How to enrich remote health-professional to patient communication, through interactive environments in 2030?

Context: Project at Umeå Institute of Design
Team: Lukas Moro, Kay van den Aker, Josie Reilly
My Role: Research, UX/UI Design, Motion Design
Design Impact: Exhibited on Dubai Expo 2020

The complexity of healthcare creates a communication gap between doctors and patients, especially remote settings make this difficult to bridge. The screen of a video call limits the spatial richness of the real world and makes the healthcare experience compromised for both doctors and patients.

With Arch- an augmented reality concept, We envision the future of remote healthcare to be more collaborative and connective, with an experience in which both doctors and patients can be more engaged in communicating with each other.

Design Outcome

Experience Journey- Connect & Onboarding
By touching the physical pinnacle in the middle, the doctor and patient will connect and initiate the consultation process together through AR. It breaks the limitation of 2D video calling, using augmented reality to bring back the spatial interactive richness of the real world and bridge the distance between the doctor and patient.

Experience Journey- Vital Information Measurement
After starting the conversation, it is common for the doctor need to check and measure some bio-data from the patient. The 2D interface allows the doctor to review the patient's profile and control the process. The center pinnacle with a biosensor allows the doctor to initiate a scan and physically sense the patient's vitals.

Experience Journey- Communication
During the communication process, doctors can use 3D medical model to visualize the problem, help the patient to understand complex medical issues. The interactive 3D model supports the doctor in their explanation and the central control allows both doctor and patient to engage.

Digital Workstation Design
To facilitate the interaction of the doctor with the complex medical data, a digital interface is present at their desk. This interface presents the doctor with the patient’s medical data and allows for seamlessly initiating Heart Rate Variability scans and selecting 3D data to look at together.
The principle of interface design is to reduce information, ensuring it is minimal yet efficient. It aims to redirect attention towards doctor-patient communication, preventing the screen requires doctors to pay too much attention on it.

Design Process

🫣 Overview of the Project Process
The 10-week design process involves various stages, starting with research and leading to insights, progressing from idea generation to prototyping, and transforming abstract concepts into tangible experience simulations. Through user-centered approach, we conducted research, workshops, and interviews to closely connect with users and professionals. This enables us to test visionary idea, making sure it align with the users' actual needs.

1️⃣ Field research at the healthcare center in southern
2️⃣ Mapping for the local healthcare system
3️⃣ Early quick Ideation
4️⃣ Interview& Workshop: Testing with sacrificial prototypes
5️⃣ Bodystorming to act out and test the idea scenario
6️⃣ Final Physical + Digital set up to visualize the concept

Click to read the detail design process document 👈

Learning & Take Away

🛠️ Rapid prototype to test early and move on quickly
Creating quick prototypes allows us to share ideas with users early on, leading to a more rational final design direction. Unlike relying solely on designer intuition, this process emphasizes effective communication with users. In past designs, I usually focused on visually appealing prototypes for idea presentation. This project taught me that prototypes not only showcase design ideas but also facilitate user communication. Rough prototypes allow more flexibility for changes and improvements.

📝 Tangible material to support the interview process with users
In user interviews and workshops, tangible Lego maps and early prototypes sparked valuable conversations. Based on user reactions to specific prototypes clarified current pain points in the complex system. Tangible materials also help user understanding of designer goals, moving beyond abstract discussions.