Patient Conversation Tool

How can a simple, intuitive tool help patients express their concerns and feelings effectively, fostering better communication with healthcare professionals?

Challenges & Constraints
🛑 Patients struggle to articulate their needs or discomfort.
🛑 Healthcare professionals often lack tools to engage patients effectively.
🛑 The prototype had to be portable, intuitive, and hygienic for daily clinical use.

🎯 Goals
✅ Create a tool that empowers patients to express concerns.
✅ Simplify the process for healthcare workers to understand patient needs.
✅ Refine the design for usability, hygiene, and practical deployment.

👩‍🚀 Role
UX Designer
Conducted user interviews and ethnographic research to identify communication barriers.

Physical Prototyping

🏆 Results
✅ Improved Communication: Patients and healthcare providers reported more focused and empathetic discussions.
✅ Usability: Feedback highlighted its simplicity and accessibility, with a 30% reduction in consultation setup time.
✅Future Opportunities: Potential to digitize the tool for even broader accessibility and customization.

MY ROLE

As the UX Designer and Researcher

• Conducted user interviews and ethnographic research to identify communication barriers.

• Designed multiple iterations of the tool, incorporating feedback from healthcare professionals and students.

• Facilitated usability testing with midwife and nursing students across two locations.

• Collaborated with stakeholders to address feedback and refine the final prototype.

Team Members:

• Research Advisor: Henry Larsen

• UX Designer: Jakub, Caterina, Anne-Dorthe

• Prototype Testers: Nursing and Midwife Students (UC Syd and Roskilde)

• Supervisors: UC Syd Faculty

Tools Used:

• Design: Sketching, Illustrator

• Prototyping: Physical tools, modular card systems

• Research: KJ Method, User Interviews

• Documentation: Google Docs, Photography

Methods Employed:

• User Research: Ethnographic field studies, interviews.

• Prototyping: Physical iterations, feedback sessions.

• Testing: Classroom sessions, direct feedback loops.

  
  
  

DESIGN PROCESS OVERVIEW

1. Discover (Research & Discovery Phase)

Conducted user research and competitive analysis to understand patient-healthcare communication gaps.

Research Insights:

• Many patients felt unheard or overwhelmed during consultations.

• Healthcare workers lacked tools to navigate conversations effectively.

Methods:

• Ethnographic Research: Classroom testing with midwife and nursing students.

• Persona Development: Insights derived from interviews with new mothers and patients.

• Journey Mapping: Mapped pain points in patient-healthcare interactions.

2. Define (Problem Definition & Design Goals)

Problem: Patients struggle to voice critical concerns, leading to missed opportunities for care improvement.

Goals:

• Build a tool that facilitates clear and prioritized communication.

• Ensure ease of use, portability, and hygiene for clinical environments.

3. Develop (Design Iteration & Prototyping)

Iterations:

• Prototype 1: Sound equalizer board concept.

• Prototype 2: Compact pie-chart system with color-coded categories.

• Final Design: Labeled knobs, color-coded scales, and improved material for sanitation.

Key Changes:

• Simplified navigation and word selection process.

• Integrated feedback from healthcare professionals to refine usability.

• Considered hygienic materials for real-world usage.

4. Deliver (Testing & Refinement)

Conducted multiple rounds of usability testing with nursing and midwife students.

Testing Feedback:

• Positive: Tool clarity, ease of use, and potential impact on patient communication.

• Improvement Areas: Hygiene solutions, better knob labeling, and avoiding "game-like" perceptions.

DESIGN SOLUTION

The final prototype features:

• Color-coded Pie Chart: Allows patients to prioritize concerns (e.g., mental health, relationships).

• Adjustable Scales: Clear visual representation of concern levels.

• Modular Card System: Patients select categories with customizable subtopics.

RESULT & IMPACT

Efficiency Improvement: Simplified patient-healthcare communication during consultations.
User Satisfaction: Positive responses from nursing and midwife students.
Future Potential: Prototype adaptability for digital platforms or enhanced physical materials.
Business Impact: Positioned as a valuable tool for healthcare institutions to improve patient satisfaction and care quality.

CONCLUSION AND REFLECTIONS

Key Learnings:

• Iterative prototyping and user feedback are essential for complex, empathy-driven design challenges.

• Collaboration with end-users (healthcare workers) ensures relevance and feasibility.

Next Steps:

• Explore digital adaptations for broader usability.

• Address material sanitation challenges for long-term physical use.