A mobile app that empowers users to manage chronic health conditions effortlessly, track vital signs, log symptoms, and stay on top of their wellness goals.
View Prototype
Timeline
August 2024 - October 2024
Role
UX Research, UX/UI Design, Logo Design
Tools
Figma, Optimal Workshop, Maze
CONTEXT
Overview
Chronic health issues impact many of my loved ones, prompting me to explore how they manage and track their health. This project stemmed from a deep desire to understand their experiences and address the challenges they encounter in navigating their health journeys.
The Challenge
This app addresses challenges in health tracking by streamlining the process and fostering a more collaborative approach to health management.
Research
I started by having an informal conversation with a seasoned physician to understand how a tool like this could benefit his extensive patient population. He provided valuable insights that helped me formulate my initial explorations.
Mental health is essential—providers often assess whether treatment failure stems from the regimen itself or from coexisting factors like depression and anxiety.
Notification overload leads patients to uninstall health apps and causes provider fatigue, increasing the risk of missing critical alerts.
Medication adherence is a significant challenge, especially for those on multiple medications, as it can be difficult to remember and manage them consistently.
RESEARCH
MyFitnessPal
While not tailored to individuals with chronic illness, the app offers health and activity tracking features, which prompted me to explore it further.
Strengths:
Brand recognition
Integration with fitness apps and wearables
Data analytics & progress tracking
Nutritional insights
Weaknesses:
Multiple versions of the same food item, causing confusion
Some users find it cumbersome to log meals
Small fonts
Crowded interface
Medisafe
Pill reminders, medication management, and health tracking to support adherence and overall wellness.
Strengths:
Medication accountability feature
Capacity to integrate with insurance and providers
Refill alerts & dosage tracking
Caregiver features
Weaknesses:
Limited appeal for those seeking holistic health management
Lack of integration with wearables
No community support
Needs smoother onboarding
MyTherapy
Pill reminders, along with medication, activity, and symptom tracking.
Strengths:
Enhances medication compliance
Facilitates sharing data with healthcare providers
Users can monitor multiple health aspects in one place
Easy navigation
Weaknesses:
Could be more comprehensive in order to encourage long-term engagement
Lack of integration with wearables
Lacks social features
Hidden “support” button
Competitive Analysis
I chose to conduct competitive analysis because it helped me identify gaps in the market, understand user needs and preferences, evaluate strengths and weaknesses of competitors, and refine my unique value proposition to create a more effective and appealing solution.
USER INTERVIEWS
I conducted four user interviews for this project with varying perspectives: one physician, two female adults actively managing chronic illness, and one male individual who was primarily interested in mental health, nutrition, and activity tracking.
Key Findings: Physician Insights
1
His patients want a simple interface with meaningful notifications. He noted that both patients and providers grow tired of excessive alerts, leading some patients to remove their apps and continuous monitoring devices out of frustration.
2
Chronic diseases often coincide with mental health issues, like depression in diabetes patients, which can hinder treatment success. Providers lack the time and resources to address these mental health challenges affecting overall wellbeing.
3
Accessibility is a major issue in many existing interfaces - too much information with font sizes that are too small.
4
Providers often find that patients are forgetful or resistant when discussing their daily habits that impact their condition. It would be helpful to find a way to encourage patients to regularly record relevant information at their own pace, without the pressure to recall details on the spot.
User Interview #1
I spoke to the Chair of Endocrinology at a community hospital that primarily treats underserved populations. Many of his patients have diabetes, requiring meticulous daily management of symptoms, medications, and lifestyle factors. His insights, drawn from extensive patient feedback, were invaluable in bridging the gap created by my limited interview sample, helping me design solutions with greater confidence and empathy.
Key Findings: Patient Insights
1
Existing symptom trackers are inadequate because patients' symptoms don't always fit into a single, well-defined category of illness. This limitation prevents some from adding their own unique symptoms and describing personal experiences. Current apps require users to select from predefined categories, yet some symptoms are not represented within these options.
2
Women’s healthcare feels inadequate and understudied, with limited research that hasn't yet gained mainstream support from doctors. As a result, patients often find themselves educating their doctors about topics the doctors aren't familiar with, leading to feelings of frustration and isolation.
3
Users value a holistic approach to health that encompasses chronic illness, activity, menstruation, and mental health.
Remaining Interviews
The key themes highlight a need for a more holistic, personalized approach to healthcare that addresses both physical and mental health. Current tools and systems, such as symptom trackers and apps, are inadequate for capturing complex health experiences, leading to frustration. Patients often feel unsupported due to gaps in research and provider knowledge, while excessive notifications and accessibility issues further hinder effective care.