Paway
UX Design App Project
This User Experience project started with one question: How can we improve pets’ quality of life when being transported with their owners? It is known that many people in big cities don't own a car and therefore rely on public transportation or taxis to transport their pets with them. It was also discovered during this research that people living in cities like London and NYC are more likely to carry their pets with them.
Paway
UX Design App Project
Paway
UX Design App Project
This User Experience project started with one question: How can we improve pets’ quality of life when being transported with their owners? It is known that many people in big cities don't own a car and therefore rely on public transportation or taxis to transport their pets with them. It was also discovered during this research that people living in cities like London and NYC are more likely to carry their pets with them.
This User Experience project started with one question: How can we improve pets’ quality of life when being transported with their owners? It is known that many people in big cities don't own a car and therefore rely on public transportation or taxis to transport their pets with them. It was also discovered during this research that people living in cities like London and NYC are more likely to carry their pets with them.
Hi, I'm a Product Lead
I help businesses develop and grow revenue by understanding people and products through research and strategy.
CivTech NHS UX Research: Identified 4 Key Inefficiencies in Patient Workflows
Led UX research for CivTech NHS, uncovering four critical inefficiencies in patient workflows, improving strategic decision-making for a more efficient, user-centric appointment system.
The Scottish Government and NHS aimed to improve patient communication, appointment management, and digital accessibility through a UX-driven transformation. The CivTech NHS challenge sought to replace outdated, manual workflows with a more efficient, user-friendly digital experience.
My research focused on identifying barriers in appointment booking, missed communication, and digital exclusion, providing data-driven recommendations to enhance patient experience and reduce operational inefficiencies.
Responsibilities
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Lead UX Researcher – Conducted qualitative research to uncover barriers in appointment workflows.
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Stakeholder Collaboration – Worked with NHS teams, policymakers, and technology providers.
Hypothesis
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Digitising appointment communication will reduce missed appointments and patient uncertainty.
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A real-time digital system will reduce manual workload and improve NHS efficiency.
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Enhancing accessibility and digital skills support will increase adoption of NHS digital services.
Methodology
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Ethnographic research: Observed NHS staff handling appointments, cancellations, and call management.
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Focus groups: Engaged 4 NHS team members on workflow bottlenecks and digital barriers.
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Usability testing: Evaluated patient experiences with appointment notifications and online access.
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Secondary research: Analysed regional data on digital exclusion, patient behaviour, and NHS inefficiencies.
Goals
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Identify inefficiencies in current appointment management and patient communications.
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Assess digital inclusion gaps to ensure accessible, user-friendly solutions.
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Improve NHS workflows by reducing administrative workload and manual processes.
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Develop strategic UX recommendations for future implementation.
Strategic Approach:
Improving Patient Communication & Transparency
Identified gaps in real-time patient updates, causing unnecessary call volume. Proposed appointment tracking & automated notifications to reduce uncertainty. Suggested self-service options to empower patients with appointment control.
Improving Digital Accessibility & Inclusion
Addressed barriers for elderly and digitally excluded patients. Recommended simplified UI and assisted digital support options. Designing multi-channel communication.
Streamlining NHS Staff Workflows
Identified manual bottlenecks in appointment processing & record-keeping. Proposed automated document submission & workflow optimisations. Suggested training NHS staff in digital transition strategies.
Reducing Costs & Operational Inefficiencies
Assessed postal expenses & administrative workload in patient communication. Proposed automated letters & digital confirmations to cut costs. Identified process automation to reduce missed appointments.
Key Findings:
01.
Appointment Workflow Delays Reliance on manual processes for scheduling and rescheduling.
02.
High Call Volume: Patients made 500-600 calls daily due to lack of self-service options.
03.
Digital Exclusion Risks: 15% of adults lacked basic digital skills, limiting online engagement.
04.
Missed Appointments Impact: NHS lost £136 per missed appointment, increasing costs.
This image is part of the proposed solution.
Problem Statement
How can NHS Scotland digitise appointment management, reduce administrative workload, and improve accessibility, ensuring seamless patient communication?
UX Research Insights:
01
Patient Anxiety
& Trust
Patients worried about appointment confirmation & missed comms.
Lack of real-time updates led to unnecessary inquiries.
A transparent system increased confidence in NHS digital tools.
02
Task Completion Barriers
Patients struggled with multi-step rescheduling processes.
Confusing online forms caused drop-offs during scheduling.
Missed confirmations led to unintended no-shows.
03
Service Accessibility Gaps
Low digital skills impacted patient engagement with online portals.
Some patients preferred human-assisted booking over digital options.
Multilingual & accessibility features were crucial for inclusivity.
04
Staff Digital Adaptation
NHS staff required extended training for digital appointment systems.
Lack of real-time analytics made workload forecasting difficult.
Resistance to change slowed digital adoption rates.
05
Cross-Platform Communication Needs
Patients expected seamless mobile, email, and postal updates.
Lack of two-way communication between patients & NHS created delays.
Integration with GP systems was necessary for smooth referrals.
User Needs
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Real-time appointment tracking with automated notifications.
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Simple, accessible rescheduling options for all patient demographics.
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Clear communication from NHS to reduce anxiety & confusion.
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Integrated multi-channel updates (SMS, email, post).
User Pain Points
❌ Manual appointment confirmations caused delays & frustration.
❌ Limited self-service options forced unnecessary NHS calls.
❌ Lack of digital accessibility excluded key demographics.
❌ Fragmented NHS tools led to inefficiencies in communication.
Archetypes
The Telephone Booker
Characteristics: Highly detail-orientated and Able to multi-task between telephone and computer.
Behaviour: Empathetic and able to understand people talking while navigating systems at the same time efficient.
Goals: Ensure appointment system is up-to-date and patient feels listened to.
Appointment Booker
Characteristics: Empathetic to communicate with patients and technology savvy.
Behaviour: Moving between multiple system to achieve outcomes and reviewing work before sending out appointment.
Goals: Booking the right appointment for the right patient while ensuring system is up to date.
Patient First
Characteristics: Customer focused, good communicator and good listener.
Behaviour: Sensitive, self-aware, focused on patient needs and satisfaction.
Goals: Sreamline workflows while digitising documentation (information leaflets) to improve process with patients.
The champion consultant
Characteristics: Willing and wants to use digital tech solutions in the workplace. Open-minded.
Behaviour: Consultant that is a technology enthusiast, keen to embrace technology in their workflows.
Goals: Reduce the number of systems they have to login to throughout their day.
User Journey
Peak-End Rule
Ensured patients’ last interaction (confirmation messages) left a positive final impression to increase trust.
Doherty Threshold
Recommended faster response times in the system to keep patients engaged and reduce frustration.
Zeigarnik Effect
Designed clear progress indicators to prevent patients from abandoning incomplete appointment bookings.
Aesthetic-Usability Effect
Suggested cleaner, more visually structured layouts to improve perceived ease of use and engagement.
Suggested Psychology of Design Principles and Laws
Conclusions and Recommendations
New CMS system needed
Automating patient communication reduces workload & increases efficiency. A two-way communication CMS that can reply to patient's booking requests, management and cancellations.
Accessibility
Self-service portals with accessibility features improve adoption.
Consider digital and post (for exceptions)
Multi-channel notifications enhance transparency & reduce missed appointments.
Staff training required
Training & phased rollout needed to support NHS staff adaptation.
