MEDSEMBLY
MEDSEMBLY
MEDSEMBLY
May - September 2023
Healthcare, B2B, mobile app
UI/UX Designer & UX Researcher
The Case Study in a Mighty Bento
The Case Study in a Mighty Bento
Because not everybody has time to read through the whole thing... Here’s the project in a bento.
Because not everybody has time to read through the whole thing... Here’s the project in a bento.
The Solution
Medsembly solves this by creating an app that aims to support employees by providing resources to help their well-being.
The Solution
Medsembly solves this by creating an app that aims to support employees by providing resources to help their well-being.
The Solution
Medsembly solves this by creating an app that aims to support employees by providing resources to help their well-being.
The Healthcare Industry
The Healthcare Industry
The Healthcare Industry
Working long shifts and caring for too many patients at once, healthcare employees often find themselves burned out and unmotivated to work amidst the demanding workplace culture.
Working long shifts and caring for too many patients at once, healthcare employees often find themselves burned out and unmotivated to work amidst the demanding workplace culture.
Identifying the cause
Identifying the cause
Identifying the cause
Reviving the Team Spirit
Reviving the Team Spirit
Reviving the Team Spirit
There was a pressing need to address high turnover rate and the declining moral and well-being of employees.
There was a pressing need to address high turnover rate and the declining moral and well-being of employees.
Conducting research
Conducting research
Conducting research
Healing the Healers
Healing the Healers
Healing the Healers
Burnout in healthcare poses a significant public health issue in the United States. 35% to 54% of nurses and physicians, and 45% to 60% of medical students and residents being at risk of burnout. Burnout happens when there is a pertinent imbalance between job demands and job resources. As a result, companies should prioritize employee well-being (National Academy of Medicine, 2017).
Burnout in healthcare poses a significant public health issue in the United States. 35% to 54% of nurses and physicians, and 45% to 60% of medical students and residents being at risk of burnout. Burnout happens when there is a pertinent imbalance between job demands and job resources. As a result, companies should prioritize employee well-being (National Academy of Medicine, 2017).
In order to design an app for that targets our goals, it's important to understand the users' thoughts about their day-to-day life at work. 100 healthcare employees were surveyed, primarily asking about the challenges they face at work and what resources they think would be most helpful for them.
In order to design an app for that targets our goals, it's important to understand the users' thoughts about their day-to-day life at work. 100 healthcare employees were surveyed, primarily asking about the challenges they face at work and what resources they think would be most helpful for them.
Challenges Come in Threes
Challenges Come in Threes
Based on the survey, it showed that healthcare workers' main challenges can be divided into three: employer-related, colleague-related, and task-related challenges.
Employer-related Challenges
Employer-related Challenges
Understaffed
Underpaid
Overworked
No support from management
Colleague-related Challenges
Colleague-related Challenges
Lack of communication
Low level of commitment
No teamwork
Bad work ethic
Task-related Challenges
Task-related Challenges
Patient overload
Packed schedule
Rude patients
Pressured over patient's lives
Employer-related Challenges
Understaffed
Underpaid
Overworked
No support from management
Colleague-related Challenges
Lack of communication
Low level of commitment
No teamwork
Bad work ethic
Task-related Challenges
Patient overload
Packed schedule
Rude patients
Pressured over patient's lives
Analysis and planning
Analysis and planning
Analysis and planning
Let Your Users Be Known
Let Your Users Be Known
Let Your Users Be Known
To design an app that will resolve the problem, it is highly important to understand the users and empathize with their struggles in the workplace.
Diving Deeper
Diving Deeper
We conducted a more in-depth exploration with our users through 10 small group discussions. The participants are healthcare professionals from across various age brackets. The discussions were done virtually via Zoom.
The Issue Lies Within
The Issue Lies Within
The small group discussions provided a lot of insights into the target users, their opinions, and their behaviors. Their answers were grouped into different categories through affinity mapping.
Understanding the Limitations
The prioritization of the challenges are determined using a 2x2 matrix. For pain points like pay and staffing, this would be highly dependent on the management, which is why the focus is shifted to addressing support and burnout for the app.
Focusing the Design Lens
Focusing the Design Lens
Based on these discussions, two main user pain points have been finalized:
Lack of support
There is a lack of communication between employees and they don't feel supported by colleagues and management.
Burnout
Burnout
They experience exhaustion due to long shifts and overwhelming work demands.
Lack of support
There is a lack of communication between employees and they don't feel supported by colleagues and management.
Burnout
They experience exhaustion due to long shifts and overwhelming work demands.
User Personas
User Personas
Based on the research, two personas will serve as archetypes guiding the design process of the product.
Sam, 35
Sam is an attending physician in an urban hospital. Managing a high volume of patients daily and working long shifts, Sam is struggling with work-life balance and often misses out on time for self-care.
Sam's Needs: Sam needs a platform that supports her mental well-being amidst the demanding nature of her career. She wants a supportive community within the healthcare environment.
Crafting Solutions: Medsembly can include features that provide a safe space for employees to discuss different topics. The app can also offer wellness check-ins and provide resources to help them.
Frank, 28
Frank is a registered nurse working in the pediatric unit. Due to the nature of his profession, he works with various colleagues in his shifts.
Frank's Needs: Frank is looking for a platform that allows him to communicate with his colleagues and build relationships in order to boost the team's morale.
Crafting Solutions: To enhance workplace camaraderie and boost team morale, Medsembly can prioritize connectivity among colleagues and foster stronger relationships through engagements.
Sam, 35
Sam is an attending physician in an urban hospital. Managing a high volume of patients daily and working long shifts, Sam is struggling with work-life balance and often misses out on time for self-care.
Sam's Needs: Sam needs a platform that supports her mental well-being amidst the demanding nature of her career. She wants a supportive community within the healthcare environment.
Crafting Solutions: Medsembly can include features that provide a safe space for employees to discuss different topics. The app can also offer wellness check-ins and provide resources to help them.
Frank, 28
Frank is a registered nurse working in the pediatric unit. Due to the nature of his profession, he works with various colleagues in his shifts.
Frank's Needs: Frank is looking for a platform that allows him to communicate with his colleagues and build relationships in order to boost the team's morale.
Crafting Solutions: To enhance workplace camaraderie and boost team morale, Medsembly can prioritize connectivity among colleagues and foster stronger relationships through engagements.
Information Architecture
Information Architecture
Mapping out the information architecture of the app allowed me to understand and identify the steps a user has to go through while using the app.
Design
Design
Design
From Insight to Ideation
From Insight to Ideation
From Insight to Ideation
After the foundation has been laid out and all important insights have been realized, I began brainstorming and coming up with creative solutions for the problem.
Sketches
Sketches
Sketches
Because the users usually have a busy schedule, I focused on ideas that would make the app straightforward and easy to use.
Mid-fidelity wireframes
Mid-fidelity wireframes
Mid-fidelity wireframes
I created mid-fidelity wireframes to actualize the ideas during the sketching and brainstorming phase.
Designing Solutions to Make Impact
Designing Solutions to Make Impact
Designing Solutions to Make Impact
With the user personas, Sam and Frank, in mind, these design experiences are crafted to target the burnout issue faced by the healthcare professionals
Lack of support
SOLUTION
Fostering a connected community
This solution is centered around fostering a thriving community where employees can connect, engage, and support each other through spaces to share insights and leave encouraging words for employees.
How it will help Frank: Frank uses the app to connect with his co-workers where he can communicate with them. Through this, he is able to build a better relationship with his colleagues.
Lack of support
SOLUTION
Fostering a connected community
This solution is centered around fostering a thriving community where employees can connect, engage, and support each other through spaces to share insights and leave encouraging words for employees.
How it will help Frank: Frank uses the app to connect with his co-workers where he can communicate with them. Through this, he is able to build a better relationship with his colleagues.
Lack of support
SOLUTION
Supportive community through dedicated support groups
These diverse and inclusive support squads serve as a vital space for employees to find solace, guidance, and empathy, promoting a safe and non-judgmental environment.
How it will help Sam: Sam joins support groups through the app. She is able to find people who are going through the same challenges and find comfort with the people in the group.
Lack of support
SOLUTION
Supportive community through dedicated support groups
These diverse and inclusive support squads serve as a vital space for employees to find solace, guidance, and empathy, promoting a safe and non-judgmental environment.
How it will help Sam: Sam joins support groups through the app. She is able to find people who are going through the same challenges and find comfort with the people in the group.
Burnout
SOLUTION
Tracking employee well-being through wellness check-ins
Using Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, a widely-used burnout measurement scale, these check-ins serve as a critical support system to identify and address burnout while providing recommendations to improve overall well-being.
How it will help Sam and Frank: Sam and Frank are able to identify burnout through the monthly wellness check-ins. They will quickly take action using the provided recommendations in the app.
Burnout
SOLUTION
Tracking employee well-being through wellness check-ins
Using Copenhagen Burnout Inventory, a widely-used burnout measurement scale, these check-ins serve as a critical support system to identify and address burnout while providing recommendations to improve overall well-being.
How it will help Sam and Frank: Sam and Frank are able to identify burnout through the monthly wellness check-ins. They will quickly take action using the provided recommendations in the app.
Burnout
SOLUTION
Adopting a rewards system with PTO conversion
The more they interact with colleagues and prioritize their wellbeing, employees earn points and in turn, these points can be redeemed as PTO hours. This encourages consistent app usage and active participation, fostering a more engaged and connected workforce.
How it will help Sam and Frank: As they prioritize their wellbeing by taking wellness check-ins and joining support groups, Sam and Frank are rewarded with PTO hours to give them time to rest and enjoy life.
Burnout
SOLUTION
Adopting a rewards system with PTO conversion
The more they interact with colleagues and prioritize their wellbeing, employees earn points and in turn, these points can be redeemed as PTO hours. This encourages consistent app usage and active participation, fostering a more engaged and connected workforce.
How it will help Sam and Frank: As they prioritize their wellbeing by taking wellness check-ins and joining support groups, Sam and Frank are rewarded with PTO hours to give them time to rest and enjoy life.
Burnout
SOLUTION
Adopting a rewards system with PTO conversion
The more they interact with colleagues and prioritize their wellbeing, employees earn points and in turn, these points can be redeemed as PTO hours. This encourages consistent app usage and active participation, fostering a more engaged and connected workforce.
How it will help Sam and Frank: As they prioritize their wellbeing by taking wellness check-ins and joining support groups, Sam and Frank are rewarded with PTO hours to give them time to rest and enjoy life.
Empowering employee wellness
Empowering employee wellness
View gallery
Testing the designs
Testing the designs
Designs are A-OK!
Designs are A-OK!
10 small group discussions were conducted to get feedback on the designs. Majority of them have expressed positive feedback, saying the app was simple and easy to navigate. They also said that they would be interested in joining support squads and would find it helpful.
Testing the designs
Designs are A-OK!
10 small group discussions were conducted to get feedback on the designs. Majority of them have expressed positive feedback, saying the app was simple and easy to navigate. They also said that they would be interested in joining support squads and would find it helpful.
Learnings
Learnings
Learnings
UX Design ≠ Linear
UX Design ≠ Linear
UX Design ≠ Linear
This product has been through multiple iterations, a lot of scrapping designs, brainstorming, and starting afresh. It taught me that UX design is really a continuous process. It doesn't end just because your team has shipped a product, it continues until there is somebody using the product.
Each iteration offers insights into evolving user needs. I learned to become adaptable and flexible to new directions and user needs. Going through multiple iterations highlights the importance of clarity in vision. Most of the time was spent on refocusing and reframing what the app stands for, which could be time saved if the vision was clearly defined from the start.
This product has been through multiple iterations, a lot of scrapping designs, brainstorming, and starting afresh. It taught me that UX design is really a continuous process. It doesn't end just because your team has shipped a product, it continues until there is somebody using the product.
Each iteration offers insights into evolving user needs. I learned to become adaptable and flexible to new directions and user needs. Going through multiple iterations highlights the importance of clarity in vision. Most of the time was spent on refocusing and reframing what the app stands for, which could be time saved if the vision was clearly defined from the start.
What's next
What's next
Medsembly Dashboard
Transforming workplace wellness by designing a dashboard to monitor employee wellbeing
HEALTHCARE
B2B
WEB
Medsembly Dashboard
Transforming workplace wellness by designing a dashboard to monitor employee wellbeing
HEALTHCARE
B2B
WEB
Medsembly Dashboard
Transforming workplace wellness by designing a dashboard to monitor employee wellbeing
HEALTHCARE
B2B
WEB
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