evan kerrigan

MiConcierge: Realtime Patient Feedback iPad App

User experience design for MiConcierge, a mobile app for visiting medical patients

Background

The University of Michigan Health System (UMHS) is one of the largest and most well-respected health systems in the United States today. Patients from all over the globe come to UMHS for access to its experienced medical staff through its “Destinations Program”, which is dedicated to providing the best possible experience for patients. UMHS is conducting a pilot program to provide patients with iPads during their stay, both for their enjoyment and to leave realtime feedback regarding their experience. I designed MiConcierge, an iPad app to fulfill these needs while seeking new opportunities to improve the overall patient experience.

Video Prototyping

After conducting initial stakeholder interviews and primary research, I directed a short film to explore the experience and service opportunities that the project afforded. I worked with my partner, Munaf Assaf, to draft a script for the film to explore common scenarios how such the experience could be improved using the MiConcierge as a feedback tool. This film afforded greater insights into the traveling patient context—what underlying problems did they face?—as well as what the potential benefits our concept could provide.

Designing the Interface

After exploring the problem space through research and the video, I worked with my partner to ideate and rapidly iterate over MiConcierge’s interface design. We compiled a list of core features that MiConcierge should be able to perform, as well as constraints—elderly user population, low familiarity with iOS, etc. Given the time constraints, we selected particular features and then independently sketched interfaces, spending only a minute or two on each idea. We then discussed our rough sketches, offered critiques, defended our design decisions, and combined insights. After a few dozen sketches, we had a clearer idea of what the prototype would look like and how it would work.

Selected Sketches

Selected sketches will be uploaded shortly!

High-Fidelity Mockups

Functional Prototyping

Once we had a notion of how the prototype would look, feel, and work, we collaborated to develop rapidly a functional prototype using jQuery Mobile. While the prototype is optimized for the iPad’s browser, and therefore cannot benefit from being a fully-fledged app, it does a great job of expressing our vision for how the application should work and how it can benefit patients. I welcome you to play with our functional prototype! While it should work in most browsers (particularly Webkit-based ones), I recommend viewing it as a home-screen app on an iPad for the best experience.

Results

Both the functional prototype and the short film were warmly received by the UMHS Destinations Program. The stakeholders were very pleased with how we envisioned the future of the program and how MiConcierge would exceed at helping staff to collect the data they need while ensuring an optimal overall patient experience. UMHS intends to implement our application in a pilot program. As this pilot program rolls out, my partner and I will be on hand to consult on future experience design tradeoff decisions.