In short
"Fijne dag" is a digital application developed for the St. Antonius Hospital’s internal medicine department. The solution supports elderly patients experiencing a delirium by providing a structured and calming day schedule through personalized entertainment. The app was designed with and for patients, and is currently implemented within the hospital environment.
The problem
Delirium patients often struggle with overstimulation and disorientation. Many experience gaps in their daily routines, lack mental stimulation, or feel disconnected from their surroundings. This negatively affects their recovery and well-being. The challenge was to create a solution that brings peace and structure to their day, without increasing the workload for hospital staff.
My role
I acted as the Deliver within our design team, which meant leading communication, task division, and keeping the project on track. I contributed to ideation, conducted research and user testing, processed feedback, managed iterations, and designed the final presentation. I also ensured our prototypes aligned with the project’s five core values: simplicity, personal relevance, familiarity, recognition, and entertainment.
Design process
The project spanned multiple sprints and began with extensive research: competitor analysis, user interviews, and co-creation sessions. From this emerged three early concepts, which we refined based on stakeholder and expert feedback.
Through iterative prototyping, color psychology research, A/B testing, and multiple design reviews, we developed an application interface with two tailored modes: one for low-stimulation users and one for more active patients. Each iteration was tested with patients and healthcare professionals to validate both UX and accessibility.
Solution
The result was “Fijne dag,” a tablet-based application offering personalized content based on patient preferences. It includes a dynamic welcome screen, recognizable imagery, music, and themed activities based on user input. The system resets between patients to maintain privacy and requires minimal staff involvement. The impact has been notable: patients report feeling calmer and more oriented, and staff confirm the solution integrates seamlessly into existing workflows. The hospital has since adopted the application into daily use.
