My Role
Lead User Researcher
I specialize in guiding research initiatives, with hands-on contributions to UI and UX part of project.
Timespan
Jun 2023 - Dec 2023
Tools
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Figma
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Maze
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Optimal Workshop
Deliverable
iOS Mobile prototype
Born from personal experiences, our app idea emerged to provide streamlined medication management, empowering individuals to take control of their health journey with confidence and ease.
We wanted to create something personal: a tool that not only offers schedules and reminders but also checks drug interactions and allows users to share their medication history easily with caregivers and doctors.
About
Project Overview
Add
Track
Check
Problem
Goal
In the modern healthcare setting, drug-drug interactions (DDIs) have become a significant threat to patient safety. Patients frequently deal with multiple conditions, leading to complex medication regimens involving several drugs.
How can we enhance users' understanding of potential adverse effects when using multiple prescription medications, aiming to minimize the risk of drug-drug interactions (DDI)?
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Discovery Workshop
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Competitive Analysis
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User Survey
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User Interviews
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Empathy Map
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Affinity Mapping
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HMW Questions
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Brainstorm Features
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Information Architecture
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User Scenarios
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User Flow Diagrams
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Wireframing
Design Process
Empathize
Understanding Diverse Patients & DDIs
In our preliminary research, we identified three distinct user groups.
Why do DDIs frequently occur in the elderly population
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Age and DDI Risk
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Lack of Awareness
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Inadequate Monitoring
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Lack of Patient Adherence
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Poor Communication With Physicians/Pharmacists
1
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Inaccuracies in Medical Records
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Polypharmacy
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Comorbidities
2
How does switching doctors contribute to DDIs?
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Varied Healthcare Records
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Patient-Doctor Discrepancies in Medication Reporting
3
Because of the sensitive data involved, we targeted adults over 18. Our only requirement for respondents was their use of one or more medications or supplements, considering the diverse range of people experiencing DDIs due to various factors.
Our team encountered a decision-making dilemma related to the prioritization of Electronic Health Record (EHR) integration. This arose due to a crucial research finding, indicating a 96% discrepancy in medication records when patients transition between doctors.
A study revealed a 96% gap between patient-reported medications and doctors' assessments. Integrating Electronic Health Records (EHR) raised serious interaction warnings by 20% and combined warnings by 17%.
Harnessing Patient Perspectives
58 Participants | 10 Questions
User Survey Key Insights
Said that their biggest challenge while taking medication was forgetfulness.
67.4%
Followed routine and memory for taking their medication
69.8%
Of participants are not aware of all the interactions between their medications.
Interview Key Insights
“At the moment, I have to google every time I think there might be a potential interaction, which is a headache because different sources say different things.”
“Sometimes I forget to take medications on time.”
“There are so many interactions for depression pills that it’s impossible to know them all and even remember!”
Define
Personas: Patient Perspectives
Always on-the-go and uses her phone for pretty much everything. She considers herself tech-savvy, and is very comfortable understanding how to use daily applications.
Frustrations
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Often forgets to refill medications on time due to busy schedule.
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Unsure of required restrictions after sudden diabetes diagnoses.
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Struggles to track fluctuating anxiety medication dosages.
Medical History
Taking SSRIs to deal with anxiety and depression. Recently diagnosed with diabetes, requiring her to stick to a strict health routine.
Goals & Needs
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Learn healthy practices and requirements while taking various meds
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Understand how her medication routine affects her
Tech Literacy
Does not consider himself to be tech savvy, but uses a mobile device and desktop daily for work. Has vision impairments that hinder his ability to read smaller text on mobile devices.
Frustrations
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Keeping track of medications can become tedious.
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Difficulty sharing medical history with new doctor.
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Having to remember the dosage of multiple medications.
Medical History
Taking pain killer for Arthritis and frequently gets steroid injections to help manage pain.
Goals & Needs
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Safely take multiple medications at the same time
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Ability to schedule automated reminders for taking his medications
App Features
We picked two essential features to tackle primary user concerns: medication forgetfulness and medication interaction, both identified as significant issues in our research.
Patient Journey Map
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Develop
Structuring Information Architecture
Using Closed Card Sort Insights to Develop a Sitemap
Wireframe
Style Guide
Design choices were carefully selected to evoke a sense of trust, security, knowledge, and support.
Test
Final Usability Test Result
We executed two distinct unmoderated usability tests, each focusing on a different user flow within the app, involving a total of five users. You can read the complete result here.
Methodology
Unmoderated usability test
No. Participants
5 participants
No. Tasks
2
Software
Maze
Google sheets
Google docs
User flows achieved a 90% success rate, but 65% of users experienced misclicks.
Iteration
Feedback:
"It's easier to add medication directly from the homepage.”
Users desired a quicker method to add medication directly from the homepage, leading to the addition of a prominent "Add Medication" button. To streamline the homepage, My Medication Usage and Healthcare Articles were relocated to the My Health page for improved user task accessibility.
Before
After
Feedback:
"The interaction page has way too much text. It'd be better if it just showed the main stuff."
Design decision
Users can now control their viewing experience by clicking on the "Avoid Common Interactions" popover, offering the choice to expand or hide the "Types of Drug Interactions" information.
Before
After
Before
After
Feedback:
"Adding filters was straightforward, but I believe organizing the information differently would help its clarity. The current layout feels overloaded with text"
Design decision
To enhance clarity, a dropdown function was introduced, categorizing options under "More Results" for easier navigation. Additionally, a safety disclaimer was added to the page. These changes aim to streamline the process and improve the user experience
Design
Interactive Mobile Prototype
Navigate through MedVault mobile prototype
Add a Medication
Add medications to your account with ease. Track existing medications in My Meds.
Add a new medication directly from the homepage.
Select your medication.
Choose the frequency and time for your medication.
Enable the app reminder.
Check for Interactions
Easily check interactions, analyze multiple medications at once.
Get comprehensive info on potential interactions, filter by type, and save for quick access.
Explore various types of drug interactions displayed by the app.
Input multiple medications to assess potential interactions.
Refine and filter interactions based on different criteria within the app.
Bookmark interactions for future reference.
Due to time and budget constraints, our MVP prioritized essential user needs— adding medications, setting reminders for adherence, and checking for potential interactions.
Additionally, our research highlighted several other important features for future development that were not included in the design at this stage.
Medical Devices Integration
Personalized Health Insights
Smart Watch Integration
Health Data Sharing
EHR Connectivity
Live Chat Support
Educational Resources
Considering Next Steps
Unlocking Connectivity