Flourish
Designing an immersive installation for healthcare staff
SUMMARY
Flourish is an immersive, interactive installation designed to target ICU nursing professionals who face significant challenges with stress, burnout, and cognitive fatigue. This intervention provides meaningful relief throughout their demanding shifts, offering moments of respite from the mental, emotional, and physical strain inherent to critical care environments.
TIMELINE
2023
PLATFORM
Physical Installation
CLIENT
Studio Elsewhere
Michigan Medicine
TOOLS
Touchdesigner
IoT Systems
MY ROLE AND TEAM
Creative Technologist & UX Designer
As the UX Designer and Developer, I led the creation of both Ocean Flow and Cosmic Waves. I worked closely with healthcare stakeholders, prototyped interactions, and translated feedback into modular, scalable designs that could be adapted to different hospital spaces.
DESIGN GOAL
Design a restorative experience that helps healthcare staff reduce stress and regain focus during demanding shifts.
KEY INSIGHTS
Understanding the needs of frontline staff
Through field interviews and observation at Michigan Medicine, we identified the following challenges faced by ICU nurses:
Physical fatigue
Constant movement throughout demanding shifts
Cognitive overload
Difficulty finding moments to mentally reset
Limited break time
A need for flexible and brief restoration options
Environmental transitions
Desire for dedicated, soothing spaces within the hospital
DESIGN EXPLORATIONS
On-Device Voice AI
We implemented voice control that ran entirely offline for HIPAA compliance, enabling private, hands-free interaction.
DESIGN EXPLORATIONS
Universal Design
Everything in the room was designed for instant use, with clear affordances and ambient transitions that guided clinicians gently through the experience.
DESIGN EXPLORATIONS
Modular Architecture
The system could adapt to different hospital sizes, noise conditions, and power constraints while maintaining a consistent user experience.
DESIGN EXPLORATIONS
Modular Architecture
The system could adapt to different hospital sizes, noise conditions, and power constraints while maintaining a consistent user experience.
DESIGN EXPLORATIONS
Modular Architecture
The system could adapt to different hospital sizes, noise conditions, and power constraints while maintaining a consistent user experience.
OUTCOMES
Designing under pressure, delivering with purpose
We successfully designed and deployed Flourish at Michigan Medicine after extensive testing and user-centered development. Through methodical prototyping and continuous feedback integration, we refined the solution to specifically address healthcare practitioners' wellbeing needs.
Rapid Tech Adoption
Working across AV systems, embedded hardware, and voice interfaces pushed me to quickly understand and deploy unfamiliar technologies. I learned to prototype, test, and implement fast—without sacrificing reliability or user trust.
Problem-Solving in High-Stress Environments
In healthcare environments, priorities shift often. Throughout this project, I adapted to evolving feedback while keeping patient needs at the core of every iteration.
Every detail contributes to accessibility
Each design choice prioritized accessibility—whether through simplified visuals, defined medical terms, or intuitive navigation—to support a wide range of users, including those with varying health literacy levels.
REFLECTION
Calm is a form of care
Working on Recharge Rooms during the pandemic was unlike any project I’ve taken on. It required flexibility, quick thinking, and deep empathy, not just as a designer but as someone supporting people in crisis. I learned to balance technical problem-solving with emotional awareness, creating systems that needed to function reliably and provide calm in the midst of chaos.
The rooms offered a quiet experience, but their impact was powerful. This project changed how I approach design by teaching me to move with clarity, respond with purpose, and always keep human needs at the center.
