Kommunikaatio ILO

The Vilo Interaction Passport is an application designed to support individuals facing communication challenges. It aims to make visible the support needs, approaches, and essential aspects of everyday communication. The passport operates through web browsers, enabling its use on various devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers.

Challenge

In 2020, Henna Sillanpää, the founder of Communication ILO, conceptualized the Vilo Interaction Passport. While she created a basic prototype of the passport, she recognized the need for a more comprehensive solution. Collaborating with partners enabled a clearer vision of how the passport could function and look. Communication ILO and Monad embarked on transforming the idea into a functional digital solution. The realization of the Vilo Interaction Passport was supported by funding from the ELY Center.

Solution

In early 2023, Communication ILO and Monad refined the Vilo Interaction Passport along with its business perspective. A meticulously planned and precisely defined pilot version was created ahead of schedule by one and a half months.

 

User understanding

As part of the comprehension process, pilot users were interviewed and granted access to the service afterward. Real-life usage scenarios allowed for the observation of users, the adoption of the passport, its comprehensibility, and potential usability challenges. These interviews also addressed business aspects, such as how the Vilo Interaction Passport could replace existing solutions in everyday life, what factors facilitate or hinder its usage, and what pricing model would be suitable.

Solution Implementation
Due to comprehensive planning and clear goal definitions, the software development process was straightforward. It was realized as a React-based modern web application. The client was pleasantly surprised by the completion of the software ahead of schedule:
“Throughout the entire process, I was aware of each step being taken. The process’s simplification and clarity allowed me to understand what is achievable and within what boundaries,” said Henna Sillanpää.

From Idea to Foundation
The original idea materialized into a cornerstone MVP (minimum viable product) version. This streamlined the allocation of development resources towards creating essential features from both a business and end-user perspective. Following five months of pilot testing, Vilo was released to a broader audience in August 2023.

Results 

The Vilo Interaction Passport marks Communication ILO’s first web application. It serves the company’s current clientele and provides a solution for clients of both assisted living facilities and individuals requiring personal support. This easily implementable, device-independent application aids users in conveying information about daily matters, support needs, and preferences through text, images, or videos during face-to-face interactions. The application allows for sharing viewing rights to the passport’s content and the ability to grant editing permissions to assistants or family members.

Significance

The Vilo Interaction Passport significantly eases users’ daily lives, enabling natural communication and self-expression in diverse scenarios. The passport diminishes constraints, reduces feelings of confusion and frustration, and offers an effortless means of sharing crucial information with different individuals. Additionally, it has proven invaluable for meeting new people. For instance, caregivers can confidently ensure that essential information is conveyed to a new teacher about a student.
“My life is no longer as limiting in everyday situations. Through the passport, I have been able to communicate and express myself more independently,” shared a user.