GSK Mobile App
GSK, a leading pharmaceutical company, partnered with our team to explore the potential of creating a new mobile app that focuses on valuable social interactions and support within oncology patients. We worked to conceptualize and prototype 2 concepts which we tested and designed working closely with the patients themselves.
ROLE
Lead UX Designer
DELIVERABLES
Competitive Analysis
Wireframes
Prototypes
User Research & Testing
Surveying the Industry
Research & Discovery
We first did a competitive analysis of existing applications for oncology patients created by other organizations. We identified what features were heavily adopted and also where the gaps were so that we could build something that serves this community in a useful way. During this time we continuously worked with the team at GSK in whiteboarding concepts to ensure business buy-in. Finally, we conducted interviews and surveys with oncology patients to uncover their needs further. This is a sector where support is paramount for a patient’s recovery and ability to cope, and GSK was determined to provide that support in a valuable way.
Actionable Advice
The first concept
After testing out a few concepts we landed on two to move forward with. The first had a working name of “Actionable Advice” and it was a place to receive personalized advice and feedback regarding anything from treatment to lifestyle. This concept had forum-like functionality with more emphasis on discoverability via categories and tags (and eventual algorithms). During the creation of Actionable Advice, we moved through the designing of wireframes to prototype, consistently getting feedback from stakeholders and users.
Buddy Match
The second concept
The second concept we decided on was given the working name “Buddy Match”, this was a platform for patients with similar diagnoses to find each other. This would be based on multiple factors like location, hobbies, timeline, and diagnosis. The focus of this network is to bring positivity and support to one another. Users would be encouraged to keep track of how they are feeling on any given day so that others can give support when it is needed the most. During the creation of Buddy Match, we moved through the designing of wireframes to prototype, consistently getting feedback from stakeholders and users.
Testing the Concepts
Prototypes & User Testing
When validating these concepts, we moved through a few rounds of surveys and testing with users. At first we showed users wireframes of key pages, and asked specific questions regarding the value of each feature and how it could be used or interpreted. This helped us narrow down to the two concepts above, and iron out the most valuable features for our MVP. From there we created prototypes of each concept and continued to test value as well as usability of specific features. This helped us quickly iterate into a version of each concept that ultimately helped the GSK team decide on which application to move forward with.
And the Winner is…
We ultimately decided to move forward with the design of Buddy Match, a concept that was well received by users during testing and was proven to be a valuable addition to a patients support network and toolkit.
Lessons Learned
- Building products for a very specific segmentation makes user testing extremely valuable. The population is easy to locate and they know what they want and need.
- When you can iterate quickly, don’t be afraid to test out wild concepts and trash others without attachments.
- Empathy is your greatest asset. Always strive to provide the most value possible. Even in your MVP.
