GeluCase
Designing for accessible travel.
GeluCase by Movement is a case that supports the security of personal medication during long distance travel.
Medication carryon for long distance travel
Features
-
Waterproof insulated compartment
-
Removable organizational sleeves
-
Mesh storage sleeves
-
QR code to airport security how-to guide
-
Elastic organization
-
U-pull zippers
-
Waterproof zippered closures
-
Easy-clean linings
-
Expandable main compartment
-
Adjustable padded shoulder straps
-
4 mounting points
-
Carrying handle with buckle
Ideation
ComparativeMarket
Research
Toiletry bags
Insulin cases
Lunch boxes
Research
I utilized Interviews with key stakeholders who require many types of medication while traveling. I used their experiences to create a life-like persona, and user journey. The pain points helped me analyze where improvements could be made. Additional use cases were brought to my attention like road trips, spending time at others homes, or visiting the doctor. Combining interviews with the market research helped me create a set of specifications that the product needed to fulfill.
user
Persona
Leo W.
Insights
About
GOALS
- Traveling from one destination to the next without misplacing medications
- Keeping his heart healthy before retirement
- Staying strong to play with his grandkids
PAIN POINTS
- Anxious flyer with time blindness
- Disorganization when packing for travel
- Medication failing after improper storage during travel
- losing medication at hotels and missing doses because of it
Age
61
Gender
Male
Income
75k Salary
Job
Health Insurance Executive
Location
Texas
Leo Wooram spends his work weeks meeting with clients and discussing their benefits strategy. He travels 4-7 times a year to meet with national clients for a week at a time. In his free time, he and his wife enjoy caring for their plants and pets. Occasionally, he visits his grandchildren who live in a state over.
He spends a lot of time managing his autoimmune disorder and high cholesterol with medications like Humira and Lipitor. He also carries Xanax for anxiety.
User journey
SCENARIO Leo is preparing for and going through the airport to travel to New York for a week-long work trip. It is a morning flight, and he can not miss this flight. It is the middle of summer, so he is extra nervous about long wait times as families travel for vacation.
Action
goals
Pain
points
feelings
Packing one carry-on bag and one checked bag for a week-long trip to new York city
9:00 pm
Pick out outfits and organize them in a suitcase. Compile work materials and medications in a carry-on backpack.
His wife drops him off at the airport at 8:30 am, 2 hours before his flight
8:30 am
Check the bag at the United bag drop. Get a boarding pass. Walk to security.
Getting in the long line for security
8:45 am
Passing through security with all belongings. moving quickly to make flight on time
placing the carry-on in the bins. removing the medication bag, shoes, belt, and laptop. Empty pockets
9:12 am
Moving quickly so as not to impede other people behind me. Listen to the agent's instructions, and tell the agent I have a liquid medication + ice pack.
bag is flagged for liquids and is pulled for inspection
9:15 am
Tell the agent it is necessary medication. Avoid medication being taken. Keep an eye out for other belongings exiting the scanner.
Packing all medications, toiletries, laptop, phone wallet keys, in bag and redressing oneself in a fast paced manner
9:28 am
Don't forget any of my belongings at the checkpoint. Make sure things that need to be accessible are. Make sure sharps are safely stored. Don't get in anyone's way.
Medication (2 pill bottles, weekly pill case, and an injectable) is loose in a ziplock bag within the main compartment of the backpack. It's difficult to know if everything is in the bag
pick out outfits and organize in suitcase. compile, work materials and medications (lose) in carry-on (backpack)
long slow line. Listening to TSA agents yell reminders at passengers to remove belongings from their bags.
The ziplock bag is see-through, with no protection of privacy or medication. Miscommunications about how to place items in the bin/ scanner. Condensation from the ice block wets documentation papers.
The medications are throughout my ziplock bag, and they need to search for the specific thing that the sensor flagged. This adds extra time to the security line wait.
Having to efficiently pack everything away, even though there are too many things to pack quickly.
He is anxious about TSA needing to look in the carry-on. Nervous to "fish around" and unpack bag for medication. Anxious that something might be left behind, and I can not get a replacement.
He feels anxious about walking through the airport on time and hopes he wont be stopped at security, even tho he always is.
Irritation for line, pressure from TSA agents. Hungry. Slight embarrassment for removing clothes and belongings
High anxiety for the medication on view, the possibility that he will be stopped, something stopping his person in the metal detector. irritated that he has to explain himself
Judged, rushed, concerned about not having everything in close proximity for a quick inspection Nervous about having to repack the ziplock. Nervous that he forgot something in my bag previously that is a prohibited item. Uncomfotable about protected health information (PHI) being open for others to see.
Annoyed that he has to go through this embarrassing process every time he travels. It feels like he never gets it right, even though he travels so frequently. The rules constantly change, and he is hassled for the items in my carry-on. He feels swindled after arriving to airport for inconsistent security wait times, but still has an hour before boarding his flight. However, he is relieved that none of his belongings were taken.
Prototyping
I reconnected with the people I initially interviewed to look over the product.
Target users liked the initial idea but needed more features in the product. This version was too pliable, making the zippers hard to use. The material did not reassure that their belongings would be protected during travel. While the size was appropriate for daily meds, it needed more space for all medications. Additionally, not all medications require temperature regulation- This felt like a lunch box.
​
Another big concern was the lack of mounting points or a strap. The proportions of the bag made it seem awkward to pack into another bag.
JAN
Feb
mar
apr
Patterning
Creating Brief
Ideating
First prototype made!
Contact with industry partner
Reformatting Research and compiling documentation
Documenting Bag
Researching
Ideating
drafting the technical package
Communicating with industry partner about manufacturing
concept validation
Interviewing
Concept validation
Technical package
sent to factory
Sample is delivered!
Manufacturing
After 3 check-ins with my industry partner, ensuring that the technical package was comprehensive, it was sent to a production facility. The sample was received 5 weeks later.
​
Further concept validation took place:
​
"This will be so helpful in making sure my patient has all meds at appointments" - Andrea D. 50, Home nurse
"One reason I put off traveling is having all those pill bottles, injectables [insulin and GLP-1], and supporting paperwork. This would fix that,"
- Kim L. 56, diabetic, travels for work.
​
"This is a shark tank genius product, should be part of an emergency evacuation kit." - Jeff B. 62-year-old diabetic, travel's infrequently
