Maccabi Application Redesign
UX UI Case Study
Health Maintenance Organization redesigned for older people
Background
The use of new technology can benefit older adults in several ways, but this potential must be harnessed through the use of thoughtfully designed, easy-to-use products.
Over the past few years, health care providers such as health maintenance organizations have increasingly utilized mobile applications as their primary platform for providing services, such as scheduling doctor appointments and getting test results.
This UX case study an attempt to improve the existing experience of the mobile application of Maccabi, major health maintenance organizations (HMOs) providing medical services in Israel.
I worked on this case study with a friend who is on his way to becoming an awesome UX researcher.
Goal
Propose a more easy-to-use experience for health care services for the elderly population in Israel that could help the users gain trust in the product.
Problem
In some cases, elders feel insecure about using these technologies to access medical services, whether it is due to a lack of proficiency or fear of making irreversible errors, and paradoxically, this population consumes more medical services than the general population.
Challenge
There are several challenges that elderly users (older as 65+) experience with typical user interfaces that a younger person would not experience, as a result of:
Effects of ageing (e.g., motor, sensory and cognitive changes as we get older)
Unfamiliarity with modern technology
Construction of the technology by relatively young workers
These challenges may explain why the rate of 65+s using the Internet is lower than their actual rate in the general population, and why older people are twice as likely to give up a digital task.
+65s have grown in power as a consumer in recent years (in 2018, 28% of global online shopping was done by +65s). While this is an impressive figure, their consumption power is much greater than this.
Theoretical research
After reading several articles regarding the unique features of elderly populations, we learned:
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As we grow older, the rate of information processing slows - it takes longer to absorb, understand and perform certain tasks.
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Older adults have trouble ignoring distractions and tend to make more random choices, such as clicking in places they weren't intending to.
To gain a better understanding of how eldery people feel about digital environments, we decided to conduct some user research.
User research
We wanted a mix of qualitative and quantitative data to make some design decisions based on our users' feelings, thoughts, and actual use of our products.
Main insights from survey of 49 elders (+65s):
Ways to contact the HMO
42.6%
Telephone
25.5%
Computer
31.9%
App
Use of the app since the covid started
63.3%
Same frequency of use
28.5%
Use the app more then before
8.2%
Use the app less then before
Main actions performed in the app
Scheduling and canceling appointments
Reviewing test results
Request of medication and prescriptions
Difficulties related to passwords are the main challenges when using the app (33.3%)
Frontal interviews and usability tests in the existing product
We conducted frontal interviews with some of the users in order to gain more insight into their frustrations. In addition, we wanted to see how they used the app. We hoped to uncover any new issues that might have been missed by us by gathering some qualitative data. Here's some of the users' quotes:
"Insert the date of birth... I hate it…
I have to scroll down a lot, I'm not in my 20s."
"For a long time, I had a code which I remembered easily, but then I was told to change it, and I forgot what it was, so now I can't use the app."
"I have no idea what this plus button is for, I don't understand why the plus button has no description. How do I know what should I do?"
"I am stressed even before I try to use it. If I fail, I avoid trying again as there is no explanation for why the action failed."
Play Store reviews
User persona
Based on our research into the Maccabi elderly users, we were able to identify two personas which will help us to gain a better understanding of our target audience.
Ruth | 68 y/o | Retired
Ruth knows how to use her phone and isn't afraid to mess with it. However, in practice, she doesn't always get the results she wants and abandons for other channels or asks her children for help.
Ruth is generally healthy, taking long walks twice a week, volunteering at a couple of different places, and sitting in cafes with friends.
Motivations
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Wants to feel independent and capable of handling modern technology
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She prefers not to go to the doctor's office or wait long at the call center
Needs
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Ordering one medication every few months
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Making appointments with doctors for follow-up and check-ups
Frustrations
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Using OTP (One Time Password) to log into the app and filling out her birth date
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After pressing the wrong place, she doesn't understand how to go back to where she was, and closes the app
David | 86 y/o | Retired
Living in a retirement home for several years, David began using the HMO app as soon as Covid-19 began, and social distancing followed.
David has diabetes and performs frequent blood tests, he does not want to bother the nurses to help him with the app and can wait several days for his child or grandchildren to visit him and help him.
Motivations
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Wants to use the mobile without asking for help or giving up on it
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Prefer avoiding unnecessary physical interaction because he is at increased risk for severe illness as a result of Covid-19
Needs
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Ordering insulin injections every months
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Making appointments at the clinic for blood tests and reviewing the results afterwards
Frustrations
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It is hard for David to distinguish between performing familiar actions on a computer and a phone, and he does not find it intuitive to use his finger as a computer mouse
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Too small text makes it difficult to read
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David is also frustrated when he calls the call center, as it takes a long time to get to the requested extension
Solution
We analyzed the qualitative and quantitative data and arranged it into user personas and cases. This helped us to understand what are the main flows that can make the user journey easier if they are fixed.
Therefore, we focused on three main flows:
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One time password entrence
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Renewing and ordering prescriptions
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Schedule a doctor's appointment
User flow 1: One time password entrence
Workflow 1
Based on user tests, the one-time password for logging in to the application or resetting the existing password was difficult to remember, not to mention the difficulty of navigating between the app and the SMS app to read the SMS. In addition, users have raised the problem of scrolling and accuracy when entering their birthdates.
High Fidelity Wireframes
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Adjust the birthdate scrolling into separate boxes so you can write in them
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Objects are large and spaced
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Reduction of duplicate login options
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Add a link to the text message that can fill in the password instead of remembering it
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Addition of clear instructions on what to do when you leave the app and how to return
Full workflow
User flow 2: Renewing and ordering prescriptions
Work flow 2
By mapping the user flow for the case of renewing and ordering prescriptions, we were able to identify discontinuity along the way. If your prescription has expired or has been used, and you wish to renew it, you are given a confusing "go back" option that appears to be a dead end. Another example is if your doctor is unable to renew your prescription, you cannot choose another one.
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High Fidelity Wireframes
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Added renewal of prescription button instead of using the floating action button in the previous screen
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Adding a clear "more details" button next to every ordered medicine to initiate the flow
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Check boxes were replaced with large pressable buttons
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By creating a new specific page for this use case, we can reduce the steps for renewal of prescriptions
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The option of renewing the prescription from another doctor (if the current is no longer available) has been added.
Full workflow
User flow 3: Schedule a doctor's appointment
Work flow 3
As one of the main functions of the app is scheduling doctor appointments, we wanted to examine the challenges this workflow presents. Users found the filtering option confusing, as well as the size of the radio button.
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High Fidelity Wireframes
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By adding friction with another screen, the user can better decide the search method he wants to use in order to find his desired results more easily
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Review and schedule my appointments with recurring and new doctors
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Adding the ability to save the appointment to the calendar
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Providing clear information in a large font size with clear guidelines before the visit
Full workflow
Test
We showed Maccabi app users the new prototype through Figma and asked them to comment freely on what they liked and disliked, and everything else that came to their mind after seeing the new prototype.
Initially, we redesigned the app to make it more accessible for the elderly. However, we wanted our new design to be inclusive, including a variety of perspectives, so for the testing we asked both elders and youngers.
In the following, we have summarized and organized the feedback based on the 3 flows we have shown.
Insights
There was a lot of positive feedback about the concept as a design that improves accessibility and usability. We collected some points of strength and improvements for the next version.
One time password entrence
Participants were unanimously in favor of the SMS auto-fill
In line with expectations, participants struggle with scrolling dates and prefer to write the date manually
Some users do not understand the explanations about using a one-time password, and better wording is required
Renewing and ordering prescriptions
The new design is much more intuitive and helps to make the ordering process easier.
We need to make the ordering process simpler; users still find the process too time-consuming, and we need to minimize the steps
Schedule a doctor's appointment
In the new concept, choosing the search option reduces the time required to find the desired service or doctor
It is not possible to search directly for nursing clinics
Reflection
First time working on UX project in a team. The synergy and teamwork contributed to in-depth discussion, and mutual learning both in research and design.
After testing workflows and getting feedback from users, I realized that the process begins and ends with the users, and that every user test gives me new insights that make the product better.
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