An effective self-management app tailored to better help women with PCOS.
UX Design
Duration
Team
Process
Role
Visual Design
11 Weeks
3 HCI Students
UX Research, Wireframes, UI Design, Prototyping, User Testing
As a UX Designer, I conducted stakeholder interviews, performed market research, designed dashboard screens, and conducted usability testing using think-aloud sessions as a UX Designer.
Overview
What is PCOS?
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a condition characterized by the overproduction of male sex hormones. PCOS can make it harder for a woman to release eggs for fertilization, leading to irregular periods, excessive body hair, weight gain, acne, and other symptoms
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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects an estimated 5 to 6 million in the United States & 8–13% of reproductive-aged women in the world have PCOS.
Problem Statement
How might we assist women with PCOS in optimizing their lifestyle while managing their condition?
Success Metrics:
Process
Initiated with Digital Ethnography.
Concluded with Usability Testings
to maximise business impact.
PCOS a Viscious Cycle
User Segment
Women aged 13-30 diagnosed with PCOS actively seeking lifestyle modifications for improved PCOS management.
Research
Secondary Research
"Malgorzata Szczuko’s paper on Nutrition Strategy and Lifestyle in PCOS from 2021, it was revealed that
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lifestyle modifications, including regular physical activity and a balanced diet,
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have been widely recognized as highly effective in mitigating the severity of PCOS symptoms."
"In their 2023 paper, Haneul Lee and colleagues explored the potential of mobile apps to enhance self-management
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mobile apps to enhance self-management
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of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Their research highlighted the emerging role of technology in empowering individuals to manage their PCOS effectively."
Interview & Observation Insights
19
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Respondents from the survey
10
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Interviews with patients
2
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Interviews with Gynaecologist
User Sayings
I find it challenging to manage my lifestyle and maintain consistency
I tried to look for PCOS communities to discuss and gain knowledge about my situation but I could hardly find any communities that could help me
I would like to learn more about how others manage PCOS, especially when it comes to their daily routines and coping strategies. I'm particularly interested in how they deal with the mental and emotional aspects of PCOS.
My regular period cycle is messed up, I have to take care of my stress and health simultaneously which is tough. Irregular periods create stress and stress results in more irregularity.
Using data gathered from interviews and observations, we categorized the information into distinct groups and conducted affinity mapping.
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User Persona
Following research, interviews, and observations, it was crucial for us to enhance our understanding and empathy toward our primary user groups.
User Requirement
Facing challenges in maintaining a structured exercise and diet routine to help manage this condition.
To be a part of the PCOS community to share and learn from other’s experiences and their ways of coping.
Need for more reliable knowledge to navigate the complexities of PCOS management effectively.
Brainstorming
We as a team carried out a collaborative brainstorming session and made use of affinity mapping to effectively narrow down the 35 design suggestions to identify the top 3 ideas that will shape the MVP.
Information Architecture
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
Solution
OvaCare, a personalized self-management app for PCOS, provides a task list for overall health and a community where users can receive suggestions to add tasks to their to-do list.
It offers actionable plans for managing PCOS in the midst of busy schedules. It helps users incorporate small changes into their daily routines, leading to significant improvements in their overall well-being and, specifically, menstrual health
Doctor assistance contact for reliable knowledge assistance
Track your period with a mini calendar
An efficient To-Do List with PCOS-tailored tasks to structure your routine
A PCOS Community feature to get suggestions for the tasks
Task details screen with alternate meal options
How is the list generated?
Based on the symptoms, diet, and prevailing conditions the app generates a personalized to-do list, supported by evidence-based recommendations from medical professionals.
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Also extracts insights from community suggestions.
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Users wanting more specific plans, can subscribe to the premium version and get access to doctors.
Prototyping
When onboarding, Ovacare is informed by the user about her symptoms, diet, and any prevailing conditions.
The user can check more details about a task or choose an alternative.
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The app asks how the user feels after completing tasks.
Onboarding Screens
Home Screen
The user has the option to personalize their physical or mental fitness routines by adding their own tasks.
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In this case, the user is including a task to play badminton outdoors.
Create Task Screens
Connect with people who've been through similar experiences and learn from their successes and challenges.
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Cumulative community insights are highlighted.
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Tasks can be added through posts’ tags.
Community Screens
Evaluation
The UI underwent multiple evaluation methods, including Heuristic evaluation, Think-aloud, SUS reports
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The mean SUS score for the applications think aloud is 88.75.
Considering industrial standards to be 70, our average SUS score is 88.75 showcasing some room for minor issues and improvements to enhance the satisfaction of the users while using the application.
Based on the findings, necessary changes were made to the UI.
In the onboarding process, when selecting the 'others' option, there is no immediately visible text input field. Users would need to click on it to discover the input field for entering text.
Other as a Textfield
Before
After
There is a lack of a visual progress indicator for tracking the completion of tasks, such as a progress bar, making it difficult for users to gauge their progress
Task Completion Progress
Before
After
Before
After
Task Addition Confirmation
On adding a task, there is no pop-up to indicate the successful addition of the task or to confirm the task's added.
