Communication Design
Design Statement: Communication design should do more than inform. It should support people in moments where communication becomes difficult. As a designer, I am interested in how visual language can move beyond aesthetics and function as a form of care, especially within spaces tied to memory, emotion, and daily life.Through Enara, I wanted to explore how visual systems can create reassurance, familiarity, and independence for individuals living with dementia. My approach focuses on simplifying without reducing dignity, using structured pictograms and environmental cues to make everyday routines feel more accessible and less overwhelming.
Project Overview: As dementia progresses, individuals may face increasing difficulty with language, memory, and procedural recall. Everyday actions such as finding a room, preparing a meal, or completing self-care routines can become confusing, affecting their independence, confidence, and dignity. Enara addresses this through an environmental communication system designed to help individuals living with dementia engage with familiar routines more independently. Using a consistent pictogram-based visual language within the home, the system provides simple, recognizable cues for action, navigation, and routine completion. It is informed by ISOTYPE principles and research on cognitive ageing and dementia care. By making the home environment easier to understand and navigate, Enara supports autonomy, reduces confusion, and enables users to carry out everyday tasks with greater confidence.