Essentially Yours
It all started with a simple question: What do people genuinely need in their everyday lives? As our team gathered around, exchanging ideas shaped by our own experiences, one challenge stood out—something that had recently disrupted our routines. Our campus pharmacy had just closed, leaving many of us scrambling to figure out how to pick up prescriptions, especially reproductive health products.
​This wasn’t just a personal inconvenience; it highlighted a broader need for a more accessible, secure, and stigma-free solution. That realization sparked an idea, setting the foundation for our project.
Reproductive & Sexual Health Products
Interactive Kiosk
Problem
Even with available resources, students often struggle to access reproductive and sexual health products due to stigma, cost, and privacy concerns. Limited availability and lack of discreet options create barriers, leading to frustration and unmet health needs.
Accessing reproductive and sexual health products can be difficult.
Many college students struggle to access essential reproductive care and sexual health products like Plan B, birth control, and hygiene items due to stigma, high costs, limited availability, and inconvenient store hours.
Lack of Awareness of Available Resources
Students may not always know where to find reliable information or support for sexual and reproductive health. This lack of awareness is often due to stigma and limited experience in accessing sensitive products.
Solution
The Essentially Yours Kiosk provides a private, affordable, and discreet solution for accessing reproductive and sexual health products. By creating an interactive kiosk tailored to student needs, we aim to reduce stigma, increase accessibility, and improve health outcomes in the community.
Online Research
Secondary Research - Understanding the Gaps
-
In 2021, 45% of women faced at least one barrier to accessing reproductive healthcare, and 19% faced three or more. These barriers aren’t just about logistics—they’re about cost, stigma, and limited access.
-
Meanwhile, health kiosks are transforming healthcare delivery, making services cheaper, faster, and more accessible. But there’s a catch: A review of 37 health kiosk studies found none addressed reproductive healthcare.
-
This gap was clear—the technology exists, but it’s not being used where it’s needed most.
Competitive Analysis:
Wellness Vending Machines: ​
This vending machine dispenses reproductive and sexual health products, targeting accessibility on college campuses. However, it lacks clear measures to ensure user safety and privacy, and its locations are not clearly disclosed.
SimpliCheck
SimpliChek offers 24/7 discreet sexual health testing for college students and aims to provide affordable health products. However, it lacks clarity on user privacy measures and restocking frequency.
CVS Pharmacy
This vending machine offers convenient, on-the-go essentials beyond just medicine. However, it’s limited to a few locations and primarily focuses on dispensing general healthcare products, such as bandaids and common over-the-counter medicines.
User Research
Validation Survey Key Findings
Top Accessibility Barriers:
for accessing contraceptives & reproductive health products
Stigma
35 out of 67 respondents indicated that the fear of judgment or stigma often discourages them from obtaining necessary products.
Cost
28 out of 67 respondents indicated that due to the cost of products, it prevents them from accessing the products and care they need.
Privacy
22 out of 67 respondents indicated that privacy concerns prevent them from purchasing the products and accessing care.
To validate our concept and gain insights into people's experiences with accessing reproductive health products and contraceptives, we conducted a survey with
67 respondents.
Guerilla Interviews
To gain deeper insights into the challenges of accessing reproductive and contraceptive care, we conducted interviews with community members and professional health advocates.
Key Interview Takeaways:
Education
Certain products have notable side effects that users need to be aware of before taking them. Providing support and educational resources is crucial to ensuring their safety and well-being.
Privacy
Stigma can be a major barrier to taking action. Safeguarding user privacy is key to ensuring their comfort and confidence.
Safety
Ensure proper and safe use of these products while encouraging users to seek guidance from medical professionals.
UCSD Women's Center
"There’s some very real medical implications that would come with a kiosk specifically for accessing birth control."
- Hannah Aksamit, M.Ed
Associate Director for Education
UCSD Women’s Center
Beach Area Family Health Center
“Many are not aware that they can seek services on a confidential level and don't always need to have parents' knowledge of what going on.
- Anonymous
Director of Operations
Beach Area Family Health Center
How We Pivoted:
Prescribed Contraceptives --> Reproductive and Sexual Health Products
As we took our idea to the real world through guerrilla interviews, we quickly uncovered a critical concern. Many prescribed contraceptives—such as hormonal pills, patches, implants, injections, and some IUDs—carry significant health risks, especially for those with pre-existing conditions. Without consulting a healthcare professional, users might unknowingly face serious complications down the line.
​
This insight forced us to rethink our approach. Instead of focusing on prescription contraceptives, we pivoted toward over-the-counter reproductive and sexual health products—emergency contraceptives like Plan B, OTC birth control (Opill), menstrual hygiene products, condoms, lubrication, and pregnancy tests.
​
Beyond just offering these products, we recognized the need for clear, accessible information at the point of purchase. Our solution evolved to include educational resources integrated into the checkout process, ensuring users could make informed decisions about their health in a private, judgment-free environment.
.
User Personas & Storyboards
Based on insights from our interviews and observations, we synthesized the data into key design artifacts. We created a user persona to capture the experiences, needs, challenges, and goals of our target audience, providing a clear foundation for our design decisions.
​
Storyboard 1: "accidents happen"
Storyboard 2: "i know, but how"
Storyboard 3: "better safe than sorry"
Our Mission
We aim to design a 24/7 interactive kiosk at UC San Diego to provide students with private, affordable, and discreet access to essential reproductive and sexual health products, reducing barriers and promoting well-being.
Physical and Digital Prototyping
Sketches & Wireframes
Style Guides & Moodboard
At first, our team struggled to define a theme and style that felt right. After days of brainstorming and iteration, we found ourselves drawn to the calming essence of lavender and flowing water, aiming to create a sense of relaxation and peace.
​
This shift is evident in our mid-fidelity screens, where our evolving vision led us to incorporate floral and lavender elements. This not only shaped our overarching theme but also inspired the kiosk’s logo, bringing cohesion and purpose to our design.
Mid-Fidelity Screens
High-Fidelity Screens
Top 5 errors we found when user testing:
Contact Information Input Ignored
Issue: Users did not enter contact info to receive health resources.
Solution: Improved visual differentiation and error validation for required fields.
Removing Items from Cart Was Unclear
Issue: Users attempted to use the “-” button instead of swiping left.
Solution: Animated swipe gesture tutorial upon entering the cart.
Acknowledgment Box Overlooked
Issue: Users skipped this step, preventing checkout.
Solution: Inactive “Buy” button until box is checked, with an animated prompt if ignored.
Post-Purchase Confusion
Issue: Users continued beyond the thank-you screen unintentionally.
Solution: Clear differentiation with an overlay and exit confirmation.
Hidden Suggested Products
Issue: Users did not notice the additional recommendations.
Planned Fix: Adding a visible scrollbar and animated prompts.
​
​
Kiosk Digital Features
Product Description
Cart Functions
Information and Resources
Logging & Signing out
Demo Video - was tested and presented on an iPad but in order to see the interactions I screen recorded on a computer.
Looking Back
Reflection
This project was a true test of everything we had learned throughout the quarter, pushing me beyond my comfort zone in ways I hadn’t expected—from laser cutting to reinforcing the importance of user-centric design. More than that, it challenged me to tackle real, sensitive social issues that affect students daily, including myself.
​
Through rigorous research, testing, and iteration, we developed a solution that directly addresses real-world accessibility concerns. Unlike many of my past projects, which focused on redesigns, this was my first time creating something entirely new. That made the experience even more rewarding, as I got to build from the ground up, shaping a solution that could genuinely make an impact.
Next Steps
-
​Further User Testing: Expand usability testing to refine the final design.
-
Additional Payment Methods: Incorporate a wider range of payment options.
-
Non-Student User Flow: Develop a process for non-affiliated users.
-
Expanded Product Offerings: Accommodate various product sizes and needs.
-
Fully Functional Filters: Improve product browsing through better categorization.
Next Steps
Acknowledgements :)
A special thank you to the DSGN 100 teaching team and the Makerspace staff for their continuous support throughout this project.
​
Most of all to such an amazing and dedicated team, it was truly an incredible experience working with you all!! <3
-
Jake Villasenor
-
Emily Nguyen
-
Riley Sether
-
Marisa Kawakami (that's me :))