Care+

The goal was to design an app for an assigned topic. My topic was note-taking, and I chose healthcare as my target audience.

I started with secondary research (online articles, research papers, videos and other documents) to better understand the problem.

The problem

Nurses recognize paperwork is an integral part of delivering care and communicating, but the amount they’re expected to complete keeps them from prioritizing documents of real value and, most importantly, reduces the time they have for patient care.

Nurses see that some paperwork is patient-focused and essential, and they have a professional duty to provide information for quality improvement and managing services effectively. A report analyzed with a thematic approach surfaced these key themes:

• Duplication
• Data collection and audits
• Clarity on essential vs. non-essential documentation: how the nurse’s role is compromised by non-essential paperwork
• Dwindling administration support
• Issues around the use of technology

Care+ is a closed-loop communication system between the hospital and its staff. Management assigns real-time tasks to nurses as their shift begins, helping them focus on the task at hand and always be where they’re needed most.

Nurses can take notes and access previous records, enabling improved patient care and safety. Beyond note-taking, an integrated medical guide helps them prepare for point-of-care situations.

My topic was note-taking, so I started with a market analysis of the note-taking apps already out there. To do something different, I picked a specific audience and worked to understand their problems, needs and opportunities.

I created two user scenarios to understand how users would navigate the app to achieve their goals.

I then planned the structure of the app and where each feature would live.

The project was first completed in December 2016, and I redesigned the UI in November 2017. Here are screens from the initial design process and the first version of the app.

For the redesign, I went with a simple colour palette and lots of icons to make the app easier to navigate.

I picked blue because it has a calming effect and is associated with health, healing, tranquillity, understanding and softness, and green because it’s associated with emotional healing and protection.

A note-taking and task management app that improves how information is delivered and shared in healthcare.

• Management assigns real-time tasks, so nurses can focus on the task at hand and always be where they’re needed most.
• Nurses take notes and access previous patient records, enabling improved patient care and safety.
• An integrated medical guide helps nurses prepare for point-of-care situations.
• The system eliminates duplication, so nurses can focus on their primary duty: safe, competent and ethical nursing care.

Welcome onboard

The onboarding screens give users a tour of the main app features.

Manage your tasks more efficiently

Never miss a task that needs your attention. Get real-time alerts to look after your patients’ well-being and deliver excellent care.

Remote access to patient data

Prevent misinterpretation of patient information and avoid harm. Access patients’ basic information on the go to keep track of their diagnosis, treatment response and medication.

Quick notes on every visit

Quick notes keep a consistent record of a patient’s well-being. The data helps doctors with diagnosis, and helps oncoming nurses deliver quality care safely.

A reliable, accessible record keeper

Store all work and personal notes in one place. Centralized digital records avoid duplication and make patient information accessible when needed.

Personal notes cover other work-related things, like schedules and guidebook notes.

Prepared for point-of-care decisions

The medical guidebook gives quick access to a drug guide, symptom checker, pill ID, medical calculators, interaction analyzer and more, so nurses can advocate and intervene, if needed, to ensure patient safety.

Settings that fit your needs

Reminders, text size and night mode for greater accessibility, plus an optional passcode to protect tasks and work notes.

Care+ was the first app I ever worked on. It’s where I first found my passion for UI/UX and human-centred design. It isn’t backed by much research or any user testing, but it taught me the basics of what it takes to build a successful product.

After my first product design internship at Universe in 2017, I revisited the project: I could now spot UI/UX issues and wanted to apply what I’d learned. I redid the interface to use native iOS patterns, consistent iconography and simpler colours, and added spot illustrations, empty states and animation for delight.

What would I do differently today?