CHALLENGE

• Gain a better understanding about the pre-diagnosis journey taken by a person with potential dementia.
• Explore the parallel journey their support network of family and friends undertake. 
  
• Identify key points in the journey where additional support and information could help diagnosis of dementia to happen more quickly and easily. 
• Develop ideas for service and product solutions. 

METHOD

• Advertised and recruited 18 research participants (non-incentivised).
  
• Undertook research with 3 groups of people: 

               1. People with dementia / possible dementia
               2. Family and friends of people with potential dementia 
               3. General Practitioners.

• Used insights gained through the research to develop new product and service ideas to:

               -  Improve the pre-diagnosis journey
               -  Accelerate the speed at which people with potential dementia seek a diagnosis
               -  Increase the number of people seeking a diagnosis.

• Developed the business case for one idea and presented to project stakeholders.
  

OUTCOMES

• Ideas presented to core project stakeholders (Design Council / Department of Health). One idea was taken forward into the next phase of development. 
  
• Supporting information captured and collated, including: research participant database, interview transcripts and customer journey maps.