NHS App - test result redesign

During the pre-research phase, I established recruitment criteria, carefully selecting participants that represented the app's diverse user base. I sourced participants through various channels, including user panels, networks and communities, recruitment agencies, and bulletin boards. Once the participants were in place, I collaborated with the team to define research goals and hypotheses for each round, ensuring we had a clear focus on the areas of the app we wanted to evaluate. I also created discussion guides tailored to these goals and when necessary worked closely with the product and content designer to prepare prototypes, user flows, and specific tasks for participants to complete.

Before each session of user testing, interviews, and accessibility testing, I conducted tech calls with participants to ensure a smooth testing experience, confirming that all technology was set up correctly.

I conducted nine rounds of usability and accessibility testing to ensure the app met user needs. I facilitated sessions and observed user interactions to gather insights.

My testing approach was tailored to the specific usability and accessibility criteria for each round. I included participants with a range of disabilities, such as visual, cognitive, and hearing impairments, as well as those with long-term conditions and those who use assistive technology. I also made sure we tested with a mix of participants with varying levels of experience in using testing and results services.

I conducted tree testing using Optimal Workshop to evaluate the effectiveness of different content and architecture in helping patients navigate to their test results. With this test goal was to identify the content and architecture that best facilitated navigation and understanding for users.

In one case, we tested navigation to GP and hospital ordered test results with 164 participants, and the results revealed that one content style significantly outperformed the others in helping participants to locate their test results and understand their navigation path. This quantitative data was further validated through usability testing rounds, where the same content type proved to be the most effective.

I conducted 10 surveys using Qualtrics, targeting patients, GPs, and other clinical staff. These surveys were distributed through various channels such as pop-ups within the App, email links, and primary care bulletins. The in-App surveys were particularly effective, often receiving up to 2000 responses within a few days, allowing us to gather substantial quantitative data on the service.

Also, I ran pre and post-release surveys to gauge general usability and measure changes in user experience before and after updates. We also used in-App banners with survey links to collect feedback on improvements after releasing MVPs and iterations. The feedback from these surveys was triangulated with findings from other research methods and assessed during prioritization and ideation sessions, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of user needs and the impact of our design changes.

Facilitated workshops with NHS App teams, users, clinicians, and stakeholders to collaboratively design solutions that balanced user needs with technical constraints.

For qualitative research, I led debriefing sessions immediately after each test or interview, where notetakers and observers shared initial impressions and observations. I then I analyzed the findings using affinity mapping and rainbow charts to identify patterns and insights from the notes.

For quantitative research, I used Qualtrics and Mural to organize and categorize data, calculate key statistics, and visualize correlations between variables. I identified trends and conducted statistical and inferential analyses using additional tools as needed. This helped me present clear, actionable insights and validate our hypotheses.

I presented these findings to key stakeholders, offering recommendations for improvements in design, content, and navigation. I also supported ideation sessions to drive user-centered improvements, to make the NHS App more accessible and user-friendly based on research.

I maintained a user needs repository to ensure we were tracking and prioritizing robust user needs, not just usability concerns or solution-focused requirements. These needs served as a benchmark for measuring success, aligning with KPIs, and tracking progress over time. We used the repository for prioritization sessions, scenario planning, risk analysis, and strategic foresight, ensuring that user needs were at the center of decision-making. It also helped us evaluate whether features and functionalities were effectively addressing those needs, ensuring that the app's development remained user-focused.

I designed artifacts to define and illustrate findings, helping us understand the system and map user journeys. This included creating personas and journey maps to visualize user experiences.

Mapped the entire test results journey to align the digital experience with healthcare workflows, ensuring seamless integration between patients and clinicians.

Created detailed system maps that highlighted touchpoints across multiple platforms, including GP and hospital systems, for a cohesive user experience.

Used insights from research to influence policy changes and help scale the solution across NHS regions.

Our process was fast-paced, with many ideas generated. I collaborated with the UCD team to prioritize these ideas based on strategic goals, UX and tech effort, clinical and tech risks, user needs, the risk of not implementing, and the criticality of pain points. This approach helped us streamline next steps and define the project roadmap. We conducted this prioritization through a series of workshops.