Under this, I along with my team studied a system (implemented by the Government of India) which was brought into the implementation to improve the health of the people in rural parts of India. After a series of literature study, ethnographic research and contextual inquiry, we found many loopholes in the system due to which the adolescent girls largely remain unaffected. After conducting brainstorming sessions, making personas and scenarios, we realized the level in the system where we could intervene to improve the health of adolescent girls. Now, we are into the designing of solution phase, and are brainstorming over a lot of opportunity areas. Currently, we are thinking of designing a simple product which could be used by ASHA (Accredited Social Health Activist – an important part of the system) which in turn would help the adolescent girls of the rural Assam. For more info - http://www.behance.net/utkarshmishra

1. How we started off ?
1
2
st
Brainstorming Session - Sticky notes - 5 Minutes
break and lots of ideas !
nd
Brainstorming Session - Started rejecting ideas
based on users and came up with fresh ideas.
Another round of mind- boggling exercise!

2. initial ideas
To aid and simplify the
learning and
communication (so that it
becomes easy for them to
express their ideas) for
deaf and dumb
To enhance the learning
experience of school-going
kids (in the school
environment) (3-8yrs)
To motivate kids to move out
of the digital environment
and interact with the physical
surroundings (7-12 years)

3. but what we wanted ?
Healthcare
Easily
available
users
Rural
Assam
Social
Cause
Wanted
Field
Research
Need
based
Problem
oriented

4. we finally decided ?
To make Adolescent girls (11-18yrs) aware of
health and hygiene (physical, psychological and
hormonal) related issues during puberty.

5. literature review
We did literature study to get familiar with the problem that girls face
in rural assam during adolescence and also understand the cultural
dimensions of the place.
We read research papers on study of maternity issues in assam -
(http://online.assam.gov.in/documents/218378/2d2df305-bfd4-46f5-86aa-10fcec046fa7)
government schemes like Kishori Shakti Yojna
http://socialwelfareassam.com/Guidelines.asp?Page=1&wPageType=KSY
r
medical blogs -
http://icresd.page.tl/abstracts.htm

6. user research - phase 1

7. 1
2
3
4
Got to know about the detailed structure of PHC (Primary Health
Centre.
Culture was completely different from what we had thought.
About population.
About different schemes in schools regarding adolescent girls.

8. structure
PHC
(Primary Health Centre)
Sub Centres
ASHA
(Accredited Social
Health Activist)
The basic structural and
functional unit of the
public health services.
Manages the ANM and
MPW workers and conduct
various sessions and visits
according to a weekly plan
Works at grass root level.
She is the main point
of contact for health
related issues

9. user research - phase 2

10. 1
2
3
4
Main work at sub-centre is ‘Documentation’.
Auxillary Nurse Midwives (ANM) and Multi-Purpose workers (MPW)
sit at the sub-centres.
Sub-centres are basically set up for pregnant women, and not much
work is related to adolescent girls is done.
ANMs don’t have much work. All the ground work is done by ASHAs.

11. role of sub-centre
Pregnant ladies visit sub-centres,
if they face any problem
So, if the problem is basic like anaemia, white discharge
etc. - ANMs provide them these tablets.
Sub-centres have basic medicines like iodine tablets,
iron tablets & metrogel tablets.
If case is severe, then they are
referred to PHC

12. user research - phase 3

13. 1
2
3
4
We went on to meet an ASHA in Kating Pahad, outside IIT Guwahati
main gate. Her name was Saraswati Sarkar.
Work primarily for pregnant women.
PHC takes advantage of the strong network of ASHA, to also work
for adolescent girls.
ASHA is extremely loaded with work. Maintaining documents is a
big task

14. 5
6
7
8
Survey. Field visit. Documentation.
No salary.
Met and interviewed three adolescent girls.
Shy. Not confident. Ignorant

15. adolescent girls
meeting
- Not open and comfortable. No knowlege about puberty prior to reaching it.
- Unaware of the basic health and hygiene related to this. Even ASHA is not trained for this
- Unaware importance of nutritious diet, and what sorts of problems could occur during menstruation.
- Don’t attend the programs which are organized by ANMs, ASHAs and Anganwadi to make them
aware of this issue.
- Use clothes instead of sanitary napkins.
AG 1
Age: 15
Non-Schooling
AG 2
Age: 13
School going (6th)
AG 3
Age: 14
School going (7th)

16. role of ASHA
Conduct Meetings
(alongwith ANMs/Doctors/Teachers)
Immunization of Children
Knowlege to Women & Girls
Encourage Community
Facilitate Access to Services
Refer & Escort to PHC/SC/AW
General Assistance
Household Hygiene
Construction of Toilets
Primary Hub for
Any Health Demands of
Deprived People
Time to Time Check
Check-ups of Pregnant Women
Supplementary Nutrition
Sanitation of Pregnant Women
Essential Provisions
ORS, Iron Tablets
Disposable Delivery Kits (DDK)
Oral Pills & Condoms
Sanitary Pads
Counselling of Women
Birth preparedness
Safe delivery
Breast-feeding
Contraception
Infections

17. opportunity areas
Workload on
ASHA .
Something to
assist them in
their work
System is too
dependent on
ASHA
A dedicated system
similar to ASHA for
adolescent girls
Reducing the
paperwork for
ASHA/ANM.

18. to be continued...