My Role
UX Designer
Timeline
2 Weeks
Deliverables
Define a problem statement
Create a persona
prototype in Balsamiq
What is HealthBridge?
Healthbridge is a health app that offers assistance to Non-English speaking patients and offers resources
The Problem
The complexities of medical terminology are often not fully understood by speakers of native languages, as these terms are predominantly based on English or Latin. This results in challenges related to accessing appropriate healthcare, understanding insurance processes, engaging with medical staff, and making sense of diagnoses and treatment options
Reseach
I conducted generative research via interviews and usability testing. My interview consisted of 9 participants.1 male and 8 females. ⅓ of the participants spoke another language other than English. However, all participants preferred to speak in English. I found that users would like the option to speak into the device instead of having to type in what they would like to have translated. I also found that users found it frustrating when they needed important information but were unable to receive in immediately due to the langue difference.
On average, participants did not have a tool/resouce to help them when interacting with a Non-English speaker. 2/9 participants did mention Google Translate as a resource when they interact with a Non-English speaker. Some participants mentioned learning another language however that was not something that could be done right away to resolve the problem. A trend that I noticed was that all participants relied on body language and hand gestures when recalling their last interaction with someone who is a Non-English Speaker.
Interviews
Quotes
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“I wouldnt say its a problem just something common people experience.”
- Interviewee
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“ definitely a feature that does not involve me like to type in.”
- Interviewee
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“it does get in the way when I need something urgent and the person who I need that info from does not speak english”
-Interviewee
Secondary Research
in my secondary research I found that there are disparities when it comes to the languages US patients speak and languages US physicians speak. Here I noticed that the languages spoken among patients did not equal out to the languages spoken by physicians.
When I looked at this data inconjunction to the languages spoken among both physicians and patients, It further confirmed my previous findings. While English, Spanish, and Chinese are the most spoken languages in the US, it is not reflected when looking at what languages physicians speak.
Problem Statement
The language gap within the Healthcare System needs to be addressed because both healthcare staff and patients need to be able to effectively and accurately communicate in order to administer and/or receive the proper diagnoses and treatments.
Goal
Healthbridge is a health app that offers assistance to Non-English speaking patients and offers resources. The app focuses on patient resouces and both effectively and accurately translating for patients.
Ideation
I mapped out how the user would interact with the app. Here I considered features like the option to have a live translator. While most participants stated they would like to replace the need for a translator, all wanted the app the be able to translate nuances. I also use this stage to determine what type of resources would be best for Non-English speakers when keeping the focus point on the healthcare system. Lastly, I wanted to ensure I included an option where the user can look up what the diagnose they received means and treatments to recomend.
Background:
Carmen is a 35-year-old bilingual salon owner who values family time and enjoys meeting new people through travel. She’s seeking a specialized doctor and wants to communicate effectively with healthcare providers.
Key Problem:
Carmen faces challenges communicating with her doctor due to language barriers. She also wants an easy, seamless way to interact with technology using her preferred language, Spanish.
Background:
Derick is an 18-year-old student who speaks both Spanish and English. He loves exploring New York City and networking with others. He’s passionate about connecting with non-English speakers but is frustrated by relying on a translator.
Key Problem:
Derick wants to communicate directly with people who don’t speak English, but he doesn’t want to rely on cumbersome or inaccurate translation tools.
Solutions:
Develop an app that allows Carmen to speak in Spanish and receive a response in Spanish. The app should prioritize voice communication, ensuring accessibility for users who prefer speaking over typing.
Design an app that allows for real-time bilingual conversations without requiring a translator, giving Derick the freedom to engage with anyone he meets and network more effectively.
Sketches
From there, i was able to move forward and start creating paper prototypes. I wanted to ensure that the features implemented were not time consuming. That is, to make sure that the user did not have complete many steps to accomplish these task. I also wanted to ensure the apps learnability. I wanted to make sure that it is easy to navigate for the user. I took this time to conside how to suggest defining a diagnoses on the translator page. I also considered the option for the user to access available resources on the translator page as well.
Balsamiq Prototype
Feedback & Critique
During the walkthrough gallery, I received valuable feedback that prompted me to make some adjustments. I was advised to revise the learning feature by shifting the focus from language acquisition to what patients can actually learn. Another piece of feedback highlighted that the app felt too focused on navigation, which led to a redesign of the layout to improve overall usability and balance
Health Bridge: Your healthcare, your language-See the future of patient care!
Future Improvements
High Fidelity Prototype
Do more user testing in Figma with Physicians
Research
Collect data on nearby hospital
Collect data from hospital on patient resources
Take away
I learned that even in the Healthcare system, there is no perfected way to communicated with a Non-Eniglish speaking patient. Just like the average English speaker, Healthcare staff rely on translators, body language, and hand gestures. Often times patients are not being heard and that can lead to them not receiving the proper treatment and diagnoses. This can also lead to Non-English speakers not having the full knowledge of what resources are available.
Thank you for taking the time to read my case study on the healthcare app HealthBridge!