Menopause management in the workplace

Menopause management in the workplace

To create a holistic healthcare system within a week, as briefed by TTP, product & technology consultancy. The solution, an IOT system for menopause symptom management researched and 3D modelled by myself.

Project Overview

Design Process

The TTP brief was to design a product that provides an ambient healthcare experience. Every year, several companies propose their briefs to a cohort of industrial, product, and user-centred design finalists from Loughborough University, to be completed within a week.


Technologies Used

Figma for prototyping, SolidWorks for 3D modelling, KeyShot rendering, Photoshop for image editing


Challenges Faced

  • User testing restrictions - to evaluate the social and personal impact of having and using this solution in a shared, professional environment

  • Little industrial product design modelling experience

Interdisciplinarity

Healthcare

System & Services Deign

Product Design


Roles & Responsibilities

Respond to brief with thorough research, design evaluation and exploration, final concept delivery and presentation


Team & Timelines

1 week sprint - Final year Design Week briefed by agencies

Research & Discovery

Menopause

Menopause

Data set

White paper research, medical references

Key Insights

  • The variety & unpredictability of symptoms make the menopause a difficult process to manage and live through.

  • Menopausal women are the fastest growing workforce: 8 in 10 work.

  • 6 in 10 women say their symptoms have negatively impacted their work.

  • “60% of women said their workplace offered no menopause support.”

Hot Flushes

Hot Flushes

Data set

White paper research, medical references

Key Insights

  • 3 in 4 women experience hot flushes

  • Body temperature increases 1° - 3°c

  • Symptoms can last up to 30 minutes

  • Symptoms may be triggered by stress

  • Preferred solutions are increased breaks, office privacy, time off and a change in workplace temperature and ventilation

User persona

User persona

Goals:

  • To manage symptoms discreetly and in a way that works for them personally.

  • To work swiftly, undisrupted by symptoms.

Desired Experience:

  • To feel comfortable and supported in their workplace.

  • To maintain their professional reputation and work performance.

Problem Statement

How might we provide an ambient healthcare experience that passively manages a user's hot flushes so she can work undisrupted?

Technology challenges

To explore a solution that is not too complex technologically but still introduces something new to the market.

Business Opportunity

The global menopause market size is predicted to be worth $24.4 billion by 2030. The product cost can be placed on businesses in stead of individuals.

Business Opportunity

The global menopause market size is predicted to be worth $24.4 billion by 2030. The product cost can be placed on businesses in stead of individuals.

User Limitations

Social stigma around menopause and signs of it as well as complexity of use will be the main limitations to be aware of.

User Limitations

Social stigma around menopause and signs of it as well as complexity of use will be the main limitations to be aware of.

Design Process

Design Process

Design Process

Concept exploration

A mouse that registers body temperature & alerts user of incoming hot flush to prevent escalation

Discreet and angled desktop accessory that provides a cooling system

Desk-top fan that uses a thermal camera to detect fluctuation in body temperature

Office thermal camera that adapts A/C accordingly to regulate the environment according to perceived symptoms

A fan with a screen that provides emotional support, messaging and statistics

A wareable ring that records fluctuations in body temperature and provides laptop notifications to regulate accordingly

Adaptive desk chair with embedded cooling system that regulates to the user's body temperature

A discreet fan that can be attached to a laptop or desktop and angled ergonomically

Solution requirements

To meet the following criteria, the solution then needed to combine a fan system to cool the user, a thermal camera to record temperature changes and a digital system to provide symptom management.

A system that allows companies to support their employees

A product that functions both working in the office and remotely

A product that functions both working in the office and remotely

A product that captures and measures symptom occurrence

A product that captures and measures symptom occurrence

A non-disruptive and discreet product and system design

A system that provides deeper insight into menopause experience

A system that provides deeper insight into menopause experience

A system that provides short-term menopause support and long-term productivity improvement

A system that provides short-term menopause support and long-term productivity improvement

Storyboarding the Journey

Set-up

In action

HOT STUFF

2 mins ago

It’s 19° outside. Nice day for some fresh air.

HOT STUFF

2 mins ago

Hey cool cat. Seems you’ve got everything under control. Well done!

Providing support

Your hot flashes lasted on average 10 minutes over the last 7 days.

Average time

🌡 Hot Flash

min

10

Continued Care

Storyboarding the Journey

Set-up: Company provides employee assistance and product set-up induction

  • Company provides an online guide to support their menopausal employees. User applies to hot flush scheme.

  • HR reaches out to the user to establish a comfortable environment and communicate support available. Data sharing with users line manager can be determined by the user.

  • User installs fan and supporting software. They manually adjust the height and inclination until green light indicates they are being captured.

In action: The fan detects and records body temperature non-invasively, scanning for changes

The users temperature starts to rise but they are too concentrated on work to notice the change.The fan turns on gently, providing an early management to a symptom that could worsen.

HOT STUFF

2 mins ago

It’s 19° outside. Nice day for some fresh air.

HOT STUFF

2 mins ago

Hey cool cat. Seems you’ve got everything under control. Well done!

Providing support: Positive reinforcements that challenge stigma aims to reduce shame and increase comfort

  • Fan strength increases in relation to temperature rise.

  • The user receives positive reinforcements to challenge internal negative thoughts around their symptom. This improves their wellbeing by accepting and encouraging self-care, without feeling guilt or shame.

  • The user is able to cool down significantly and reengage with their work. A positive reinforcement celebrates and recognises the users efforts.

Your hot flashes lasted on average 10 minutes over the last 7 days.

Average time

🌡 Hot Flash

min

10

Continued Care: An opportunity to understand symptom experience better and make conversations easier at work

  • The supporting software performs data analysis and feeds-back trends and insights to learn more about their symptoms.

  • The system sends the data the user has previously approved to share, to their manager. This provide transparency, avoids awkward moments and enhances communication and well-being.

Storyboarding the Journey

Set-up: Company provides employee assistance and product set-up induction

  • Company provides an online guide to support their menopausal employees. User applies to hot flush scheme.

  • HR reaches out to the user to establish a comfortable environment and communicate support available. Data sharing with users line manager can be determined by the user.

  • User installs fan and supporting software. They manually adjust the height and inclination until green light indicates they are being captured.

In action: The fan detects and records body temperature non-invasively, scanning for changes

The users temperature starts to rise but they are too concentrated on work to notice the change.The fan turns on gently, providing an early management to a symptom that could worsen.

HOT STUFF

2 mins ago

It’s 19° outside. Nice day for some fresh air.

HOT STUFF

2 mins ago

Hey cool cat. Seems you’ve got everything under control. Well done!

Providing support: Positive reinforcements that challenge stigma aims to reduce shame and increase comfort

  • Fan strength increases in relation to temperature rise.

  • The user receives positive reinforcements to challenge internal negative thoughts around their symptom. This improves their wellbeing by accepting and encouraging self-care, without feeling guilt or shame.

  • The user is able to cool down significantly and reengage with their work. A positive reinforcement celebrates and recognises the users efforts.

Your hot flashes lasted on average 10 minutes over the last 7 days.

Average time

🌡 Hot Flash

min

10

Continued Care: An opportunity to understand symptom experience better and make conversations easier at work

  • The supporting software performs data analysis and feeds-back trends and insights to learn more about their symptoms.

  • The system sends the data the user has previously approved to share, to their manager. This provide transparency, avoids awkward moments and enhances communication and well-being.

System Prototyping

Code experimentation


Sadly the component I used to show my code experimentation doesn't resize well for mobile. Please open this page on a desktop to view the full experience. Thanks! :)

Thermal Technology

Thermal cameras can detect infrared data and record it as temperatures. The camera would record users' temperature once in the frame.

Bluetooth Technology

The data would be sent via bluetooth from the fan to the software on the user’s computer. It would be used to regulate the fan.

Data Analysis

The data would be constantly compared and analysed with past temperatures to verify and evaluate the prevalence of a hot flash.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

CBT has proven to significantly manage the impact of hot flushes, enhances quality of life and helps change the patient’s perception around their symptoms.

Code experimentation

Code experimentation


Sadly the component I used to show my code experimentation doesn't resize well for mobile. Please open this page on a desktop to view the full experience. Thanks! :)

What could the code look like for the rise in temperature?

import time
import random

# Simulated temperature readings from an infrared camera
def read_infrared_temperature():
    return random.uniform(36.0, 39.0)  # simulate human body temperature

# Trigger CBT notification (user sees this)
def send_cbt_notification():
    print("💬 CBT Reminder: Take a moment to slow your breathing and notice your body.")

# Silently turn on fan (user does not see this)
def turn_on_fan():
    # In real application, this would trigger hardware, e.g., GPIO pin
    pass  # silently perform action

# Main loop
def monitor_temperature(threshold=37.5):
    while True:
        temp = read_infrared_temperature()

        if temp > threshold:
            send_cbt_notification()
            turn_on_fan()
            break  # stop after activation for demo purposes

        time.sleep(2)

# Start monitoring
monitor_temperature()

import time
import random

# Simulated temperature readings from an infrared camera
def read_infrared_temperature():
    return random.uniform(36.0, 39.0)  # simulate human body temperature

# Trigger CBT notification (user sees this)
def send_cbt_notification():
    print("💬 CBT Reminder: Take a moment to slow your breathing and notice")

# Silently turn on fan (user does not see this)
def turn_on_fan():
    # In real application, this would trigger hardware, e.g., GPIO pin
    pass  # silently perform action

# Main loop
def monitor_temperature(threshold=37.5):
    while True:
        temp = read_infrared_temperature()

        if temp > threshold:
            send_cbt_notification()
            turn_on_fan()
            break  # stop after activation for demo purposes

        time.sleep(2)

# Start monitoring
monitor_temperature()

Vibe-coded using Chat GPT


Final Solution

HOT STUFF

HOT STUFF

2 mins ago

2 mins ago

Notification thingy

Notification thingy

HOT STUFF

HOT STUFF

2 mins ago

2 mins ago

You’ve managed before, so I know you can cope.

You’ve managed before, so I know you can cope.

HOT STUFF

HOT STUFF

7 mins ago

7 mins ago

You might feel some heat coming on, but we’re keeping you cool. 😎

You might feel some heat coming on, but we’re keeping you cool. 😎

An IOT fan that captures changes in the user's body temperature and turns on automatically, providing a gentle breeze to help stabilise the user's symptom.


The digital system tracks and records the symptoms without manual input and also providing CBT - promoting positive attitudes and perceptions around symptoms.

Automated and silent fan regulation

Fan intensity is regulated to the perceived rise in temperature, however the silent technology provides and ambient and non-disruptive management to hot flushes.

Warm & professional finishes

With a warm, but professional wood finish, this product blends into the discreet environment seamlessly.

Minimal, simple touch points

Minimal touch-points make the symptom management effortless. Height and inclination is easy to adjust according to preferences.

Your hot flashes lasted on average 10 minutes over the last 7 days.

Your hot flashes lasted on average 10 minutes over the last 7 days.

Average time

Average time

🌡 Flush in a flash

🌡 Flush in a flash

min

min

M

M

T

T

W

W

T

T

F

F

S

S

S

S

10

10

The amount of hot flushes last month is lower than the previous month.

The amount of hot flushes last month is lower than the previous month.

Times recorded

Times recorded

🌡 Monthly round up

🌡 Monthly round up

Times recorded

Times recorded

12

12

20

20

1st - 31st of December

1st - 31st of December

1st - 30th of November

1st - 30th of November

Using CBT and graphs to make symptoms more understandable and manageable

The supporting software notifies the user of their symptoms and uses CBT to change their perception of them.

Outcomes & Impact

2nd place prize winner!

I'm thrilled to have received a second-place award from technology company TTP plc. Going into the design sprint, I was worried that I wouldn't perform as well as my peers, as I had less experience in sketching, digital modelling, and rendering. This recognition has given me the confidence to showcase my ideas and designs, even when I might not have the same skills as the rest of the group.

"Good use of design research methods to inform the design. Nice to see a summary of the technologies needed for the product. The design proposal feels credible and feasible. The aesthetics are refined and appropriate for the work environment without communicating any stigma. Nice to see the product presented in the intended environment of use."

University Tutor