Project Overview
For this case study, I was tasked with conducting research to help build an understanding of patient experiences and how they manage their health through existing healthcare services.
The Client
Patients First (student project) represents a fictional government-led initiative aimed at improving healthcare for patients.
Context
At the time of the project, there were no CTAs for donations on the Royal Caribbean main pages, and the Wishes at Sea campaign web page could only be found via search.
Assumptions
I wanted to investigate the realm of mental health based on my assumption that it is difficult for patients to find the right therapist that fits their budget.
Research
Secondary Research
To evaluate the validity of my assumptions, I went online to do my secondary research. As a result, I came across interesting data points about patients seeking mental help.
Finding 1(Insurance)
A third of survey respondents (33%) reported difficulty finding any mental health prescriber who would accept their insurance, either in- or out-of-network.
Finding 2(Relatability)
88% of mental health counselors are white. People are less likely to seek help if they think their doctor can’t understand or empathize with their background, cultural differences, and experiences.
Finding 3(Widespread)
1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
Problem
Anxious patients struggle to find mental health practitioners that they can both afford and feel comfortable with. These barriers leave over 50% of individuals with mental health conditions in the U.S. untreated, underscoring an urgent need for improved resources to help patients access appropriate care.
"
Interview Process
= Pain Points
= Motivations
= Behaviors
Themes
I utilized affinity mapping to help me uncover 3 key insights generated from what my recruited interviewees had said.
Chosen Theme: Affordability & Accessibility
Money & Insurance played a role in whether interviewees sought or continued seeking mental help. However, even without money involved, there were still barriers in finding one that fit their schedule, which contributed to their troubles finding help.
Persona
Based on my secondary and user research, I landed on Antonio as my persona who represents the target user I am creating a solution for.
Lo-Fi Wireframes
With the sketches drawn out, I then went into Figma to create greyscale wireframes for the purpose of usability testing. As a result of my sketches and keeping in mind my research + persona, I crafted my wireframes with a focus on simplicity since the user, Antonio, struggles with anxiety, and I wanted the product to be easy to navigate.
Usability Testing
View Testing Script
Results
Jonathan
"Calendar needs more options."
Maurice
"Therapist section needs more details."
Melica
" I enjoyed how simple it was."
Even though some of the participants said the simplicity was good, other types of feedback touched upon the design being too simple in a sense and demanded I give more. I then went on to expand the wireframe a bit more.
Takeaways
The case study finished here, and even though the wireframes didn't become a hi-fidelity prototype, this was my first attempt at doing user research and gave me a foundation for conducting important procedures for the UX process.
Other Case Studies
Dawgo
Royal Caribbean X BrainStation
