02 | Research

In order to understand how I can provide a smart solution that is able to provide users (both practitioners and patients) an easy, streamlined communication platform, I want to learn more about the user's needs, problems, and wants. In the research I conducted surveys, interviews, contextual inquiries and affinity diagrams to map the key points I needed and wished to address.
The information gathered at this stage will allow me to better plan my next steps.

Surveys findings:

• Average age 33
• Have a GP
• Communicate via phone
• Comfortable with online tools

User interview quotes:

Question: In your experience what do you find most frustrating when wanting to make an appointment?

“I find that I have a hard time reaching out and talking to someone at the doctors office.
Calling them is always a challenge for me”       (Lily Yeung, 34 year old)

Question: How would you describe your communication with your Doctor?

“My main issue is that I can never book an appointment that is comfortable for me. I always need to work around
the schedule that is presented to me over the phone and try to work around that”       (Maggie Kean, 29 year old)

Question: How easy it is for you to make an appointment when needed / wanted?

“I always end up playing phone tag with the doctors office. I call them and leave a message and have to wait for a call back. Most of the time when they call back I can’t answer.  They end up leaving a message and the cycle continues. It’s very annoying”      (David Carenza,  31 year old)

Affinity diagram:

User pain points and needs:

03 | Planning

After gathering a significant amount of information from my research I proceeded to create research-based user flows and user persona. My user flows were divided into two sections as I had to accomodate for a two sided communication channel (Communication between Patient and Practitioner and vice versa). Although each user has a different view and user needs, the platform I designed is a complete solution for both.

Patient User flow:

Practitionar User flow:

User persona:

04 | Solution and Design

My design solution was to create a two way online calendar and messaging platform.

Practitioner Platform:

1. Calendar appointment schedule and management system
2. Messaging center
3. Contact list and referral feature

Short Description:

• A practitioner can send a link to a patient in order to grant access to a shared calendar availability and allow patients the opportunity to book appointments.
• Once a patient books an appointment, the appointment session becomes a gateway for communication.
• On the appointment date the patients can and will see any documents needed, and instructions for their appointment. Also, the patient will agree to allow the practitioner to access all needed medical records from the patient.
• Practitioners are able to have different/categorical practitioner lists as contacts where they can refer patients to other needed practitioners.
• Practitioners have all their booking and messaging/communication with their patients in one place
• Once the appointment is over the communication gate will be closed in order to avoid overloading practitioners with an unnecessary load of messages.

Patient platform:

1. See all future and past appointment via a calendar view
2. Messaging center
3. My practitioner contact list and history

Short Description:

• Patients are able to see their calendar including the open shared calendars with their various practitioners.
• Patients are able to look into appointments they have created and see all the different attachments and instructions that are needed for each specific appointment.
• Patients are able to message the practitioner with different relevant inquiries and see all communications in the messaging center.

05 | Conclusions and future considerations

Although this project was a one week sprint I feel like I was able to address the core issues and users' needs of open communication and being able to streamline the online booking system. I feel that the gateway for relevant communication between the two users still needs to be better addressed in order to sufficiently assist with improved flow while avoiding an overflow of unnecessary messaging which could cause more issues than good.
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Another key point would be to find a way to improve patient privacy controls over their own medical records and information.