(2019) Solo Project - Case Study Introducing Dr At hand, a ground-breaking mobile system revolutionizing the NHS by enhancing patient satisfaction, trust, and addressing pressing challenges. Empowering individuals to take control of their health, it seamlessly integrates with the NHS, driving positive change and improving medical services. Dr At hand: transforming healthcare for a brighter future.
Project Background: Tackling NHS Challenges Amidst COVID-19
This project was launched to address the significant challenges faced by the NHS due to the Coronavirus outbreak, which forced GPs and hospitals to rapidly adapt, impacting patient satisfaction.An extensive research phase explored new and emerging methods for the NHS, revealing that many treatments and inquiries could be effectively managed online, offering a path to improve healthcare delivery amidst the evolving landscape.
Design Progress Diagram Creation
Market and Target Market Research
Persona Development
Ideation
User Test Planning
Testing, and Analysis
Wireframing and Prototyping
Using these skills with a user-centric approach, the project aimed to tackle NHS challenges, boost patient satisfaction, and enhance healthcare system effectiveness.
In the initial design stage, we focused on identifying the patient group with the greatest impact.
To gain insights, I examined doctor-patient interactions. Research highlighted that elderly patients highly value physical interaction, as it may be one of their few social engagements. For them, in-person communication reduces stress and fosters trust, allowing doctors to address questions with empathy, strengthening the doctor-patient relationship.
A brainstorming session helped us understand challenges faced by each group and the impact of moving healthcare treatments online, leading to the identification of our target market groups:
Young Adults
Adults
This segmentation enables us to tailor design solutions to meet the unique needs and concerns of each group effectively.
Based on interviews and workshops, I created two contrasting personas that became central to the product development process, shaping decisions and guiding our direction.
Establishing these personas early provided clarity on our target audience, allowing us to focus workshop and brainstorming preparations effectively. With Covid-19 limiting in-person testing, having well-defined personas brought real-life perspectives to online workshops.
The personas, though within the same category, intentionally contrast to cover diverse needs, ensuring our solutions address both ends of the user spectrum. Consistently referring back to them throughout the design process helped keep our solutions relevant and aligned with user needs.
To streamline the patient journey and identify design improvements, I mapped out each user step, uncovering sources of frustration and areas for simplification.
Guided by key questions—such as identifying user frustrations, pinpointing critical pain points, and finding ways to simplify the experience—the journey mapping exercise highlighted flaws in the current system. A focus group confirmed common pain points, leading to a refined journey map for the project.
In brainstorming sessions, we discussed each frustration point and design flaw, exploring users' emotional responses to fully understand their perspectives. This deep analysis informed effective design solutions, making journey mapping invaluable for enhancing user experience and system effectiveness.
In a collaborative brainstorming session, we used "How might we" questions to explore solutions for the identified problems. These questions encouraged creative thinking and helped uncover alternative approaches.
Through the session, key themes emerged from our discussions, guiding the project’s direction. These keywords provided valuable insights and a foundation for further development. The "How might we" exercise fostered a collaborative, innovative environment, allowing us to identify actionable solutions and effectively address the identified problems.
With the unknown Covid-19 scenario, I have decided to complete Aristotle's 7 elements of Good Story Telling to paint a broader picture of the situation. The current trouble and final desired outcome allowed me to stay focused on the goal, keeping the user in mind. The storytelling highlights the problem, environment, emotion and desired outcome.
After thorough market research on competitors' features and presentation styles, I quickly created initial wireframes to gauge audience interest and usability.
Using Zoom for testing sessions, I gathered direct feedback from the target audience on key design decisions. Early discussions on ideation allowed us to spot potential issues and set realistic expectations, guiding future iterations.
This combination of rapid wireframing and audience feedback helped refine the design, aligning it closely with user needs and project goals, ensuring a user-friendly and appealing solution.
Due to limited resources and contact restrictions, all user testing was conducted via Zoom with six participants involved in ideation and testing.
A standardized user test plan ensured consistency across sessions.
Card Sorting: This activity assessed the importance users placed on various features. Participants categorized feature cards by importance, offering insights into which design elements were most valuable, aligning design priorities with user expectations.
Dot Testing: Participants placed a dot on the design they found most appealing and navigable, providing feedback on visual appeal and usability to guide layout choices.
These activities were crucial for understanding user preferences and guiding design iterations, ensuring the final product resonated with the target audience.
To ensure a successful prototype testing session, I developed a detailed User Test Plan specifying the metrics to be evaluated.
In remote testing, participants recorded their mobile screens, allowing for a thorough assessment of user interactions.
Success was measured through:
Binary Pass/Fail: Determining if participants completed specific tasks.
Navigation Success: Assessing ease in locating information or features.
Emotional Response: Capturing participants' reactions and feedback.
Ease of Use: Evaluating intuitiveness and user comfort.
Satisfaction: Gauging overall satisfaction and likelihood of future use.
Biometric Data: Using heart rate or eye tracking to observe physiological responses.
Think Aloud: Encouraging participants to verbalize thoughts for insight into their cognitive process.
This low-fidelity prototype testing provided valuable feedback, leading to final refinements that aligned the design with user needs.
The design follows a light theme, featuring contrasting buttons for easy and swift navigation. Every color used in the design has undergone testing across various screen darkness modes to ensure clarity and legibility.
"How Might We" Resolutions
Reduce appointment wait times.
Enable instant notifications for emergency help. Enhance the overall patient experience. Decrease the time between appointments. Expedite diagnosis time. Provide flexible options to avoid taking days off. Deliver professional service to counter reliance on internet searches. Offer instant response to entered symptoms. Improve personal health awareness.
Simplify health tracking with accessible medical history.
Provide extra information about medical conditions. Minimize false online treatment.
