Phy Discovery Project
In 2020, I had the opportunity to work as a freelance UX designer for a startup called Phy, which was working on a diagnostic tool for physical therapy. The objective was to design an MVP iOS mobile app that integrated Phy's diagnostic technology. Being new to this space, I started with a 3-week discovery phase to understand the physical therapy industry, patient intake procedures, and rehab processes.
To achieve this, I conducted remote interviews (due to the lockdowns) with physical therapists, assistants, trainers, and patients, who helped me understand their pain points and challenges during the rehab process. I utilized the insights gained from these interviews to create personas and experience maps that helped contextualize the complexities of the intake and rehab processes. Additionally, I developed a data visualization of the entire process called the "physical therapy cycle," which involved four stages: intake, assessment, prescribe, and progress.
In addition to the standard experience map documentation, I created a visual journey map tailored to highlight key insights within the context of the initial two-month engagement — a critical window for user adoption and system calibration. These maps provided the team with a shared understanding of user behavior and guided MVP prioritization. We also conducted a competitor audit and extrapolated user journey patterns, which directly informed the product’s initial use cases and design direction.
Persona documentation
Insights & opportunities
Through the discovery phase, I gained valuable insights and identified significant opportunities to address the critical moments and challenges faced by both Physical Therapists and patients. While the initial focus was to inform the UX design specifically for Physical Therapists, the insights gleaned from this process allowed me to develop a comprehensive UX strategy that encompasses the experiences of both PTs and patients. These insights have played a pivotal role in shaping the design and functionality of the iOS Mobile app.
Addressing Critical Moments for Patients
Building Trust and Managing Expectations
Utilize intelligent and interactive visual aids to establish trust and set realistic expectations for patient recovery.Education and Feedback Provision
Present informative content to broaden patients' understanding of their bodies and the recovery process. Engage patients through feedback, input, and tracking features to maintain their involvement.Promoting Body Maintenance and Optimization
Highlight the importance of body maintenance and optimization by providing lifestyle and optimization content. Encourage patients to prioritize their well-being and make informed decisions about their bodies.
Supporting Critical Moments for Physical Therapists
Physicians Streamlined Setup and Ease of Use Simplify the setup process by providing intuitive intake forms and patient charting. Seamlessly integrate with existing systems for effortless implementation.
Enhanced Patient Management and Charting Deliver comprehensive volumetric scans and data-rich charts to improve patient care. Develop features that empower specialists to monitor patient progress and promptly address potential concerns.
Data and Idea Exchange for Improved Patient Outcomes Establish a collaborative platform that facilitates the exchange of expertise among doctors and physical therapists. Enable the seamless sharing of data through easily accessible reports.
