When building Chatsie, we set out to rewrite the rulebook on smartphones. We questioned every “standard” smartphone feature and redesigned it exclusively with seniors in mind. If you want to find out more about the journey, read more about our UX philosophy here. Below, we’ve compiled a list of some of our most-loved features:
One of the first things you’ll notice when you turn on a Chatsie phone is that all buttons on the menu are text-based. You’ll not find a button on a Chatsie device that doesn’t use text to describe what it does.
We want our users to feel that they are following straightforward instructions when navigating through the phone, rather than relying on their memory of what various, fiddly icons may do.
Navigating modern smartphones often requires a mix of long presses, swipes, and double taps — actions that can be confusing and hard to remember. Especially for those using a smartphone for the first time, these gestures are hard to replicate, or may happen accidentally. It’s losing this sense of control over your device which we wanted to avoid.
All Chatsie buttons are designed to work with a single tap and in cases where scrolling is necessary, such as on the main menu, we’ve built a button at the bottom of the screen, allowing users to navigate without needing to swipe. For those who prefer it, the phones also come with a stylus, for an alternative way to tap the screen.
The phone’s simple, high-contrast colour scheme is designed to make reading the text a comfortable experience for everyone, especially those who may be visually impaired. You’ll never have to squint or worry about missing a bit of text.
We’ve kept the colors for different elements standard - if you see a yellow oval, it will always be a clickable button, if it’s grey, more information is required before you can proceed. Consistency in these subtle designs means that it takes less time to become familiar with the device and navigate to different sections.
Not all of our users take their phones out and about with their phones, so locks aren’t always needed. Chatsie phones do not come with a default lock screen, which makes it easier for seniors to use their devices without the frustration of entering passwords or unlocking patterns every time.
However, for those who do want extra security - which is useful if you’re storing sensitive data on the phone e.g. banking apps, or if they go out and about with a phone, a lock can be added in very easily. We’ve created a simple process in settings, with a step-by-step process to add a face lock and backup password. Additionally, Chatsie offers remote access via manage.chatsie.com, allowing users or their loved ones to clear the phone remotely if a security issue arises, or if they forget their password.
We’ve made sure that screens provide clear information about what will happen when a change is made. Whether it’s confirming an action or explaining the next step, these details are in place to make sure our users feel in control of the actions that they take on the device.
