The Daily Health Conference, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting health and wellness, is planning to unveil a series of digital wellness apps at its annual flagship conference in San Francisco. The organization aims to create a set of mobile apps for its members that will offer more value and reflect an innovative approach to wellness. However, with infinite possibilities to choose from, they are not exactly sure where to begin. To tackle this challenge, the organization has organized a competition where designers will conduct user research and create prototypes for tools that motivate people to take action towards their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Our team, consisting of myself and Carlotta Mattiazzi, has designed a healthcare app that allows people to communicate with doctors via chat or video call, book appointments, view and renew prescriptions, track their medical history, store documents, have a dashboard to monitor their health stats, and save favourite doctors for easy access. This study case examines the process of designing the app.
We first started with the competitive analysis. This is an important step in understanding the market and identifying potential opportunities for our business. It involves researching and analyzing our competitors, their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their marketing strategies and tactics. By conducting a competitive analysis, we can gain insights into the market, identify gaps and areas for improvement, and develop a competitive advantage.
In the case of our analysis of healthcare apps, we identified three main competitors: Doctolib, MyChart, and Teladoc. We evaluated each of these competitors based on their brand attributes, pros, and cons. We found that each app had its own strengths and weaknesses, such as Doctolib’s user-friendly interface and wide range of services, MyChart’s personalized features and messaging services, Teladoc’s integration with health insurance providers and easy registration process.
By conducting this analysis, we were able to identify potential areas for improvement for each app, such as adding personalization features to Doctolib, improving the user interface of MyChart, and expanding the availability of medical specialities on Teladoc. Additionally, we were able to gain insights into the competitive landscape and identify opportunities for our own healthcare app.
To gather quantitative data for our investigation, we utilized a survey method. This approach allowed us to gather valuable insights into the medical routines and healthcare application usage patterns of our target audience. By collecting data in this way, we gained a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter and were able to make informed decisions based on the results. Overall, this method proved to be an effective way to capture meaningful information that will help guide our research and inform our recommendations moving forward.
Based on our survey results, we found that a majority of respondents, or 66%, reported sometimes or always booking medical appointments through an app or website. However, a significant minority, 20%, still reported using paper for this purpose. Furthermore, a substantial number of respondents, 43%, reported managing their healthcare needs through an app.
These findings suggest that while a significant number of individuals are utilizing technology to manage their healthcare needs, there is still a significant proportion who rely on traditional paper-based methods. This information will be valuable as we continue to investigate and recommend improvements to healthcare systems and applications.
Additionally, our survey revealed that 43% of respondents reported being either not aware or only slightly aware of the medical checkups that they are due for in a year. This finding highlights the need for increased awareness and education about preventive healthcare measures. As we continue our investigation, we will consider ways to improve education and awareness around medical checkups and other preventative healthcare measures.
In order to supplement our quantitative research and gain a deeper understanding of individual perspectives and experiences, we conducted a series of interviews via Zoom with four candidates between the ages of 22 and 36. Our focus was on exploring the intersection of technology and healthcare and gaining insight into current healthcare habits and practices. Through these interviews, we were able to identify gaps in current healthcare services and develop more effective interventions that address the needs and concerns of patients. This qualitative research approach added an important layer of depth and understanding to the numerical data generated by our quantitative research and helped us to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay between technology and healthcare in people’s lives.
I would like to track every single test that I do, not with paper documents. I even lost one of the papers. Sometimes I don’t even receive the results, I have to ask for it.” — Shahba
“I would prefer to do visits from home if possible, because it’s easier, less time-consuming, and can be scheduled to fit my schedule.” — Liam
”I need to improve on keeping track of things because I move around a lot and don’t have time to research. I’m also not sure what I should keep track of.” — Ida
“I would like to book online, and be sure that the doctor will be available to keep me as a patient” — Shahba
During our interviews, we gained several valuable insights into individuals’ experiences with technology and healthcare. One interviewee expressed a desire to track their medical tests electronically rather than relying on paper documents, citing instances of losing important information and not receiving results in a timely manner. Another participant expressed a preference for telemedicine visits, which would allow for greater flexibility and convenience in scheduling appointments. A third interviewee noted a need for improved tools and resources for keeping track of their healthcare needs, as they frequently move and struggle to stay organized. These insights will be valuable as we continue to develop and refine healthcare interventions that meet the needs and expectations of patients in the digital age.
To better understand the needs and experiences of our target audience, developed an empathy map. Empathy mapping process involved gathering information from the user about their experiences and needs related to healthcare.
The users expressed a desire to improve their ability to keep track of medical appointments and test results, especially since they move around frequently and have some health concerns that require frequent monitoring. They also expressed a preference for online booking and the ability to stick with one doctor rather than searching for different ones. The user described feeling overwhelmed by the healthcare system and struggling with language barriers, paperwork, and the time-consuming process of scheduling appointments.
They also expressed frustration with the limited availability of open time slots and the need to call rather than book online. The user described a preference for physical visits when necessary but also the convenience of being able to handle some issues from home. Overall, the empathy mapping process provided valuable insights into the user’s experiences and needs related to healthcare.
At this point, you are ready to meet Needy Nadia, our user persona. Nadia is a middle school teacher who moved abroad a few years ago. Despite suffering from a chronic disease that requires her to monitor her health parameters regularly, Nadia remains a dedicated English teacher who loves to be active and never stops. In her free time, she goes hiking and plans to meet her friends around the world.
At the age of 30, Nadia owns a smartphone, tablet, and smartwatch, and she aims to use technology and data to help her achieve her health and travel goals. Her primary goals include managing her chronic illness and maintaining her health and well-being, as well as being able to schedule online appointments and video consultations with her specialist.
- Nadia’s user journey starts with her searching for healthcare apps that can help her manage her chronic disease. Feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with managing her illness, she feels relieved and hopeful when she finds our healthcare app. After downloading the app from the app store, she creates an account and shares her medical history with the app.
- Nadia then sets up notifications for regular health checks and schedules a video consultation with her trusted specialist through the app. Before the consultation, she shares her medical records with the specialist through the app, hoping to provide them with a complete picture of her health status. During the video consultation, Nadia feels relieved to receive guidance and answers to her questions.
- Using the app to monitor her health parameters, receive health tips, communicate with her specialist, and find medical facilities, Nadia feels empowered and in control of managing her chronic illness. She is excited to have found an app that aligns with her needs and thinks it could be a helpful tool in managing her health.
Young busy individuals need to find a way to organize check ups and medical documents in an app because they need to have a more efficient healthcare system with digital access.
After defining our problem statement, we moved on to the Ideate stage, where we let our creativity flow and generated a wide range of potential solutions. This stage was all about brainstorming, thinking outside the box, and exploring new ideas to address the needs and pain points of our target audience.
To kick off our ideation process, we leveraged the insights and patterns we had gathered during the Empathize and Define stages and held a brainstorming session. One of the ideas that emerged from our brainstorming was to create an app that would allow users to upload and view their medical documents and recipes, join a video call with their doctor, and receive prescriptions, all while keeping track of their goals and clinical values.
To generate an app flow idea, we used the Crazy Eight method, where each team member came up with eight flow ideas in a short amount of time. Overall, the Ideate stage was an exciting and creative phase where we explored different possibilities and challenged ourselves to think outside the box in order to come up with a solution that effectively addresses the problem statement.
Following our analysis and research, we decided to create a healthcare app that addresses the issues identified through our research. The app, which we named Doctor For You, aims to provide users with help to manage their healthcare needs. Doctor For You includes features such as the ability to book medical appointments, communicate with doctors via chat or video call, track medical history and test results, store important documents, and monitor health statistics on a personalized dashboard.
Based on our research, we found that many individuals prefer to manage their healthcare needs digitally, but there is still a significant proportion who rely on traditional paper-based methods. Doctor For You aims to bridge this gap and make it easy for individuals to manage their healthcare needs in one place, whether they prefer to use a digital or paper-based approach.
In addition to the features mentioned above, Doctor For You also includes personalized reminders for medical checkups and other preventive measures. This addresses the need for increased awareness and education around preventive healthcare measures that were highlighted by our research.
Overall, we believe that Doctor For You will be a valuable tool for individuals looking to manage their healthcare needs in a more streamlined and convenient way. By providing help for healthcare management, we hope to improve the accessibility and effectiveness of healthcare for individuals of all ages and backgrounds.
After thoroughly exploring the UX process, it is important to emphasize that the user interface (UI) plays a critical role in the success of any digital product, and our medical app is no exception. The UI was designed with two main goals in mind: reflecting the app’s theme and ensuring accessibility and ease of navigation for all users. These goals are especially important in the medical field, where clear and intuitive UI design can help users better comprehend and engage with complex material.
To guide the UI design process, we conducted a visual competitive analysis of three popular medical apps (MyChart, Teladoc, and Doctolib) and identified potential opportunities to improve our own app’s UI.
This involved studying their user interfaces in detail and examining their use of colours, typography, and other design elements. We also paid attention to the layout and organization of the screens, the ease of navigation, and the overall user experience.
One of the key insights we gained from this analysis was the importance of simplicity and clarity in medical app design. We noticed that all three apps we studied made use of clean, modern design elements, with a focus on legibility and easy navigation. They also used colour in strategic ways to highlight key information and create a sense of hierarchy on the screen.
Using this information, we were able to identify potential areas of improvement for our own app’s user interface. We realized the importance of designing with accessibility and ease of use in mind, especially for users who may be dealing with complex medical information or may be experiencing physical or cognitive limitations.
To help guide our design decisions, we created a mood board that encapsulated our desired attributes and values, such as care, serenity, and professionalism. This helped us to ensure that the design choices we made aligned with our mission and would resonate with our intended users.
Overall, our visual competitive analysis was a valuable tool in helping us understand the latest design trends in the medical app space and identify potential opportunities for improvement in our own app’s user interface.
To further refine our app’s visual style, we created style tiles. These allowed us to explore and experiment with different colour schemes and other design elements quickly and efficiently. The style tiles helped us to establish the app’s overall visual identity and ensure consistency across all screens and functions.
After creating a high-fidelity prototype we reached out to a few individuals who fit our target audience and asked them to test our app and provide feedback on their experience. Through user testing, we were able to identify areas of the app that needed improvement and make necessary adjustments before launching the final product. The feedback we received was invaluable and helped us ensure that our app met the needs and expectations of our target audience. Overall, the Test stage allowed us to refine our solution and deliver a product that we were proud of.
At this point, I’m excited to share with you the high-fidelity prototype. In our high-fidelity prototype, we aimed to create a user-friendly and intuitive experience for our users.
- We designed a simple home screen to prevent users from feeling overwhelmed, and we chose to display important articles and information, as well as the doctor that our user persona, Nadia, had saved as her favourite.
- Following the flow of Nadia’s previously described user journey, she had already scheduled an appointment with Dr Sam Terry. Before meeting him, she uploaded important documents that she wanted to store on the app, and in case of need, share them with the doctor. After uploading the documents, Nadia received a notification that Dr Terry was waiting for her to join the appointment. She first chatted with the doctor and then they decided to have a video call.
- After the appointment, Nadia was able to see a recap of the appointment and all the important details discussed. She then went to her account page to see her dashboard, where she could see her appointments, prescription and other important information related to her medical history.
Overall, our high-fidelity prototype aimed to create a seamless experience for users, allowing them to easily navigate the app and access important medical information and services.
Looking ahead, our next steps include adding an e-commerce platform for online pharmacy services and connecting prescriptions with medicine shipments. We also plan to implement a doctor’s interface with a user-friendly UI and patient management system, further enhancing the accessibility and usability of the app.
In conclusion, designing a medical app from scratch requires patience and dedication, especially when considering the infinite number of potential features that could be included. By prioritizing our design values and testing and refining our UI through various methods, we were able to create a clean and useful app that aligns with our mission and resonates with our intended audience.
I am proud of the work Carlotta and I accomplished on this project, and I am excited to know if you liked it and to read your feedback.
