Dialysafe Study

Testing and launching an app for patient education and peer mentoring.
UX Research
UX Testing
Health Tech

Client

Michigan Medicine

Date

Oct 2022 - Jun 2023

Role

UX Researcher & Designer
PROJECT OVERVIEW

Dialysis instability is a critical issue for End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) patients,

potentially causing severe complications like heart damage, increased hospitalizations, and higher mortality rates. (source)

The Study

A study by the University of Michigan Medical School and the School of Information, Recognized the preventable nature of dialysis instability, The study aimed to improve the stability of dialysis sessions through targeted interventions. ( two interventions were tested to improve dialysis stability:
‍Provider Education: Training for dialysis clinic teams, including online education and checklists.
‍Patient Activation: Educate and mentor patients through peer support and multimedia resources.

The Dialysafe App  

is a platform that provides educational materials to raise the patients awareness with the potential risk and complications from the dialysis procedure. The app also provides peer support by connecting patients with mentors and setting up video meetings to guide the patients through their treatment

The Process

As part of the UX research and design team we developed the app focused on patient education and peer mentoring. My responsibilities included:

User Testing: Conducted usability testing and evaluation for the Dialysafe app

Cross Functional Collaboration: Worked with the project manager and softwere development team to implement improvements.

Design Improvements: I recommended design improvements to ensure a seamless interaction and flow between patients and mentors, enhancing overall usability and effectiveness.

Heuristic Evaluation and User Testing

Our goal was to ensure the Dialysafe App operated seamlessly across the three primary user groups (patients, mentors, and healthcare providers) with no errors.

Project Management and Agile Development Process

As a UX designer and researcher, I contributed to project management by

  • Task Breakdown: breaking down the project into smaller, actionable tasks with detailed descriptions and deadlines
  • Tasks Priority system: Used Trello board to ensure tasks moved through stages and created a priority sorting system to help developers focus on high-impact tasks first, streamline their workflow, and ensure timely completion of critical features and fixes
  • Sprint Cycles: I participated in agile sprint cycles focused on implementing specific features or fixes, followed by testing and feedback sessions.

The Outcome

As a UX researcher and designer, I led the successful launch of the Dialysis Stability App, now utilized by 10 clinics nationwide in a university-led study involving over 600 participants. The app has achieved an 100% increase in task completion rates across all user categories.