Health Buddy
🎯
Main Goal
To design a solution that simplifies and ensures the reliability of medical information, benefiting users with varying levels of healthcare experience.
🧐
Problem
The problem lies in the constant overwhelm, complexity, and unreliability of medical information, necessitating a dependable source to alleviate this concern.
👩
Contributions
Research, Data Analysis, Ideation, Wireframing, Prototyping, Testing
-
Conducted comprehensive research, including literature reviews, user interviews, and online observation, to create problem statements and detailed personas.
-
Led brainstorming sessions to foster creativity and refine ideas, and developed high-fidelity prototypes with coherent information architecture and user flows.
-
Ensured design quality through rigorous usability testing and user evaluations, emphasizing a user-centered approach.
🤨
Challenges
👥
Connecting with Healthcare Professionals for validation
🏥
Understanding the Healthcare system of USA - EHR and Insurance
🔗
Intergartion with existing softwares while addressing privacy concerns
01/Background
The project sought to uncover the issues plaguing medical information accessibility and develop an effective solution.
So, what's the problem we aimed to address?
How might we provide a reliable source to help people overcome the overwhelming overload, complexity, and unreliability of medical information?
Key Questions
-
What are the primary goals and habits when users seek medical information?
-
What pain points do users encounter while navigating the overload and complexity of healthcare data, especially those who are new to the healthcare environment?
-
How can I access verified and simplified medical information to address my healthcare concerns effectively?
-
What can help me simplify the process of managing my healthcare goals, regardless of my experience with the healthcare system?
02/The Approach
The use of a structured UX process, including various methods mentioned below proved to be the most effective approach in addressing the problem.
1
2
3
4
5
Literature Study
User Interviews
Online Observations
User Personas
Problem Statement
Brainstorming
Idea Reinforcement
Affinity Mapping
Information Architecture
User flows
High Fidelity Prototypes
Usability Testing
User Evaluation
03/Solution
Healthbuddy is a conversational AI-based solution that caters to help users find accurate, simplified, and verified information for any medical queries.
Introducing Max
Max is your health buddy to assist you through various stages of healthcare!
Approachable
A companion you can depend on to fetch accurate information from verified sources
Knowledgeable
A friend that users feel at ease sharing uncomfortable questions with
A buddy the users can trust to give them reliable answers to all their medical questions
Trustworthy
Why Max is the best solution?
Solution
Acts as a bridge between patients and medical information.
Design Principles
Discoverability
Approachability
Personalisation
Health Buddy
Provides quick answers, approachability as an AI, and personalized 1:1 interactions.
About the Application
The app allows users to get clarification on doubts and concerns while dealing with health information.
✅
Answer general health queries
💯
Verify Information
🔎
Check Insurance Coverage
📑
Decode Medical Documents
🗣️
Keeps you updated on relevant topics
Task flows Prototypes
Onboarding and Connecting Patient Portal
When launching the application, the user must sign in with their email.
They can also opt to provide access to their patient portal, enhancing the app's ability to offer tailored information and, consequently, improving the bot's guidance.
Interactive Prototype
General Health Queries
To tailor responses, the system uses the patient portal data; otherwise, it asks necessary questions.
Interactive Prototype
Medical Information Verification
The system validates information by cross-referencing trusted sources like WHO, ensuring accuracy and presenting condensed, user-friendly data.
Interactive Prototype
Education through My Topics
The app will present users with a personalized selection of articles, curated based on their interactions with the bot. These articles will consist of concise and easily comprehensible snippets of information, akin to flashcards. Additionally, users will have the option to share and save these information cards for future reference.
Interactive Prototype
04/Research
To gain a better understanding of the domain, the team started by looking for content online to acquire basic insights. Following this initial research, to validate the problems they had hypothesized, the team reached out to domain experts and users for their valuable input and expertise.
1.1 Online Observation
Gathered screenshots of discussions and meticulously documented the corresponding comments within these images.
1.2 Literature Review
I conducted an extensive review of research papers, including sources like Google Scholar, to gain insights into sub-fields within health literacy, the current status of health literacy, and the prevailing challenges in this domain.
These insights served as a foundational knowledge base for subsequent user interviews and observations.
What is Health Literacy?
eHealth literacy is defined as the ability to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem.
eHealth literacy is defined as the ability to seek, find, understand, and appraise health information from electronic sources and apply the knowledge gained to addressing or solving a health problem.
1.3 Statistics
78%
experienced overload of materials which impacted attitude and behavior
88%
lack proficient medical literacy skills
75%
disoriented and dissatisfied following a doctor's visit
1.4 User Interviews
I conducted three semi-structured user interviews, engaging with one participant who had recent experience with the American healthcare system and another with no prior experience. Additionally, I observed six more interviews facilitated by my team. These sessions took place both in person and via Zoom.
The insights gleaned from these interactions were instrumental in the process of affinity mapping and categorizing user challenges.
Research Insights
For analyzing collected data this mapping helped us understand the frequency of the issue and the severity of the problem by size.
60%
Users had concerns with understanding complex terminologies used in documents, notes and reports
75%
User had to search multiple sources like Google, Quora and Reddit to compare information
50%
Users were unsure of the authenticity of information and had to go compare the information with other sources
05/Define
Following extensive research and a comprehensive grasp of the users' challenges, our next step was to gain a deeper understanding of the target audience. This informed the formulation of our problem statement and the identification of key areas of focus.
2.1 User Personas
Defining the user base provided a clearer understanding of the target audience and their demographics.
The research findings were then leveraged to gain insights into the users' needs and frustrations.
Needs
Frustrations
Goals
-
Clear insurance policy understanding
-
Knowledge of billing, reimbursement, and treatment coverage.
-
Access to medical records.
-
Complex insurance terms
-
Uncertainty regarding billing and claims during emergencies
-
Lack of clarity on covered hospitals for treatments
-
Comprehensive Insurance Understanding
-
Financial Clarity
-
Medical Records Accessibility
-
Efficient Healthcare Navigation
-
Easy location of nearby medical facilities.
-
Absence of reliable online medical terminology resources
-
Accessible Medical Terminology Resources
Sarah, 24, Graduate Student
Sarah, a graduate student at IUPUI, is currently grappling with a prolonged illness. After a series of regular checkups spanning nearly two months, she received a diagnosis of Tuberculosis, leading to her hospitalization due to her worsening health condition.
Needs
Frustrations
Goals
-
Comprehensive healthcare information for informed decisions
-
Insurance clarity and claims navigation
-
Complex insurance decisions causing overwhelm
-
Lack of clear contacts for medical and insurance queries
-
Informed decision-making for healthcare, diagnosis, and insurance
-
Simplified insurance selection process with clear coverage understanding
-
Easy access to medical records for emergencies and insurance
-
Difficulty in accessing vital medical records during emergencies
-
Timely access to medical records for emergencies
-
Reliable support system to dispel misconceptions
-
Challenging medical jargon in notes and prescriptions
-
Dispel common misconceptions with access to reliable resources.
Anish, 26, Graduate Student
Anish, a recent immigrant to the United States, has just embarked on his academic journey at a U.S. university. Although he has medical insurance recommended by the university, he admits to having limited knowledge about the intricacies of the U.S. healthcare system.
Focus Areas
Overload of Information
The overwhelming abundance of data and content can often be difficult to manage and sift through, making it a significant challenge to extract meaningful insights and knowledge from the vast sea of information.
Lack of Reliability
Uncertainty about the trustworthiness of sources and data accuracy creates doubts and concerns, undermining confidence in the information available.
Complexity of Terminologies
The intricate and specialized language used in healthcare can make it challenging for individuals to grasp and interpret the content, leading to potential misunderstandings and difficulties in effective communication.
06/Ideate
The research and definition phases yielded critical insights into the domain and user perspectives. Subsequently, we engaged in brainstorming to devise solutions that would effectively address their issues.
3.1 Brainstorming and Conceptualisation
For our project on health literacy, our team brainstormed ideas through methods like Crazy 8 and narrowed them down to three through collaborative discussions.
3.2 Concept Prioritisation
We carefully refined our options through discussions and evaluations, ultimately focusing on three promising concepts.
3.3 Storyboarding
Constructed a user-focused storyboard that allowed us to assess the refined concepts.
This approach helped us visualize and evaluate the user experience, enabling informed decisions on the most effective direction to pursue.
07/Prototype
We reached a consensus on a single concept and delved into its components, ultimately arriving at our final solution.
4.1 User flows
During the prototyping phase, we considered the above personas and developed two scenarios that encompassed the essential features.
User flow 1:
General medical information
The user intends to go on a hike but is concerned that pollen will aggravate her asthma.
User flow 2:
Verification of Information
The user seeks to verify specific details regarding the impact of exertion on individuals with asthma.
4.2 Information Architecture
The user flows played a pivotal role in shaping the app's information architecture, enabling the team to create a well-structured application.
4.3 Visual Experimentation - Paper Prototyping
With a focus on understanding the chatbot's construction, we conducted brainstorming sessions where we divided the prototypes into two branches based on user responses—'Yes' and 'No.'
This approach allowed us to explore the possible replies the chatbot could provide in different scenarios.
.png)
4.4 Wireframes and Visual Explorations
Creating wireframes was pivotal in establishing the fundamental layout and structure of the solution.
This process allowed us to outline the key visual and functional components, ensuring a clear representation of the overall design. Wireframes served as the foundational framework, providing a tangible visual guide for subsequent design iterations and development phases, ensuring a cohesive and user-centric interface.
In an effort to gauge user sentiments regarding the chatbot's flow and identify elements contributing to their comfort, we crafted multiple versions. These variations were systematically tested with users, aiming to extract valuable insights into their preferences and rationale for selecting a specific UI design.
08/Test
Through thorough user testing, we assessed the practicality and user-friendliness of the product, seeking valuable insights for further refinements and enhancements.
Agenda:
The team conducted Heuristic Evaluation and Think Aloud Sessions to better understand what the users might still be facing problems with. Since the UI is at an early stage, these evaluations helped us better understand the issues and think of solutions to instill in the final product.
Focus areas:
The questions we had regarding the prototypes were as follows:
-
Is the onboarding process easy and intuitive?
-
Do users pay attention to what kind of data will be collected from the patient portal?
-
Is the Home screen minimalistic?
-
Are all the icons used intuitive enough to represent what they mean?
-
Is the chatbot easily accessible?
-
Is the navigation toward the chatbot simple?
-
Are the suggestions provided helpful?
-
Is the chatbot giving enough information?
-
Is the user able to understand the inputs given by the chatbot?
Insights
Positive Reception to HealthBuddy Concept:
-
Favorable Feedback on UI:
-
Users expressed satisfaction with the user interface (UI), finding it easy to navigate. This positive feedback suggests that the design resonates well with the users, contributing to a seamless and user-friendly experience.
-
-
Appreciation for Simplified Answers:
-
Users were delighted with the provision of simplified answers presented in easy-to-understand language. This emphasizes the importance of clear and concise communication in enhancing user satisfaction.
-
-
Identified System Visibility Gap:
-
During the Heuristic evaluation, a notable absence of system visibility status was observed. Users were not adequately informed about the number of steps required to complete a given task. Addressing this gap could improve user guidance and overall experience.
-
-
Lack of System Walkthrough and FAQ Sections:
-
The absence of a system walkthrough and FAQ sections was noted. Incorporating these elements could contribute to enhanced user orientation and provide a readily accessible source of information for users seeking guidance.
-
-
User Demand for Chat Editing Functionality:
-
Users expressed a desire to edit previous chats with the bot, a feature not currently provided by the application. This feedback highlights an opportunity for improvement to cater to user preferences for editing and revisiting prior interactions.
-
09/Learnings
👥 Flexibility and Collaboration: Adapting Designs for Inclusive Outcomes
Recognizing the importance of flexibility and compromise, I learned to adapt design solutions based on collective insights. This approach allowed for the integration of diverse perspectives, leading to more robust and inclusive design outcomes
🤝 Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Health App Design: Harnessing Diverse Expertise
Designing a health information app necessitated collaboration across diverse teams, including healthcare professionals, developers, and UX designers. I learned to navigate these interdisciplinary collaborations, ensuring that each team's expertise contributed to a holistic and effective design solution.
👍 Fostering Growth-Oriented Design Culture: Embracing Constructive Critiques
Design critiques were approached with resilience. By fostering an environment where feedback was constructive rather than confrontational, I learned to view disagreements as part of the iterative design journey, contributing to a positive and growth-oriented design culture.
🧐 User-Centric Healthcare Design: Navigating Complexity and Building Trust
I grasped the vital role of seeking user insights in addressing healthcare complexities, ensuring content relevance, building trust, addressing user pain points, enhancing usability, and adapting to dynamic healthcare dynamics.