OVERVIEW
ClearCare is a digital platform designed to improve the relationships between patients and their personal health.
In 2023, a group of Yale students and alumni launched ClearCare, a startup with a goal to increase accessibility in medical notes and health test results. The platform uses artificial intelligence to process medical documents, extract key information, and deliver clear and concise summaries.
As the lead UX designer, I led the end-to-end design process to bring ClearCare to life. Accessibility was key- from the initial research to the pixel-by-pixel visuals, I kept patients of varying ages, ethnicities, and technological proficiency in mind.
Between 50% and 60% of patients misunderstand their medical care plans.
Patients with limited English proficiency experience up to 24% more misinterpretations.
How does ClearCare make complex medical records easy to understand for everyone?
Source: PSNet
Summarize Notes
Translate complex medical notes into understandable insights, providing patients with a clear understanding of their condition with clear next steps and treatment plans.
Simplify Lab Results
Convert lab results into visually intuitive formats and eliminate confusion by providing explicit explanations for each test.
Instantly Translate Page
Translate entire page with the translation feature, breaking down language barriers and ensuring accessibility across borders.
Define
The first step of my design process was to clearly define the problem that ClearCare aimed to solve. Our goal was to simplify and humanize medical information for all patients, transforming complex healthcare documents into easy-to-understand summaries.
Before diving into user research, I defined the 3 key goals:
RESEARCH
In the initial project phase, I conducted secondary research to explore users' needs in interpreting medical notes. The following highlights from a focus group discussion offer insights into patients' perceptions of their doctors' notes.
Additionally, a significant emphasis was placed on patients with English as a Second Language (ESL). In order to ensure an equitable design, I wanted to address the unique challenges faced by ESL users.
Ideate
PROBLEM
Understanding your health should be straightforward, but doctor's notes can be difficult to decipher! As seen in the situation below, doctor’s notes often come in dense blocks of text laden with medical jargon. This issue leads to confusion, misunderstandings, and ultimately hinders the patient's ability to actively engage in their healthcare journey.
In the ideation phase, I talked with users from different age groups/ levels of English proficiency to better understand their needs. I organized my findings with affinity diagrams and empathy maps.
SOLUTION
Through these findings, I honed in on three key challenges and a refined solution statement.
To address the challenge of comprehending medical results, ClearCare is designed to provide clear and concise summaries of doctor notes, additional resources to supplement the patient’s understanding, and translations into different languages.
Design
DESIGN EXPLORATION
I collaborated with our engineer to establish the scope of the project and to ensure a seamless and intuitive experience. Using our research insights, I created a user flow and sketches that directly address the identified pain points of patients.
Iterations
WIREFRAME TESTING
I started wireframing by conducting A/B testing with 25 participants (students, senior patients, ESL patients) for two user interface designs. The focus was on comparing the effectiveness of tabs versus scrolling navigation methods.
After receiving feedback, I discovered that the tabs provide a structured and organized layout, but interrupted the user flow. Conversely, scrolling provided a holistic view of the information, but users prefer to toggle to the original document. In the final solution, I opted for a combination of both interfaces.
USER INSIGHTS
I surveyed 30 respondents to gain a better idea of their experience with the interface. I compared the previous interface with the new interface, and conducted task success rate tests.
User Interface
BRAND IDENTITY
I aimed to create a brand identity for ClearCare that feels approachable and reliable. With a palette of calming blue tones and a round, friendly font, the brand creates a comforting experience for users navigating their health journey.
MOTION STATES
ACTIVATED
PROCESSING
ERROR
INTERFACE DESIGN
The interface design was guided by universal design principles, ensuring that it is easy to navigate for all users, regardless of their technological proficiency.
Reflections
THE ONES THAT GOT AWAY
My key takeaway from this project is that design is not always linear! Collaborating closely with the team, we explored a multitude of ideas and concepts that ultimately did not make the final cut.
This prototype was made during the initial phase of the design to demonstrate the backend development of the simplification and translation feature. Adapting to the challenges and constraints inherent in the initial prototype, the team iteratively refined this design to align with the project's goals.
LEARNINGS
As we iteratively added more and more features to ClearCare, I realized the need for a complete UI redesign. This taught me the value of a holistic design approach, emphasizing an integrated design ecosystem over individual pages for better scalability and coherence.
Working in a startup environment required me to adaptable. Beyond my primary role in UX/UI design, I found myself delving into visual design, communications, and marketing. This approach not only allowed me to become a more versatile designer but also underscored the importance of adaptability and cross-functional collaboration.
A key learning from working in a collaborative team environment, especially as the sole designer, is the value of diverse feedback. The success of the project was dependent on the shared passion and belief in the product by all team members.
NEXT STEPS
The upcoming phases for ClearCare involve collaborative testing with developers and Quality Assurance teams. This aims to ensure that my prototypes are feasible, while maintaining alignment with the shared vision and goals established during the development phase.