SOMMA: Caring for those who matter most
A mobile app designed to connect families with certified independent caregivers for elderly care in Peru, addressing a critical gap in a largely unregulated market.
MY ROLE
UX/UI Designer
TEAM
2 designers
TIMELINE
AUG - DEC 2024
TOOLS
BEHIND THE PROBLEM
In Peru, finding a trustworthy caregiver for an elderly parent isn't just difficult, it's a silent crisis.
13,096
cases of violence against elderly people reported in 2023.
9/10
people with dementia don't receive adequate care
0
regulated platforms connecting caregivers and families in Peru
Violence cases are frequently perpetrated by family members or close caregivers. Specialized care infrastructure remains critically limited, and caregivers who work independently operate with no protection, no recognition, and no formal structure.
(MINSA, 2023) & (ONG Foccadi, 2024).
THE PROBLEM HAS TWO SIDES
Finding a reliable, skilled and available caregiver is an informal, slow and risky process. There's no platform that centralizes the search with clear selection criteria.
FOR THE CLIENT
Independent work is undervalued by regulatory entities, leaving them in insecure working conditions with little professional recognition.
FOR THE CAREGIVER
We designed for both.
What wasn't working
The existing solutions weren't solving the real problem, they were just listing names.
Through a design audit and competitive analysis, we identified the core gaps in the market:
INFORMAL PROCESSES
NO CONTINUITY
ONE-SIDED DESIGN
NO TRUST LAYER
Booking and payment happened outside the platform, via calls or WhatsApp.
After finding a caregiver, users lacked tools to monitor, manage payments, or rate the experience.
Focused only on the client, ignoring the caregiver's experience.
Existing platforms listed caregivers without any verification system.
SOMMA was designed to close all four gaps at once.
How we got there
Before designing any screen, we needed to deeply understand the people behind the problem.
USERS
We defined two primary user profiles through user personas and POV:
Cares for her mother with early-stage Alzheimer's while maintaining a remote job. Needs a fixed, reliable and specialized caregiver because she can't be present all the time.
MARIELA, 52
ADMINISTRATOR · LIMA
Lives with his elderly father and needs a caregiver because his demanding workload doesn't allow him to provide care. Doesn't know where to start.
ALEJANDRO, 38
SENIOR LAWYER · LIMA
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
I analyzed 4 platforms in the market: Cuidarlos, Wolly, Elders and Tiims; evaluating usability, vocabulary and design. The analysis revealed a clear opportunity: none of them combined strong user guidance with a simple, accessible process.
PLATFORM
REGISTRATION STEPS
DESIGN
TONE
4 steps
Intuituve, simple
Direct and friendly
1 step
Minimalist
Warm and close
5 steps
Good contrast
Animated, personalized
4-7 steps
Balanced
Motivating, clear
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
Through a card sorting exercise with real users, we defined how to group the content. Results showed that the profile category was associated 90% of the time with personal and professional data, which directly informed the navigation structure.
From there, I built the complete architecture map with four main sections: My Profile, Tools, Find a Caregiver and Support, and the full userflow for the main task: find, request, monitor and rate a caregiver.
ARCHITECTURE MAP
Home
Mi perfil
Datos personales
Lista de contactos
Calendario
Configuración
Herramientas
Herramientas PRO
Monitoreo
Buscar cuidador
Colecciones
Chat
Soporte
Notificaciones
Soporte técnico
Información
Editar datos
Buscar
Añadir/eliminar
Mis favoritos
Ver eventos
Editar/eliminar evento
Métodos de pago
Historial
Créditos
Mi billetera
Filtros y personalización
Cerrar cuenta
Historial servicio
Por chat/videollamada/GPS
Toolkit monitoreo
Reportes
Servicio SOS
Cuidadores
Perfiles
Barra de búsqueda
Filtros
Historial de búsqueda
Búsqueda
Enviar mensaje
Eliminar chat
Historial
Chat con asistente
Preguntas frecuentes
Llamada
USERFLOW
WIREFRAMES
We developed the complete process from low to high fidelity for the key screens: Welcome, Home, Filter Search, Caregiver Profile, Tracking and Service Rating.
The thinking behind the design
Every design decision had a reason. These were the most defining moments.
Two users, one platform
Most platforms choose one side. We chose both; every screen had to work for two completely different mental models.
DECISION 01
Trust as the core feature
Verified badges, visible certificates, real ratings, not decorative. Functional. Trust isn't a nice-to-have here, it's the product.
DECISION 02
Filters that actually help
Early wireframes overwhelmed users. We simplified it to three dimensions: specialty, skills, availability, plus search history to reduce cognitive load.
DECISION 03
Real-time tracking as reassurance
GPS + step-by-step status wasn't about logistics. It was about reducing anxiety. Peace of mind is what families are paying for.
decision 04
A system that closes the loop
The rating system builds trust over time, for future clients, for caregivers building a reputation, for the platform's long-term reliability.
decision 05
What changed and why
We didn't assume the design worked. We put it to the test.
We ran usability tests with 5 real users, measuring efficacy, time efficiency and number of steps per task across the full flow: registration, payment setup, caregiver search, tracking, payment and rating.
Results showed most tasks were completed successfully, but revealed important friction points we hadn't anticipated.
Five things we changed
CHANGE 01
Personalization
Users expected to be recognized from the start.
WHAT I DID
Added a welcome screen with the user's name and an option to skip onboarding.
RESULT
Increased sense of connection from the first screen.
Reduced perceived friction for returning users.
CHANGE 02
Navigation
Some sections weren't where users expected them.
WHAT I DID
Relocated "My Wallet" and added color indicators to show users where they are at all times.
RESULT
Fewer navigation errors during testing.
Users found key sections faster.
CHANGE 03
Search & filters
The original filter system was too extensive and slowed users down.
WHAT I DID
Simplified the elements and added a direct search bar to reduce friction and speed up the flow.
RESULT
Reduced average steps to find a caregiver.
Clearer path from search to selection.
CHANGE 04
Consistency
Similar elements had different positions and styles across screens.
WHAT I DID
Standardized onboarding design and repeated components across screens.
RESULT
Standardized onboarding design and repeated
components across screens.
CHANGE 05
Contrast
Key action buttons like "Pay now" didn't stand out enough.
WHAT I DID
Increased their visual weight to make the primary action unmistakably clear.
RESULT
Payment flow completion improved significantly.
We complemented usability testing with a heuristic evaluation that identified strengths and areas for improvement across system status visibility, consistency with the real world, error prevention, flexibility of use and minimalist design.
What we built
A platform that connects, builds trust and accompanies every step.
High-Fidelity Prototype
The complete flow covers the main stages of the experience:
01. Registration & onboarding
The user chooses their profile (client or caregiver) and personalizes their experience from the very start.
02. Search & selection
Through filters by specialty, skills and search history, the user finds their ideal caregiver and reviews their full profile including experience, certificates and rates.
03. Request & tracking
Once the request is confirmed, the user monitors the caregiver's location in real time, completes check-in via QR code and manages the service from within the app.
04. Payment & rating
The payment process is simple and secure. Once the service is complete, the user rates the caregiver to build a trust system within the platform.
What I'd do differently
What this project taught me about designing for people who carry real weight.
The most important design happens before you open Figma.
Interviewing real caregivers gave the design a weight no benchmark could provide. Every decision has a real story behind it, and going into the field pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best way.
Next time
I would involve users from much earlier stages, not just to validate but to co-build. And I would define success metrics from the start to be able to measure the real impact of the design once implemented.
Next steps
Validation with a larger user group.
Premium model with toolkit and PRO monitoring.
Retention and satisfaction metrics.
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