Still working on it

How might we—

Communicate and educate users about MICHR’s transition from Clinical Translational Research to Clinical Translational Science?

Project Overview
Michigan Institute of Clinical and Health Research (MICHR) received a grant from the National Institute of Health (NIH) to identify the roadblocks in the research pipeline and advance clinical and translational science. What that means for MICHR is Introducing fresh offerings + programs, Reshaping user perception, Effectively disseminating best practices about CTS, educating users about the transition from CTR to CTS, communicating the role of MICHR in catalyzing research.

My role
I lead the team of UI designers, website developers, UX designers, communication experts and multimedia designers through an end-to-end design and development process.

User Research

Interaction Design

Information Architecture

Development and Testing

Still working on it

Background

MICHR receives a 7 year grant to advance clinical and translational science! How does that impact the users?

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Why the redesign?

Problem space:
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. Project timeline

Stakeholder Needs

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Project Collaborations

It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Research Questions

  • Users did not have any peer support and would usually train alone.

  • Feedback from proxy users, peers, experts and stakeholders

  • Users required an interactive system that would relieve them from boredom.

Key Project Highlights

  • Solutions based on user’s mental models, motivation and system integration.

  • Surgical residents from China were interviewed as proxy users due to the
    unavailability of real users.

  • Contextual inquiry through in-person observation of user environments.

Design Methods

  • User Interviews

    Through user interviews, we gained a deeper understanding of the context in which our system is used, as well as user actions, pain points, and suggestions for improving the system.

  • Personas

    By creating personas based on user research, we were able to develop reliable representations of common user needs and behaviors.

  • User Journey Map

    Using a User Journey Map, we were able to visualize and analyze the actions and interactions of our users on multiple levels. This allowed us to prioritize crucial user actions and improve the overall flow of the user experience.

  • Narrative Storyboard

    By creating storyboards, we gained a better understanding of how users navigate through our system, and how their needs interact with the system's functionalities. The visual narrative of the storyboards allowed us to identify the sequential steps that users take to perform actions, and to improve the flow of the system accordingly.

  • Usability Testing

    By conducting usability testing with both proxy users and peers, we were able to identify usability and design issues, and iterate on our product based on user feedback. Through this process, we gained a better understanding of their observations and actions.

  • User Experience Map

    The User experience map enabled us to get a comprehensive understanding of user’s experience, with regards to user’s actions, user’s interactions, user’s emotions and user’s thoughts. It enabled the team to collaboratively understand and arrive at decisions that enhanced user experiences and system interactions.

Users can choose between the following feedback and training modes:

  • Visual: Color and Text Commentary

  • Audio: Spoken prompts

  • Tactile: Haptic Feedback via Vibrations

  • Modes: Test Practice, Simulated Surgery, Games

  • Miscellaneous: Timer, Grading, etc.

Solution

A system providing real-time and post-practice feedback via a gamified training experience, accessible without an attending.

Key system features:

  • Onboarding experience for training

  • Step-by-step instructions for tasks and educational videos

  • Various activities and scenarios to choose from to modify training experience

  • Real-time and post-practice feedback, including qualitative and quantitative

  • Comparative benchmarking and contact support with peers

  • User customization of real-time and post-practice feedback settings, that adapt the simulated learning experience.

  • Gamification of training to provide a multi-modal delivery of feedback and visual guidance.


Key Takeaways

  • Designer Bias

    To prioritize user needs and pain points, it's crucial to challenge designer assumptions and identify and address any designer bias.

  • Real users vs Proxy users

    Usability testing should involve diverse users, but if real users aren't available, creative proxy user testing can still provide valuable feedback for improving design.

  • User safety and Risk management

    Anticipating and mitigating potential issues can be facilitated by considering risk management and failure analysis before and during the design process.

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