Project Rescue Mission

PROBLEM SPACE

UC Health, a $5 billion dollar regional healthcare system, had built a long-term relationship with a trusted agency vendor.

Unfortunately, the agency had delivered a subpar design solution for their primary digital property, a site that attracts over 200,000 visitors per month.

They needed a rescue.

In August 2021, Forbes named UCHealth as the No. 1 employer in Colorado.

PROJECT GOALS

Improve the quality of the new UI

Improve menu access & increase capacity

Promote new construction & facilities

JUST UNDER THE SURFACE

Fig. 109—Key structural gaps in process

In addition to their stated concerns, hidden just under the surface were a set of challenges that also needed to be addressed.   

First, there had been zero research and very little planning conducted before the agency design was produced, so a gap in understanding user and stakeholder needs existed.

And second, there was poor communication between the digital team, the leadership team, and the agency. The process produced a lot of opinions, but poor alignment and shallow rationale.

MOVING FORWARD TO GO BACKWARD

The strategy was simple, but risky. Under the guidance of the product owner, I began by conducting stakeholder interviews and creating a v2 homepage design immediately as if I were continuing the process already in progress.

It isn't often I agree to design without objective research as the foundation of our understanding, but I reluctantly decided to move forward to go backward. I was called to the table for my visual design prowess, so it was important to deliver.

Then, I planned to mold the design into a more human-centered solution through a research-based and iterative process that involved and aligned all parties involved.

Spoiler alert: It worked.

BEFORE

The existing data on user behavior showed lacklustre interaction with the content.

With an ego-centric content strategy that prioritized their own content over offering help, I made an educated guess that people were left wondering,
"So, where is all the stuff I actually need?"

I advocated for prioritizing user needs.

AFTER

Self-serving content has been replaced by patient-focused features, and it paid off. During testing, I received waves of validation.

A larger, cinematic billboard approach appeased all the stakerholders, including the client's agency.

And a kabob menu gives users access to other important elements without converting primary navigation to dropdowns. (Editor's note: See learnings.)

❮ DRAG CENTER LINE TO REVEAL ❯

HOW WE DID IT

METHODS & DELIVERABLES (8 WEEKS)

Comprehensive discovery
Stakeholder research
C-suite board pitch
Responsive website design + iterations
Mobile website design + iterations
3-Phase research plan
User testing recruitment + pre-screening
9 Moderated user tests, on-site
171 Unmoderated user tests, remote
10 Card sort studies, remote
Affinity mapping, on-site
Feature prioritization, on-site
Data analysis

TAKE A PEEK

[+] USER TESTING PLAN
[+] INTERVIEW SCRIPT
[+] NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT
[+] PRE-INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE
[+] TEST RESULTS, MODERATED
[+] TEST RESULTS, UNMODERATED
[+] PRE- & POST-STUDY RESULTS

TOOLS

Fig. 110—Jason and Matt collaborating on our research

Innovation in the Rescue

BUSINESS IMPACT

While UCHealth is pretty tight-lipped about their actual numbers, they did have this to say:

"Matt is a visionary creative professional who possesses a unique ability to grasp the bigger picture and execute designs that support a seamless customer experience. His methodical and efficient approach to projects results in market-differentiating solutions.

"The recent overhaul of the home page and main navigation, under his direction, led to a noticeable improvement in key metrics and a positive impact on vital business segments."

—Vincent Serio, Senior Director, Digital Marketing & Emerging Media

LEARNINGS

Ah, the kabob menu. Unfortunately, the shift opened up a queue of requests "to be included in the menu" that still hasn't been closed.

At a critical juncture, I decided to use a different vendor for our unmoderated user recruitment—a misstep that caused apologies, delays, and rework.

In retrospect, I would have liked to have enabled a UCH digital team member in user testing for continuous learnings.

Successful reconciliation between a large corporation and a large agency is tough, but I made it happen. They continue their relationship today.

DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS

// CREDITS //

Voyage is the consulting collab of Matthew Reiswig and friends solving problems and blowing minds since forever. | Read at Medium. Connect at LinkedIn.

Futura Bold by Linotype. Neutra Text Book by House Industries. Commuter Sans by Dharma Type. | All illustrations created by Artificial Intelligence.