Role
- Product Designer
Duration
- Sep 2016 - May 2018
Project Type
- Mobile App Design
Tools Used
- Sketch
- EnVision
- Illustrator
My Role
- Lead Product Design
- Responsible for UI/UX Design, IA, IxD and User Testing
- Lead the project in ideation, roadmapping, analysis, and feature design.
Overview
Connecting the hardware and experience
The application is the key element of the rehab system, which connects users, therapists, devices, and the community to form the new ecosystem of physical therapy. The Aceso app, as the interaction touchpoint of the product, allows users access and visualize the data collected from the devices. While the physical therapy patients are frustrated with the onboarding, scheduling, and progress visibility problems, the app solves those problems and enables increased patients satisfaction.
You can learn more about the design process for the Aceso rehab system in the following:
Business Objectives
What were we trying to achieve?
- Encourage patient attend to physical therapy
- Support the ecosystem of Aceso product
- Ease to use app and frictionless experience
User Goals
What are the users trying to achieve?
- Understand the process of Physical Therapy
- Easy to follow guides for recovery
- Motivation for adhering to the regimen
Constraints
What restrictions did I have to consider?
- Short turnaround time
- Limited access for A/B testing
Responsibilities
What was I responsible for?
- Building the information architecture and flow for the app
- Designing the visual components under the brand identity
- Designing user friendly experience for the product
The Problem
The majority of physical therapy patients drop out of care early due to bad experience in the process. They have a hard time making appointments, communicating with therapists, and understanding the rehab progress.
Understand Users
7 out of 10 physical therapy patients do not complete their regimen
In my research with physical therapy patients, I noticed most of the patients even drop out of care early due to misunderstanding and hard to user platforms. Here are the status quo problems in the process:
- Onboarding and scheduling
The physical therapy process frustrates patients, especially the inability to book appointments online and excessive amount of intake forms. - Progress visibility
Patients have a hard time to visualize and understand their recovery progress. - HEP compliance
72% of patients do not perform their Home Exercise Program, due to a lack of perceived progress and effective reminder.
User Journey
Provide meaningful and relevant experience to users
Once I identified the user flow through physical therapy, I mapped the concepts and touchpoints through curious, exploring, committing, and converting. I invited experienced patients to vote for the concepts that they feel most needed. This helps me narrow the design scope and build specific features for the product.
Design Strategy
Plan the user experience
To solve problems in the user experience of physical therapy, the Aceso app provides a platform with structured data that enables:
Online scheduling and appointment reminders
Ensure the patients have a frictionless experience booking their first and subsequent visits. By offering patients ability to book directly into the schedule and fill out onboarding information ahead of time save time for patients and therapists.
Automatic Data Import
The patients are automatically synced the data from the device for the initial evaluation saving therapists time and effort.
Virtual Evaluation and Progress Report
Easily track the patients' progress and visualize them. The patient progress reports help them stay in the loop and recover faster.
Built-in HEP with patient reminders
Therapists can easily assign the home exercise program to patients. Patients can easily follow the flow exercise and get reminders.
Community Mental Support
Patients can communicate and share experiences with others undergoing similar physical therapy process.
Defining Features
Information Architecture
After the previous step, I built the Minimum Viable Features (MVP) information architecture for the app and refined based on the user behaviors and required features. I keep modifying and adding the architecture based on user feedback and testing results. The scope of design evolved into three milestones: MVP, Reconstructed Features (V1), and Adds-on features (V2).
Site Map
Model the entire process from start to finish
By visualizing the complete structure of the app using the sitemap, I visualized the hierarchy of content, indicated closed areas of content, and defined where pages are located and how they are linked.
Final Design
See how Aceso rehab system can help patients get through physical therapy
After rounds of iteration, I landed the final design for the Aceso app. The app offered the patients the platform that enables online scheduling and appointment, automated statistics intake and progress reports, built-in HEP, and community support.
Final Design
Scheduling and check-in
The app ensures the patients have a frictionless experience booking their visits. Patients can book directly with their therapists on the fly and fill out all necessary onboarding/check-in information ahead of time.
Final Design
Visualize and track your rehab progress
Ensure each patient understand their recovery progress and rehab at their best efficiency. The app also gives them a tool to adjust their training focus and reduce their time for recovery.
Final Design
Built-in Home Exercise Programs (HPE)
The app enables therapists to assign a home exercise program in the app and patients can easily follow the guides to practice. The reminders help patients complete their HEP and perceive the program, leading them to recover at a much faster pace.
Design Guide
Establishing guidelines aligned with the brand
To make the design coherent with the brand identity, I set out to establish the guidelines and a flexible type system.
Future Improvement
Keep listening, learning and improving
I will keep listening and learning from therapists and patients about the experience, and continue to improve the experience and interaction. I move fast because of the time limitation but I plan to perform more A/B testing and usability criteria in the future. Hopefully, this app becomes more structured to the extent not only connects the hardware and patients but also solves problems in the experience of physical rehabilitation.