Healthcommand

Research Case Study

UX Research | Information Architecture | Branding | Wireframes

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Summary

Client

HealthCommand, an early-stage health tech startup.

Goal

  • To determine product-market fit for a personal health data app by researching user needs

  • To develop an initial design concept, brand voice, and style guide ahead of app development

Role

UX Researcher & Designer.

process

Stakeholder Interview

Brand Goals

  • To make what occurs and what is discussed in the doctor’s office seem less obscure.

  • To empower the user to understand trends in their health through data visualization.

  • To develop expertise in unearthing patterns in their health over time and monitoring their own symptoms.

  • To make health data actionable and ultimately spur conscientious decision-making and healthy lifestyle choices.

  • To minimize the user’s uncertainty and confusion regarding the current state of their health and/or their health progress. We want to help tear down barriers to seeking care.

  • To make health records “convenient” and the property of the user.

USer research

Interviewed 5 people in face-to-face and phone interviews.

Interviewees were asked open-ended questions related to their experiences scheduling diagnostic tests, as well as receiving, managing, and sharing follow-up information related to the care they received.

We also discussed their relative comfort with utilizing mobile and web apps to manage sensitive information.


Research Synthesis / insights

People want to feel as if they “own” their health data.

Keeping track of results helps people with a psychological pain point:

  • motivation for positive health behaviors

  • decreases anxiety over “uncertainty” and a “lack of control”

Having results in layman’s terms makes users feel more comfortable about the appointment and potential follow ups.

  • Ideally in an easily-digested format (easy language, pictures, etc)

  • Users indicated that “forgetting”/misremembering key information revealed during an appointment was a concern

    • Documentation can overcome that concern

Users want to see trends or results over time.

  • Especially if they are monitoring a chronic health issue (such as diabetes or IBS) or working towards a goal (weight loss)

Certain security processes on iOS apps (the thumb print in particular) help make users feel secure in sharing their sensitive data (while maintaining a level of convenience).

Research Synthesis / User Needs

  • Secure data storage

  • Time-saving

    • Users don’t want to waste time calling, tracking down a fax machine, acting as a gopher between facilities

  • Money-saving

    • Reduce need for redundant tests, doctor visits, etc

  • Accessibility

    • Convenient, lightening-fast search functions

  • Health Literacy

    • Need health data to be presented in a digestible, easy-to-understand format

    • Visuals and easy-to-update graphs encourages users to both document their health progress and monitor results

  • “Take control of my own data” - information needs to be actionable and shareable.


Research Synthesis / Personas

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Rebecca

Occupation: Healthcare Technology Sales

Age: 29

Gender: Female

Education: Duke University

Computing and Web experience: Comfortable uses web apps for work (email, web conference, productivity)

Personal Web behavior patterns: Uses social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) daily, checks email, reads news (NY Times, FiveThirtyEight, etc.), logs food diary for physician

How they will use the site: Keep track of and share blood sugar and insulin levels with physician, manage blood test results

“Sharing any kind of information with my physician usually requires scheduling an appointment and a $50 copay. There needs to be a less expensive and time-consuming way to get an answer!”

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Phil

Occupation: Freelance Photographer

Age: 34

Gender: Male

Education: SVA

Computing and Web experience: light HTML/CSS, online video editing expertise

Personal Web behavior patterns: Reads news, uses blogging platform (WordPress), shares/posts on video platforms (vimeo.com youtube.com),

How they will use the site: Have a full “ownership” of health data, keep track of quarterly ultrasound scan results, quarterly blood tests, yearly PE

“Getting ahold of the results from my yearly checkup is like pulling teeth. Not to mention, sharing those results with all my specialists who don’t talk to each other!”

 

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Shahana

Occupation: Hospital Research Assistant

Age: 23

Gender: Female

Education: Penn

Computing and Web experience: uses EHR for logging patient research, statistical modeling applications (ex. MATLAB)

Personal Web behavior patterns: uses social media (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat), watches videos on Youtube, Video chats with long-distance friends

How they will use the site: Monitor IBS-related imaging exam results (endoscopy, X-Ray, ultrasound), measure drug efficacy over time (blood tests), share notable findings with multi-person care team

“Every time I walk out of the doctor’s office, I almost immediately forget what they’ve recommended for next steps! Having visit notes in writing would be a HUGE benefit for someone like me.”

 


Branding

 
 

Brand Traits

Sturdy but not inflexible, 

Secure but not austere,

Personable and friendly but not overfamiliar,

Is upbeat but does not sugar-coat. 

Sophisticated without being pretentious.

 

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Brand Voice

HealthCommand understands the user’s trust is the foundational element of their relationship.

HealthCommand intends to be intuitive, accessible for users of all levels of healthcare literacy and sophistication. HealthCommand wants to grow and learn with the user, by encouraging user feedback and user customization. 

We are efficient but not hasty. We’re capable, considerate, and forward-thinking. We want to anticipate the user’s needs, and gently nudge them to make smart health decisions through data - as opposed to commanding them or guilting them.

Unlike a doctor’s office, we are “always on” and accessible.

Sample Product Copy

Login - Success

Welcome to HealthCommand. We’re here to help!

Success Feedback

Hooray! Your report has been added.

Error Feedback

Oh no! Looks like you forgot to include an image.

First File Share

Congrats on sending your first secure file!

Report Notification

Your results are here! Check out your latest lab results from (Lab Name)

 

Sitemap

Created a sitemap based on initial stakeholder interview and user research, to be refined with user testing.

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Wireframes

Wireframes were created to get initial feedback on layout and content hierarchy before creating mockups.

Initial wireframes:

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Later-stage wireframes:

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Healthcommand Wireframe_dashboard.jpg
Healthcommand Wireframe_appointment history.jpg
 

Mockups

After the style guide and wireframes were vetted by the stakeholder, we created mockups for further feedback before moving into prototyping/testing phase.

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Next steps

Further assess the viability/product-market fit of the solution through prototyping and user testing.