Spotlight On Design: How Go Icon’s Frictionless Software Enhances the Senior Living Experience
From residents to staff to families, senior living tech providers have to account for a range of user groups – and user needs. But too many platforms complicate the user experience, introducing digital friction that frustrates even the most tech-savvy folks.
That’s why Go Icon’s product and UX team focuses on the user experience across every digital tool. That investment and user-first approach allows Go Icon to create simple, intuitive, and frictionless experiences.
In this piece, we’ll dive into the user-centered philosophy guiding our software design – and explain how frictionless digital products can smooth out the senior living experience for everyone involved.
Our 3-Part Design Philosophy Puts Users First
Go Icon’s software design begins with one principle: meet users where they are. In practice, that manifests in a three-part design philosophy focused on…
- User centricity: From color schemes to text and button size, every element of Go Icon’s software is built with clarity and usability in mind. Intuitive design is a must across both mobile and desktop platforms, too.
- Interoperability: Go Icon integrates seamlessly with critical everyday systems (such as eMenuChoice, PointClickCare, and others that enable automation), allowing staff to focus on creating a best-in-class community experience. Additionally, Go Icon’s integration with Amazon Alexa is a favorite for residents that use smart home technology.
- Digital fluency: We talk a lot about the value of senior living technology, but the reality is that some residents still prefer hard copies of everything. That’s why our team makes it easy to print everything from activity calendars to community updates. There’s enough flexibility to give everyone the right information in the best format for them.
The big-picture goal? As product manager Rachel Werner puts it, “Regardless of each person’s comfort level with technology, there’s a solution for everyone. We don’t want older adults to adjust to us. We want to adjust to them.”
User Feedback Drives Our Software Forward
When it comes to great design, we’re careful not to assume what any user needs. Whether they’re residents, staff, or families, our product and UX team takes care to gather continuous user feedback – and makes those insights the foundation of every decision.
We gather that feedback through a few different avenues:
- A customer advisory board: Senior living leaders provide high-level feedback that helps shape Go Icon’s long-term roadmap.
- Product roundtables: These sessions bring together residents and staff to explore features and share insights. The residents in attendance are typically on tech committees in their communities, which makes them both digital enthusiasts and a direct conduit to less tech-savvy residents.
- Ongoing resident engagement: Our team meets with residents every week to test features, gather ideas, and identify challenges. As Rachel elaborates, “Resident voices always have a place in our decision-making. We don’t just ask, ‘Do you like this feature?’ We ask, ‘What can we solve for you?’”
Our team’s design approach didn’t always look like this: it’s evolved a lot over the years. For a long time, we developed siloed features that solved a specific problem for a specific community – without regard to scalability and a universal experience. This often resulted in a string of one-off customizations.
But today, our team takes a broader view. We ask: What’s the core problem at hand? How pervasive is its impact? And how can we find a solution that every user can benefit from? This philosophy ensures solutions that resonate broadly and consistently.
According to Mark Martinez (Head of Product Management and UX), there are two big areas where this approach has already had a concrete impact: Smart Aging™ and amenities management. Thanks to user feedback, senior living communities now have access to a growing suite of cutting-edge technology that solves everyday challenges.
The Goal: Frictionless Senior Living Technology
Of course, even the most well-intentioned products can solve one set of problems, only to introduce new ones in the process. That’s why the end goal of Go Icon’s design process is a truly frictionless user experience. We want to pinpoint and eliminate those small digital frustrations that waste time and cause stress.
Here’s what frictionless design looks like in action:
- A three-click rule: Whether someone’s viewing the dining menu or signing up for an event, we want every task to be completed in three clicks or fewer. Fewer steps mean fewer errors, faster workflows, and reduced confusion.
- Plug-and-play integrations: All software integrations aren’t made equal; some can create more headache than others. That’s why we focus on high-quality, API-based integrations that support a seamless flow of data – and can be set up in no time. A bonus, according to Mark? “We’re able to create and define our standard approach to integrations, which allows for an easier setup and clearer expectations with our customers and partners.” That means more interoperability for every senior living community.
- Flexible customization: Not every feature is relevant to every user, so our team ensures that many features are configurable so staff can toggle them on or off as needed. For example, a staff member focused on life enrichment planning may not need access to dining-related tools. So we make it easy to hide unnecessary features and keep the most relevant work in clear focus.
The cumulative impact: a smoother experience for every user.
We’re Pushing the Boundaries of Frictionless Design in Senior Living
The product and UX team has made a lot of strides in recent years, but there’s always room to grow. In Rachel’s words, “We’re just getting started. There’s so much opportunity to keep improving, and we’re excited to see where we go next.”In 2025, expect Go Icon to continue pushing the boundaries of frictionless design in senior living. If you want to see the impact for yourself, feel free to book a demo or reach out to start a conversation. We’d love to work with you.