DíaLife: a better diabetes management tool
APP DESIGN
UX DESIGN
UX STUDIO
15 min read
Product Design
User research
UX Design
Prototyping
Apr 2023 - Jun 2023
Instructor: Jason Levine,
Senior Design Leadership @Amazon
3 UX designers
DíaLife, a product of the University of Washington's UX studio (Spring 2023), redefines diabetes management with an emphasis on safety and inclusiveness.
Fluctuating blood sugar levels in diabetes can be life-threatening, requiring constant vigilance. However, traditional monitoring systems have numerous issues, complicating health management.
We arrive at a diabetes management program that establishes a robust alert and reminder framework. This aids in alleviating the constant obligation for patients to monitor their blood sugar levels. Additionally, it offers meal and medication oversight, as well as educational materials related to diabetes.
Highlighted Features
Utilizing Inclusive Methods for Tracking Blood Glucose Levels
Easily switch and compare between multiple devices
Simply include extra glucose exam gadgets
Daily analysis summary featuring insights (across gadgets, pre/post meals)
Interactive medication and emergency reminders
Emergency notification
(with default vibration)
Personalized reminders settings
Discover
Before delving into the user research stage, it was crucial for us to gain a clear understanding of the disease itself. To achieve this, we conducted a comprehensive literature review and immersed ourselves in a series of documentaries featuring diabetes patients.
Diabetes is a chronic medical condition characterized by impaired regulation of blood sugar (glucose) levels within the body. Glucose, derived from the food we consume, serves as a vital energy source for bodily functions. The hormone insulin, produced by the pancreas, plays a crucial role in the absorption and utilization of glucose by cells.
Blood sugar monitors and continuous glucose measurement (CGM) devices are crucial for diabetes management. Monitors provide quick results via finger pricks, while CGM devices offer continuous monitoring with instant data, trends, and alerts. Some insulin pumps also include CGM features, and the choice of device depends on personal needs and medical advice.
37.3 million people, or 11.3% of the U.S. population, have diabetes. An estimated 28.7 million people – or 28.5% of the population – had diagnosed diabetes. Approximately 8.5 million people have diabetes but have not yet been diagnosed (2022)
The diabetes app market is relatively competitive, with several established players and newcomers entering the space. It is crucial to identify unique selling points or features that differentiate our app from competitors. Conducting market research, identifying gaps, and offering innovative features or solutions can help attract and retain users.
Insights
-Data Integration and Device Connectivity
Enable seamless integration with various diabetes management devices, such as glucose meters, continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), etc. Ensure compatibility and reliable data synchronization between the app and external devices to provide users with a holistic view of their health data.
-User-Centric Design
Prioritize user experience and design in the development process to mitigate childish visual design, such as that found in MySugr, and complex graphs, as seen in Onedrop. Our aim is not to oppose users but to establish an authentically user-friendly and intuitive experience.
-Enhancing Blood Glucose Monitoring
The primary focus should remain on blood glucose monitoring as the core functionality. However, it is imperative to identify distinctive features by thoroughly examining the pain points of users during the research phase. By doing so, we can develop blood glucose monitoring-related functionalities that align more effectively with the specific requirements of individuals with diabetes.
To gain deeper insights into the expectations and challenges faced by individuals in their daily diabetes management, we conducted user interviews with five patients living with diabetes（3 with Type 1, 2 with Type 2). Through these interviews, we identified common pain points and compiled an affinity map to organize the issues they commonly encountered in their diabetes journey. The following are the key concerns and frustrations expressed by the interviewees:
Define
To better guide our design and enable everyone on the team to empathize with our users, we further synthesized our research and the interview results, and came up with the following personas:
Type 1, youthful, dependent, vigilant, technologically-savvy
Type 2, adult, self-managing, lifestyle-focused, progressive
To better guide our design and enable everyone on the team to empathize with our users, we further synthesized our research and the interview results, and came up with the following personas:
Facilitate enhanced monitoring and regulation of blood glucose levels for diabetes patients.
Assist in safeguarding the well-being and safety of individuals living with diabetes.
Introduce an all-inclusive diabetes management tool.
Distinguish our product from competitors and refine our unique selling proposition.
Develop
Following user research, our design team held a brainstorming session where each member shared their ideas. We grouped similar ideas on a whiteboard and provided constructive feedback. We then organized the chosen ideas on a Miro board. Here's a summary of our selected ideas. （The ideas ended with ✅ are employed in our final design).
Re-consider the tab bar alignment with user mental model, wording, and sequence.
Consider removing the medicine refill feature since those types of medicine can be requested through the hospital portal.
Focus on the core functionality of being a diabetes management app.
Always display the user's carbohydrate intake goals.
Show the remaining carbohydrate/protein/dietary fiber quota for the day.
Reevaluate the proposal of VAT integration, taking into account the significant number of elderly diabetes patients who may not be tech-savvy.
Deliver
Monitoring blood glucose forms the core feature we established. Carrying insights from our brainstorming, we swiftly transitioned from blueprint layouts to the initial polished design. In this phase, our primary enhancements were from these viewpoints:
enable hypo/hyper sugar warnings and notifications
linked gadgets are located in the profile section
incorporation of crucial emergency contacts
In terms of managing medication, we have simplified the user navigation and enhanced the UI design of the medication card, making it more approachable for users.
We've implemented significant alterations in our meal management system to include:
introduction of a food log for convenient tracking of user's dietary habits
clarification of button functions in the food specifications page to prevent user uncertainty
display of detailed nutritional data, both in aggregate and proportionate forms
In striving to establish a credible online network for our users, we implemented features such as the workshop and the learning board. The primary modifications from the wireframes to high-fidelity prototypes include:
revising our UX copy from 'webinar' to 'workshop' to more accurately reflect our objectives for this functionality
refining the search function on the learning board and incorporating predefined categories to facilitate user navigation
But wait, why did we make all these iterations?
Post-creation of our prime high-fidelity prototype, five potential users were involved in a usability analysis. We facilitated their introduction to our application, set defined tasks, and prompted them to vocalize their thoughts.
Upon completion of their assignments, we pursued further queries and structured the collected responses. This methodology supplied crucial perspectives guiding our subsequent iteration. Emphasis was primarily given to the issues identified by a minimum of 3 out of 5 participants.
“When I saw this page, I thought that swiping right would switch to insulin. The design seems a bit deceptive.” - Tester 05
"Does the colored circle above the Meals tab represent the daily intake? It's not very clear without a percentage indication of how much it is exactly." - Tester 01
"I don't know the specific difference between these two options, and the indications are not clear." - Tester 04
Next steps
Upon concluding the showcase of our project in class, I contemplated whether our application distinctly emphasizes its fundamental operations. Despite introducing numerous functionalities for diabetes sufferers, my attention is centered on our unique traits in the fiercely competitive field. Such a perspective culminated in the ultimate version of Díalife.
Streamline registration process
Visual Design
Reflection
In the product development journey, various factors must be weighed. As a UX designer, it's crucial to address user needs while also considering market competition and technological feasibility. This holistic approach ensures a practical and user-aligned product.
For my ongoing learning, I'll focus on refining blood glucose monitoring and adding a rewards system to encourage a healthier lifestyle.
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