Loading
Please wait, content is loading
THE SOLUTION THE STORY
Back Top
The Story Behind the Solution

The Problem of Fragmented Care and Information Overload

Imagine a patient and their family, overwhelmed by a new cancer diagnosis, trying to navigate a fragmented healthcare system. They're getting information from multiple doctors, a variety of websites, and different support groups—every source is a silo. This led to confusion and emotional stress. The My Healing Mate platform was designed to solve this by creating a single, trusted source of support.

Frustrated Patients

Patients felt swamped and stressed trying to find reliable information and connect with others who understood their situation.

Siloed Communication

Oncologists and care specialists struggled to coordinate care efficiently, often missing key details or having to manually consolidate information from different sources.

Emotional and Physical Burden

The lack of a unified support system and clear information increased the emotional and physical burden on patients, impacting their well-being and willingness to engage with their care plan.

My Job

UX/UI Designer

My Team

1 Project Leader, 2 Programmers, 1 Quality Checker

Methodology

The project was executed using an Agile methodology , with a focus on two-week sprints to ensure continuous delivery and close collaboration with the development team.

What I Was Responsible For

  • Conducted comprehensive user research, including interviews and surveys
  • Synthesized research findings to define key user personas and pain points.
  • Created low-fidelity wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes.
  • Designed the visual UI, focusing on clarity, accessibility, and empathy.
  • Led remote usability testing sessions to validate design solutions.

User Research & Insights

To understand the needs of our diverse user base, I conducted a multi-method research study.
Interviews

I spoke with 5 cancer patients and 3 oncologists to uncover their motivations, frustrations, and goals.

Surveys

I distributed a survey to 50 individuals in patient and caregiver support communities, receiving 35 responses that validated our qualitative findings.

What I Found Out

Initially, I assumed that the primary challenge would be providing access to medical information. However, through my research, I discovered that building a supportive community and addressing emotional well-being were equally important to users. Additionally, I learned that accessibility and ease of use were crucial factors for ensuring the platform was accessible to a wide range of users.

Pain point 1

“ Lack of Community & Support “

Many users expressed feeling isolated and disconnected from others facing similar challenges. This pain point highlights the importance of designing features that foster community and connection, such as discussion forums, support groups, and live chat options.

Pain point 2

“ Overwhelming Information “

The sheer volume of information available online could be overwhelming and confusing for users. To address this, the design should focus on providing clear and concise information, using visual cues and intuitive navigation to guide users through the platform.

Pain point 3

“ Lack of Personalised Support “

Users desired a platform that could provide tailored recommendations and guidance based on their individual needs. This suggests the importance of incorporating personalization features, such as customized dashboards and recommendations based on user preferences and history.

Pain point 4

“ Limited Access to Resources “

Users struggled to find reliable and relevant information about cancer treatment options, support groups, and financial assistance. This emphasizes the need for a well-organized and easily searchable resource library that provides comprehensive information on various topics related to cancer care.

From this research, two key user personas emerged:

Patricia (The Patient)
  • Motivation: Seeking a supportive community and reliable information to navigate her treatment journey.
  • Frustration: Feeling overwhelmed by medical jargon and isolated from others.
Dr. Carter (The Oncologist)
  • Motivation: Improving patient outcomes by streamlining communication and providing access to the latest research and best practices.
  • Frustration: Limited time and difficulty in coordinating with other care team members.

User Persona

Patricia is a cancer patient seeking a supportive community, reliable information, and personalized guidance to navigate her treatment journey. Dr. Emily Carter is an oncologist driven to improve patient outcomes by streamlining workflows, enhancing communication, and providing access to the latest research and best practices.

Image Title
Patient
Image Title
Oncologist

Collaborative Journey

This user journey explores the experiences of both cancer patients and their oncologists as they utilize the MHM platform to navigate the complexities of cancer care. It highlights how MHM facilitates communication, information sharing, and collaborative care between these key stakeholders.

Stage Action Feelings & Thoughts Pain Points Opportunities
Discovery & Onboarding

    Patricia:


  1. Learns about MHM through referral, online search, or hospital brochure.
  2. Visits MHM website or downloads the app.
  3. Explores website/app, reads about services and benefits.
  4. Creates an account and completes initial onboarding.

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Receives invitation to join MHM from hospital administration.
  2. Accesses platform and creates an account.
  3. Completes onboarding, explores platform interface.

    Patricia:


  1. Hopeful that MHM can provide support. 😊
  2. Apprehensive about sharing personal information. 🤔
  3. Curious about platform features. 🧐

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Curious about platform's capabilities. 🤨
  2. Apprehensive about learning curve and workflow disruption. 😐
  3. Excited about improving communication and care coordination. 😃

    Patricia:


  1. Difficulty finding information about MHM.
  2. Confusing onboarding process.
  3. Lack of clarity on pricing.

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Complex onboarding process.
  2. Difficulty integrating with existing systems.
  3. Lack of clear instructions and support.

    Patricia:


  1. Clear and concise website messaging.
  2. Streamlined onboarding process with clear instructions and visuals.
  3. Personalized welcome message.

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Guided tour or interactive tutorial.
  2. Dedicated support channel for onboarding assistance.
Information Access & Utilization

    Patricia:


  1. Explores platform resources (articles, videos).
  2. Connects with other patients in support groups.
  3. Researches treatment options, finds local resources.
  4. Manages her care with platform tools.

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Accesses patient records within the platform.
  2. Communicates with Patricia through secure messaging.
  3. Coordinates care with other members of the care team.
  4. Uses platform to access research, guidelines.

    Patricia:


  1. Relief from feeling isolated. 😌
  2. Empowered by accessing information. 💪
  3. Frustration with difficulty finding relevant content. 😫
  4. Concern about privacy. 🔒

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Satisfaction with communication and access to information. 😃
  2. Frustration with slow loading times. 😡
  3. Concern about data security. 🔒

    Patricia:


  1. Overwhelming amount of information available on the platform.
  2. Difficulty finding relevant and personalized content.
  3. Lack of clear guidance on how to use the platform effectively.

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Slow loading times and system latency.
  2. Difficulty integrating with existing hospital systems and electronic health records (EHRs).
  3. Limited search functionality and difficulty finding specific information.

    Patricia:


  1. Improved content filtering and personalization based on user preferences.
  2. Clearer and more intuitive navigation within the platform.
  3. Personalized recommendations for resources and activities.

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Improved system performance and speed.
  2. Seamless integration with existing hospital systems and EHRs.
  3. Enhanced search functionality with filters and advanced search options.
Community Engagement & Collaboration

    Patricia:


  1. Actively participates in support groups.
  2. Shares experiences and offers support to other members.
  3. Connects with other patients who share similar experiences.

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Participates in professional forums or discussions.
  2. Shares best practices and learns from other oncologists.

    Patricia:


  1. Increased sense of belonging and connection. 😊
  2. Empowerment from supporting others. 💪
  3. Frustration with negative or insensitive comments. 😡
  4. Concern about the quality and moderation of community content. 🤔

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Appreciation for the opportunity to connect with other oncologists. 😃
  2. Frustration with limited engagement and participation. 😐

    Patricia:


  1. Difficulty finding relevant and engaging conversations within the community.
  2. Lack of moderation and community guidelines.
  3. Potential for negative or insensitive interactions within the community.

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Lack of active participation and engagement from other oncologists.
  2. Limited opportunities for professional development and knowledge sharing.

    Patricia:


  1. Strong community moderation and guidelines to ensure a positive and supportive environment.
  2. Opportunities for peer-to-peer support and mentorship.
  3. Gamification elements to encourage community engagement and participation.

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Opportunities for professional development and knowledge sharing.
Ongoing Support & Personalization

    Patricia:


  1. Continues to use MHM for ongoing support, information, and resources.
  2. Refines her personal care plan with the help of her care coordinator.
  3. Provides feedback to MHM on her experience and areas for improvement.
  4. Renews her subscription to MHM.

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Continues to use MHM for communication, care coordination, and accessing patient information.
  2. Provides feedback to MHM on their experience and areas for improvement.
  3. Explores new features and functionalities within the platform.

    Patricia:


  1. Increased confidence in her ability to manage her cancer journey. 👍
  2. Appreciation for MHM's ongoing support and guidance. 😊
  3. Trust in MHM's commitment to improving the lives of cancer patients. 🙏
  4. Concern about potential changes to MHM's services or pricing. 😟

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Appreciation for the platform's ongoing development and support. 😊
  2. Confidence in the platform's ability to improve patient care. 😃
  3. Concern about potential changes to the platform's services or pricing. 😟

    Patricia:


  1. Lack of proactive communication about changes to the platform or services.
  2. Potential for subscription costs to increase over time.

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Lack of proactive communication about changes to the platform or services.
  2. Potential for subscription costs to increase over time.

    Patricia:


  1. Personalized care plans and recommendations based on individual needs.
  2. Proactive communication about platform updates and new features.
  3. Loyalty programs and incentives for continued use.

    Dr. Carter:


  1. Personalized recommendations for relevant content and resources.
  2. Proactive communication about platform updates and new features.
  3. Opportunities for customization and personalization of the platform.

The Wireframes

Wireframing process involved iterative prototyping and testing to ensure the MHM platform met the needs of all users. This iterative approach led to a user-centered design that was both functional and intuitive.

Image Title
Image Title
Image Title
Image Title
Image Title
Image Title

Usability Testing

To ensure the MHM platform was intuitive, user-friendly, and met the needs of both patients and oncologists, a series of usability studies were conducted. These studies involved observing participants as they interacted with prototypes of the MHM platform, completing specific tasks, and providing feedback on their experience. The goal was to identify any usability issues and areas for improvement early in the design process and iterate on the design based on user feedback.

Participant Profile

Image Title
Patricia

Age: 45

Gender: Female

Relevant Experience: Uses social media, some experience with health websites, but not a lot. Expressed feeling overwhelmed by technical jargon in the past.

Test Objectives
  • Evaluate the ease of use of the onboarding process, specifically focusing on privacy concerns.
  • Assess the findability of support resources and community forums.
  • Observe user reactions to potentially stressful content (e.g., treatment side effects information).
  • Understand the user's emotional response to the platform's design and messaging.
Task# Task Description Success Time on Task Errors/Issues Encountered Severity Recommendations
1 Create an account and complete the onboarding. Partial 6 minutes Hesitated at the privacy policy section. Expressed anxiety about sharing personal health information. Found the consent form confusing. Medium Simplify the privacy policy language. Highlight data security measures. Offer a "plain language" summary of the consent form.
2 Find the support forum for breast cancer patients. Yes 1 min 30 sec Navigated directly to the community section, then used the filter option (positive). Low
3 Search for information on managing chemotherapy side effects. N/A (Simulated) 2 minutes Participant typed in "chemo side effects" and expected relevant results. Expressed frustration when no results were displayed (due to prototype limitations). Indicated they would also search for "nausea," "vomiting," and "fatigue." High Improve search functionality to include a broader range of keywords and synonyms. Consider predictive search. Prototype Note: Search functionality was simulated in this test.
4 Read articles about coping with anxiety related to cancer treatment. Yes 5 minutes Read several articles. Expressed feeling overwhelmed by the volume of information. Suggested a "summarize" feature would be helpful. Medium Offer content filtering and personalization based on user-selected topics.
5 Post a message in the support forum about feeling stressed. Partial 4 minutes Successfully posted but expressed concern about visibility and potential judgment from others. Suggested anonymous posting option. Medium Implement clear community guidelines about respectful communication. Offer anonymous posting options for sensitive topics.
Observations & Notes
  • General Observations: Patricia seemed engaged with the platform's potential but also easily overwhelmed by the amount of information. Expressed a strong need for emotional support.
  • Positive Feedback: Liked the clean design and the idea of personalized content.
  • Negative Feedback: Search function needs improvement, concerned about privacy, and overwhelmed by information overload.
  • Unexpected Behavior: Spent a lot of time browsing the community forum before completing other tasks, indicating a strong need for connection.

Summary of Findings
  • Onboarding needs to address privacy concerns more directly.
  • Search functionality needs significant improvement.
  • Content filtering and personalization are crucial for managing information overload.
  • Community features should offer more privacy and emphasize respectful communication.

What I Learned

This project was a profound learning experience, reinforcing several key principles that will guide my future work

The Power of Empathy

Understanding the emotional journey of users, especially in a sensitive context like healthcare, is critical. Design isn't just about pixels; it's about creating trust and a sense of safety. I learned to prioritize emotional needs above functional needs, which led to a more impactful and human-centered solution.

Iterative Testing is Non-Negotiable

Even seemingly small usability issues can have a disproportionate impact on a user's experience. Continuous testing and iteration are crucial for refining solutions. My usability test on the consent form proved that you must validate every part of the user's journey, even the parts that seem simple.

Bridging Design & Business

I learned that a designer's value is not just in creating beautiful screens, but in solving business problems. The MHM project reinforced the importance of linking design decisions to measurable metrics, like a higher user satisfaction score or increased engagement. This bridges the gap between design and business goals.

Image Title

Thanks for watching

For more information or to discuss potential projects, please don't hesitate to reach out. I'm available to answer any questions you may have and explore opportunities to collaborate.

Let's connect!