Introduction
UMC Utrecht, one of the leading academic hospitals in the Netherlands, aimed to streamline its patient-professional matching process for medical research. The objective was to design a user-friendly mobile application that would connect patients with medical professionals, ensuring efficient research participation while enhancing the overall patient experience.
ICON ITTERATIONS
Understanding the Challenge
UMC Utrecht's existing patient-professional matching process involved a unmanagable manual system, causing delays and inefficiencies. Our primary challenge was to create an intuitive, user-centered mobile app that would simplify this process, making it easier for patients to engage in medical research and find more relevant studies for both.
The process
1
Research and Discovery
To kick off the project, I conducted a thorough research phase that involved:
User Interviews
I interviewed both patients and medical professionals to understand their pain points and expectations.
Competitive Analysis
I analyzed similar applications in the healthcare industry to identify best practices and areas for improvement.
User Personas
I created personas to guide the design process and ensure that the app catered to the specific needs of different user groups.
2
Wireframing and prototyping
Based on the insights gathered during the research phase, I began wireframing and prototyping the app. Key steps in this phase included:
Low-Fidelity Wireframes
I created low-fidelity wireframes to map out the app's structure and flow, focusing on usability and functionality.
User Testing
I conducted usability testing sessions with potential users to gather feedback and iterate on the design.
3
Iteration and Design Refinement
After analyzing user feedback, I made iterative improvements to the wireframes and created high-fidelity prototypes. This stage involved:
Visual Design
I refined the app's visual aesthetics to ensure a clean and user-friendly interface and itterate on it.
Usability Testing Iterations
I continued to conduct usability testing with the high-fidelity prototypes, incorporating user feedback into design refinements.
