suggestions to FullCount, who then took the suggestions and implemented changes into the Dining Portal, greatly boosting resident satisfaction.

From Insight to Implementation: The Ingleside Approach

The project began with a comprehensive analysis of user interactions and an in-depth study of the platform’s usability. Liz and Radhika conducted usability studies with 22 residents, using interviews, observations, and task analysis where residents completed various tasks on the platform. This approach provided a clear understanding of the challenges residents faced, both on and off the platform, in managing their dining experiences.

Key Requests and Improvements

1. Order History Feature

When collaborating with Ingleside, we realized residents frequently placed duplicate orders because they couldn’t find their recent orders. To address this, an “Order History” feature was introduced. This improvement allows residents to track and manage their orders more effectively, reducing confusion and enhancing the overall user experience.

2. Usability Enhancements with a Focus on Accessibility

To ensure that residents could confidently complete and manage their tasks via FullCount’s portal, we listened to several recommendations from Ingleside that would in turn improve usability.

Card Design for Items: Transitioning from a traditional list view to a card design improved the organization and interaction of the Dining Portal. This new design groups related information—item images, descriptions, and prices—into a cohesive, visually appealing layout, making browsing more intuitive.

Integrated Nutritional Information: By embedding nutritional information directly within the ordering flow, residents can make informed decisions without needing to leave the platform, ensuring a seamless and efficient ordering process.

Enhanced Color Contrast: FullCount adjusted color contrast between background and foreground text to meet accessibility guidelines, ensuring readability for all users, including those with visual impairments.

3. Consistent Visual Design Across Devices

FullCount standardized the navigation bar’s look and feel across all devices, including larger screens with icons like those used on mobile, which facilitated seamless navigation. This consistency minimizes the need for adaptation, enhancing overall usability.

4. Adding Confirmed Reservations to Personal Calendars

Recognizing that residents prefer to add their reservations to personal calendars, FullCount introduced a new feature, allowing them to automatically do so directly from the reservation confirmation or email. This streamlines the process and ensures residents never miss an important date.

The Collaborative Effort

The success of this project was made possible through the collaborative efforts of Ingleside’s team, especially Liz and Radhika, FullCount’s team, and the supportive environment fostered by the community. Engaging with residents and the dining teams that use the platform daily provided invaluable insights that drove meaningful improvements.

Recognition and Appreciation

This project underscores how FullCount's openness to client feedback and dedication to implementing meaningful changes can lead to significant improvements. Ingleside's collaboration with FullCount is a testament to the power of listening to and acting on client suggestions, setting a new standard for excellence in the senior living industry.