User Research On Internal Application.
Learning about the end to end process of specimen procurement. The goal was to better understand the workflow and process of external and internal stakeholders related to ordering genomic testing to provide better stakeholders' tools to seamless coordination and communication with each other. Our research and product team decided to map the end to end journey of internal employees coordinating with external stakeholders, to gain insightful information about the touch-points, thoughts, timing, feelings, pain points, and opportunities to improve the overall process of ordering genomic testing,
Duration: 3 months
Industry: Healthcare Internship
Mentor: Vikrant Kudesia
User research
A LEADING MOLECULAR INFORMATION COMPANY.
The company provides Comprehensive Next Generation Sequencing (CNGS) to oncologists, enabling personalized care for cancer patients. Due to the intricate, personal, and urgent nature of genomic testing, the ordering process involves extensive communication between internal and external laboratories. The organization is dedicated to improving this experience by addressing challenges and identifying opportunities to enhance communication, aiming for a more efficient ordering process. During my internship as a product designer, I contributed to the project focused on simplifying this complex ordering process.
We aimed to grasp the workflow of external (labs, providers, patients) and internal (medical coordinators) stakeholders in genomic testing orders. We aimed to enhance coordination and communication among them. Our team charted the entire journey of internal staff interacting with external stakeholders. This would offer valuable insights into touchpoints, timing, pain points, and opportunities for process enhancement.
My role: Product Design Intern. I synthesized interview insights, developed a journey map, and co-facilitated interviews and design sessions with the research intern.
Team
Product owners,
Sr. Product Designer,
Sr. Design Researcher,
Design research Intern
Methodologies
Journey Mapping
Visual Manipulative
Data Analysis
Secondary Research
Tools
Sketch
Mural
Cisco WebEx
Post its
Here is How I approached It
Utilizing insights from past research efforts and input from product owners, we embarked on our investigation through secondary research. This involved delving into reports crafted by previous research teams, focusing on ordering processes and overall workflows. The goal was to uncover key touchpoints and areas ripe for enhancement within the new portal.
Acquiring Knowledge Through Previous Research and Product Owner Insights
To kickstart the project, I delved into research reports created by the prior research team. These reports provided valuable insights into the ordering processes and overall workflows, highlighting major touchpoints and potential areas for improvement in the new portal.
Collaboration with Product Owners: As a part of the research and product design team, we worked closely with product owners to identify the specific areas that required further investigation. This collaboration ensured that our research was aligned with the company’s strategic goals and addressed critical pain points.
Information Gathering and Preparation: The research intern and I played a crucial role in this phase by gathering the necessary information from previous studies and transforming it into comprehensive research materials. This foundational work set the stage for our subsequent research activities, providing a solid base of knowledge to build upon.
Familiarizing with the Discussion Guide Developed by the Design Research Intern
Collaboration and Guide Development: I collaborated closely with the research intern to develop a comprehensive discussion guide. Following the conclusion of our secondary research phase, we meticulously crafted a research brief and discussion guide tailored specifically for conducting interviews and co-design sessions.
Role in Guide Refinement: Throughout this process, my primary responsibility was to offer constructive feedback on the research questions included in the guide. This ensured that our inquiries were precise and thorough, aiming to uncover meaningful insights into the ordering processes and workflows.
Introduction of Visual Manipulation Activity: In my capacity as a co-researcher, I introduced a visual manipulation activity during interviews. This innovative approach allowed us to explore the perspectives and experiences of both internal and external stakeholders in greater depth. By employing visual aids, we aimed to capture nuances and uncover hidden insights that traditional questioning might overlook.
Collaborative Screening Process: The design research and product design teams collaborated closely to screen potential interview candidates from both internal teams and external stakeholders. Together, we established stringent criteria to ensure that selected participants possessed deep insights and varied experiences relevant to their roles and journeys.
This collaborative effort was crucial in shaping a robust framework for our research endeavors, setting the stage for insightful discussions and meaningful discoveries.
Participating in Interviews and Co-Creating Journey Maps with 7+ Participants
Design research intern facilitating the interview and Product design intern in populating the stickies in journey mapping session.
Preparation: As we initiated the recruitment of internal stakeholders, the senior researcher scheduled interviews. Simultaneously, I received guidance from the senior product designer on effective note-taking and co-creation strategies. This preparation session provided invaluable insights into structuring questionnaires, tips for conducting journey mapping concurrently, and coordinating with the design intern for future interviews.
Interview: During the interviews, facilitated by the design research intern, my role involved providing support through note-taking and facilitating visual activities. Working closely with the facilitator, I guided participants in co-creating journey maps that focused primarily on elucidating workflows and processes within external labs. Utilizing color-coded sticky notes, I captured and represented their operations in detail, ensuring essential nuances were captured.
Visual Manipulation: We employed live journey mapping to visualize participants' daily activities, pinpointing key moments and exploring potential areas for enhancement. Drawing on my expertise, I asked probing questions to uncover their pain points, methodologies, touchpoints, and interactions with external labs. The session concluded with a 'magic wand' question, prompting participants to envision ideal solutions to their challenges within the system.
Analysis of Interview Data and Synthesis
Following my active participation in interviews and co-design sessions, my role shifted to synthesizing the gathered information. Initially, I meticulously reviewed the extensive data collected from interviews and sessions to distill key insights and identify recurring patterns that highlighted crucial touchpoints and user sentiments within the system.
Synthesis Process: This synthesis process utilized a variety of mediums to organize and make sense of the data:
Individual Journey Maps: These maps illustrated the unique processes and interactions of internal stakeholders with external labs, providing a visual representation of their experiences.
Rainbow Spreadsheets: Utilized to pinpoint significant areas of concern critical to the development of the ordering portal, these spreadsheets helped prioritize areas for improvement.
Digital Tools (Mural): Employed for organizing and visually representing data patterns, using color-coded sticky notes to categorize themes such as thoughts, feelings, pain points, successes, and opportunities.
The synthesis phase was instrumental in extracting actionable insights and identifying patterns crucial for guiding the project forward. These insights were then shared and presented to stakeholders including product owners, designers, and design researchers to gather feedback and ensure alignment. This collaborative review validated the identified key takeaways and provided clarity on potential areas for future enhancement and development.
FINAL OUTCOME AND IMPACT OF THE PROJECT
Developing a Comprehensive Journey Map for Research Direction
After synthesizing data and incorporating feedback, I undertook the task of creating a detailed journey map to visualize the coordination between external and internal lab processes. This map was designed to highlight key touchpoints, communication timings, and the various thoughts, feelings, pain points, successes, channels, and opportunities for enhancement identified through our research.
Visualizing Critical Touchpoints: The journey map effectively captured and illustrated critical touchpoints within the workflows of external labs, internal labs, and the company. This visualization streamlined complex information, offering a clear understanding of the interactions and dependencies among stakeholders.
Guiding Research Phases: By providing a structured overview, the journey map played a pivotal role in guiding subsequent research phases. It served as a foundational tool for identifying areas needing further exploration and informed the development of features within the portal aimed at enhancing coordination.
Centralized Reference Point: This comprehensive map served as a centralized reference point accessible to product owners, designers, researchers, and cross-functional teams. It provided valuable insights into essential touchpoints and communication channels critical to optimizing processes and fostering collaboration across departments.
Driving Improvement Initiatives: Ultimately, the journey map facilitated informed decision-making by highlighting actionable opportunities for improvement. It enabled stakeholders to prioritize initiatives that would address identified pain points and capitalize on successes, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.
Lessons Learned!
Effective Questioning and Exploration: I discovered the power of asking insightful questions and probing into subtle areas during interviews. This approach proved invaluable for further investigating user experiences, particularly in understanding the intricacies of workflow and the hidden nuances of specimen procurement processes. The presence of product managers was instrumental in guiding our efforts and ensuring alignment with the overarching goals of the research and design project.
Navigating Complexity and Ambiguity: The interviews were inherently complex, characterized by intricate coordination processes and ambiguity. Despite being relatively new to the healthcare system and genomic testing, the internship provided me with a beneficial learning experience. Through previous research and hands-on involvement, I gained insights into the operational complexities and the critical importance of time sensitivity in specimen procurement.
Developing Rich Patterns and Insights: One of the most significant takeaways was learning to navigate ambiguity and distill complex processes into actionable patterns and insights. This skill not only benefited my personal growth but also contributed to the collective knowledge of the team. Healthcare, with its myriad complexities, became a passion area for me during this internship, igniting a desire to leverage design to enhance the well-being of individuals globally.
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