uBiome Kit Review — UX to Overcome Fear and Friction

Bill Bonnefil
Jul 28, 2017 · 6 min read

Today, I received my uBiome kit in the mail. It arrived just 3 days after I followed a very clean and effective signup process on the uBiome mobile site. Kudos right off the bat on the expedited shipping process (altho I have read some reviews of long turnaround times on the actual test results, but we shall see).

When I opened the plain looking package that was shipped to me, I was immediately struck by the look and feel of the kit, and the effect that it had on me and my perception of the process and the company. It got my gears turning on how very important these experiences are to the success of a program like this.

Wait…what’s a Biome?

Before we dive into it, for those of you who are not familiar with the terminology (you will be soon) here’s an admittedly oversimplified explanation. A biome is basically a community or large ecological area on the earth’s surface with interrelated plants and animals. Inside of (and all over) you there exists an ecosystem of microorganisms that live a symbiotic relationship with us. They live in our saliva, our stomachs, on our skin, in our eyes, etc. More and more in recent years we have become aware of just how numerous (some estimates range as high as us being outnumbered 10 to 1 on a cellular level, altho that could be a little misleading) and how incredibly important that ecosystem is to our health and in fact our very existence. The microbiome could actually be the holy grail of preventative care, unlocking the secrets of our immune system, and curing or better yet preventing any number of illnesses that we face as humans.

…right now these companies are providing a service, in exchange for collecting samples and reserving the right to use your data, and eventually sell it to the highest bidder.

It's a biological data land grab

In an effort to better understand the microbiome, businesses are seeking to collect as much data as possible in order to build databases for research, testing, product creation (and let’s be honest company valuations, but I digress). A similar process is happening in the space of genetic samples/data collection from the likes of Ancestry and 23andMe. With 7.5 billion people on the planet right now it would seems like these samples are more than plentiful enough and that there's plenty to go around. But in the data game, momentum should not be underestimated, and there will be a point at which the leaders in the respective segments will become the defacto repositories of that verticals biologic data. So right now these companies are providing a service, in exchange for collecting samples and reserving the right to use your data, and eventually sell it to the highest bidder.

Let’s take a pause from the scary, big brother, selling my data aspects tho, and get back to the kit and the experience that has been designed into it.

UX Goal #1: Don’t screw this up…

The first and most obvious UX challenge that the designers of the kit needed to accomplish is helping people do it right! Now…the process of the kit is not THAT daunting, but when it comes to tests, and medical processes (some of which can run anywhere from $80-$200) you have to expect that there is going to be a little friction for the user in the form of the procrastination that can come along with wanting to “do it right”. If the steps of the process seem complicated or take time to understand, then you will inevitably run into a fair number of… “I’ll come back to this later, when I can spend more time on it” responses, which of course increases the likelihood of drop-offs.

When it comes to a perception of simplicity, uBiome has definitely nailed it.

The steps of the kit itself are pretty simple. I have done other forms of fecal tests before for myself, and for my dog, and let me tell you, they are not pretty. I’ll spare you the details, but suffice it to say that they typically involve rubber gloves, painfully specific sample sizes and numerous warnings about how many ways you can contaminate the sample and render the whole test useless. This is not the case with uBiome, the process is very simple and in fact they even include a backup test vial, just in case you do find a way to screw it up.

The kit itself is actually a ‘testing station’ with spots to stand up the vials so that they don’t roll away on you, and a friendly little reminder to put the kit in the bathroom now, so that it's there and ready for you when you need it.

A place for everything, and everything in its place.

In terms of removing friction, uBiome has even addressed the final friction point of completing the process by including a postage paid, padded envelope for you to return the sample right from your home or local mailbox.

UX Goal #2: Don’t be afraid…

It's clear that uBiome has created a simple and undaunting process in terms of the functionality of the kit, but they have accomplished much more in the experience they have created. uBiome has designed a kit that is professional, yet approachable.

It is not overly scientific in presentation or language, and yet, at no point did I feel that this kit was not taking my personal biological data seriously (this is not a time of Dollar Shave Club style humor). In doing this uBiome has guided me on a path toward trusting them, and allowing them to catalog bits of me for analysis and future research.

it’s all part of instilling confidence, and trust, and keeping me away from the dark rabbit hole of fear of a genetically modified word.

You take the red pill…you take the blue pill.

We are entering into uncharted territory here with genetic and biological samples, truly personal data, and future ethics challenges that we can barely imagine at this point in time. The decision of whether or not you feel comfortable with sharing your “biodata” is one that each person has to make for themselves (and I encourage you to do your own research before doing so). For me, I am a biohacker at heart, and I am excited about the idea of learning more about myself, my body, and how I can live a better life, but that does not mean that I don’t have my own hesitations, and concerns with the process. So when I choose to participate in something like this this, I really appreciate when a company like uBiome puts in the effort to make the experience I have…a positive one.

Keep an eye out for my review of the presentation of the results, when those come back from uBiome.

BioHack IT

Biohacking Information and Technology

Bill Bonnefil

Written by

UX Professional for the past 20 years. Lover of the nature. Part-time philosopher. Blessed (and cursed) to live life constantly aware of the experience of it…

BioHack IT

Biohacking Information and Technology

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