Designing & branding a clinic information management software.
Lead UX Researcher & Designer
Led end-to-end product design and branding for an innovative clinical management software that centralizes information, streamlines workflows, and empowers AltaMed staff to provide top-notch patient care.
As lead UX Designer & Researcher I led and ensured project continuity through foundational research, UX/UI design, prototype, stakeholder approval, launch, and client adoption.
The jist 🎯
At AltaMed, where over 300,000 patients rely on care, I tackled a daunting task: untangling a chaotic management system. It was a labyrinth of an outdated spreadsheet attempting to manage extensive clinic details crucial to operations. Was it meeting user or operational needs? Absolutely not.
How can my team and I improve the experience of managing location names, addresses, hours, services, unique scheduling, AND have it be a sustainable solution? Let’s dig in!
Foundational Research 🧩
After speaking to the “owner” of the operations spreadsheet (the person tasked with managing the tool) and the Patient Service Center (PSC), I became well aware of the task at hand and the impact that a solid solution can have. Users were eager to voice their opinions and frustrations about the tool! Here’s a recap of what was gathered to kickstart this project:
The current system is inefficient, unreliable, and difficult to maintain, riddled with uncertainties and a steep learning curve.
Data in the current system is outdated and incomplete, leading to unreliable information. This sheet lacked a definitive "source of truth," rendering it unreliable.
The CSG's input process is error-prone, causing confusion and frustration among users due to inconsistencies between tools.
The current disorganization of the system makes finding information for AltaMed's operations time-consuming, especially for the PSC, which faces long call wait times. They resort to using two Excel sheets and a website, wasting precious minutes.
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Problem Statement
The existing clinical services grid lacks efficiency and structure, resulting in operational disruptions, increased ownership burden, and a higher risk of human errors. There is a clear opportunity to implement a new system that standardizes data entry and enhances information accessibility for improved user experience.
now, what?
Based on the information gathered from the interviews and foundational research to internal processes and systems in place, the following solutions were proposed to serve as the intended goal - ultimately, what we wanted to achieve with our proposal.
A clean interface
A manageable interface makes it easy to view, edit, and understand information regarding operational needs.
Intuitive Task Flows
Propose workflows that are easy to understand so the administrative tasks are no longer cumbersome.
Standardized Data Entry
By standardizing the data entry process, we can reduce the risk of errors and ensure consistency.
Getting in the flow
With this being a first-of-its-kind project, both for the client and my UX team, it was crucial to delve into the mechanics of the tool: user flows, screens, prompts, and processes. While there were technical constraints and internal processes, addressing them was vital for establishing the system's foundation.
The user flow was vital, mapping the step-by-step journey for a seamless user experience (without revealing final details to protect internal data).
Ideating, Designing, Reiterating,
Ideating, Designing, Reiterating,
The Product
Given the complexity of the task and internal stakeholder feedback, we proceeded with the design to provide stakeholders with a tangible understanding of our vision. This was a critical step for the project's success, as it involved venturing into uncharted territory. We didn’t have access to other ERP’s due to it being internal software in nature, but the research and thinking had pointed us in the right direction.
During each phase, innovative ideas and insights came to light. Ensuring practicality and integration by holding regular check-ins with developers, project managers, and account teams, leading us to a solid MVP.
The main dashboard shows clinic locations, services, regions, and editing options. It's based on user feedback for quick access. Saving time during calls is crucial.
The system lets you change clinic hours easily, even with breaks and holidays. You can switch services by location, cutting out manual Excel work riddled with unknowns.
The system simplifies adding new services to clinics with detailed service types and metadata. It enhances learning and onboarding with extra descriptors, streamlining service management for a consistent and customizable user experience.
In action with high fidelity prototyping 🎬
Where is it today? We are currently undergoing testing with the new clinical services management tool in order to expand it’s features to incorporate additional data pertaining to AltaMed’s operations.
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