Human-Centered Design
Fall 2025 - Spring 2026 (in progress) | Research group guided by Leandro Tonetto
Examining how the design and delivery of horticultural therapy sessions influence the emotional, physical, and social well-being of older adults living in long-term care settings. Work done in collaboration with A.G. Rhodes nursing home.
Research Methods & Design Process
01. Initial Resident Interview
Gather residents’ backgrounds on gardening & connection to nature.
Observe residents during a horticultural therapy session at A.G. Rhodes, recording movement, emotions, and interactions every 5 minutes.
02. Structured Observation
03. Post-Session Interview
Gather residents’ reflections on their experiences, challenges, and environmental feedback.
04. Co-Design Activity
Brainstorm design ideas with A.G. Rhodes residents to enhance the horticultural therapy experience.
Gather feedback on developed design ideas for horticultural therapy by A.G. Rhodes officials and residents.
05. Presentation to Stakeholders
06. Finalize Design Concepts, Prototype, & Test
This is where we are now!
We distilled our research down to several broad themes and extracted insights from each theme. These were used to drive our design ideas going forward.
After framing what insights could drive our design ideas, I worked with a group to develop an environment-based co-design activity for collaboration with the residents.
Residents and researchers took turns proposing different room layouts for horticultural therapy sessions.
We realized where residents find the most and least comfort in the room. Things like foot resting areas and personal space play a part in where residents choose to sit.
With these considerations in mind, I worked with a partner to design a new table for horticultural therapy at A.G. Rhodes.
