Enhancing Patient Experience:
User-Centered Design for a Healthcare Platform
(Under NDA)
🖊️ Introduction
In this project, we aimed to enhance the user experience of a healthcare provider’s website. Using heuristic evaluation and usability testing, we identified pain points and proposed actionable improvements. Here's how we approached the project.
🕵️♂️ The Expert Detective Work : Heuristic Evaluation
We began with a heuristic evaluation, assessing the platform against Nielsen’s 10 Usability Heuristics. Each team member performed an independent review, and we consolidated our findings.
Key Findings:
Terminology Confusion: Icons like the star for pharmacy selection were unclear, deviating from standard conventions.
Error-Prone Design: In the "My Priorities" section, the placement of the trash button near priority adjustments risked accidental deletions.
Visual Overload: Insufficient padding and cluttered pop-ups impacted readability.
Recommendations:
Use more intuitive icons.
Add confirmation prompts for critical actions.
Improve pop-up spacing for better readability.
🎯 Preparing for Action : Creating the Usability Test Plan
Next, we designed a usability test plan to explore real-world user behavior. This plan outlined:
Objectives: Evaluate ease of navigation, task completion, and plan comparison
Tasks: Participants were tasked with renewing their Medicare plan and comparing options.
Metrics: We measured task success rates, time on task, and user satisfaction.
🎬 Let’s See It in Action : Usability Testing
We conducted usability testing with eight participants aged 26 to 64. They navigated the platform while thinking aloud, helping us observe their challenges and successes.
Key Moments:
Task: Renewing a Plan
Most users completed the task but struggled with terms like “Medigap Effective Date”.
Task: Comparing Plans
Users appreciated features like plan comparison but were sometimes overwhelmed by the information presented.
📊 Results & Insights
What Worked Well:
Side Navigation: Helped users move smoothly between sections.
Search and Filters: Provided effective ways to narrow down options.
Areas for Improvement:
Confusing Terminology: Terms like “Part A coinsurance” needed clearer explanations.
Cluttered Information: Some users felt overwhelmed by the amount of data presented.
Privacy Concerns: Screen-sharing options raised data security worries for some participants.
🚀 Recommendations & Next Steps
Based on our findings, we proposed:
Simplify Language: Introduce tooltips and a glossary for complex terms.
Streamline Visuals: Use collapsible sections to reduce clutter.
Enhance Privacy: Provide clear information about what data is shared during screen-sharing sessions.
📝 Conclusion
By combining heuristic evaluation and usability testing, we uncovered valuable insights to improve the healthcare platform. Implementing our recommendations will help create a user-friendly experience, empowering users to navigate their healthcare options with confidence.
And that’s how we turned insights into impactful improvements! 🌟
