PROJECT OVERVIEW
Sanofi Genzyme approached INVIVO to design and develop a touchscreen application for their booth at medical conferences. This application would help their scientific experts convey the long-term effects of multiple sclerosis (MS) to conference guests.
I was responsible for leading the UX design on this project, which included tasks such as data visualization, interaction design, presentations, and daily collaboration with the in-house production team.
ROLE AND KEY TASKS
UX designer at INVIVO Communications
- Observational user research
- Hypothesis formulation
- Information architecture (IA) definition
- Data visualization and interaction design
- Created wireframes and lo-fidelity prototypes
- Functional specification documentation
- Organized team meetings and collaboration
- Client and stakeholder presentations
- Revised concepts to incorporate feedback
- Functional application testing
PROJECT TEAM
Sanofi Genzyme (client), account director, project manager, creative director, medical content writer, 3D animator, visual designers, technical lead, developers, quality assurance tester
AWARDS
HCP Education Initiative Finalist in PM360 Trailblazer awards (Medical Marketing Magazine)
DISCOVERY
Understanding Our Client's Needs
- Sanofi Genzyme hoped to stress the importance of treating MS patients at diagnosis, by showcasing clinical studies that showed long-term effects. They had observed that some physicians will wait until patients develop more apparent symptoms before prescribing medication.
- The touchscreen app would be installed in our client’s booth, where their scientific experts could converse with conference guests.
Understanding Conference Guests
- Conducting user research at medical conferences can be challenging due to the highly regulated environment. Fortunately, I had insights into guest behaviours and motivations from previous conferences that applied to this project.
- For example, conference guests spent free time in the exhibition hall, but some expressed only mild interest in visiting company booths because of excessive advertising.
- Due to this behaviour, companies install interactive displays to attract guests and keep them engaged.
HYPOTHESIS
"If we build interactive visualizations to show that MS has debilitating effects on patients at all stages… then conference guests will understand the urgency of treating patients as soon as possible."
Building a Story with Data
- Our team received clinical data that measured MS patients throughout 20 years, investigating different aspects of the disease, such as brain atrophy and impacted body functions.
- Our approach was to demonstrate these effects using interactive timeline visualizations within the touchscreen app. A compelling story beginning at diagnosis would stress the importance of treating patients as soon as possible.
APPLICATION DESIGN
- I suggested building a modular architecture, as our client wanted to show the numerous effects of MS without overwhelming users. For consistency, each section would have its own interactive timeline.
- These timeline visualizations were based solely on clinical studies, which I carefully reviewed with a medical writer who could provide further context on the results.
Creating Timeline Visualizations
- To generate ideas, I created an inspiration board with dataviz examples and sketched rough concepts on paper. This was a fun, but challenging process to produce different representations, while considering the constraints and variables of the data. I selected visuals for the final designs that would be easily understood by guests, and portrayed information in an interesting way.
- The timeline slider itself was consistent across all sections of the app, so users could expect the same functionality regardless of the data that was being shown.
- I also included a 3-step guided tutorial to help guests discover different data views, and encourage longer engagement with the app.
- Throughout the project, I set up meetings with the team to discuss concepts, gather feedback, and prioritize upcoming tasks. I also presented UX documentation, such as wireframes and prototypes, to our client on a weekly basis.
Additional Challenges
- Medical legal teams are very cautious of data representations presented by pharmaceutical companies at conferences. I had to ensure that my designs adhered to their regulations, while satisfying our client’s preferences for impactful visualizations.
- I also needed to consider the physical space and assist the client with determining the conference booth layout. For example, we chose to install smaller displays, which allowed multiple guests to interact with the app at the same time.
RESULTS
'Brain Atrophy in MS' was first installed in our client's booth at a neurology conference. The app was our client's most popular installation, acquiring the most guest sessions compared to the other interactive displays within their booth.
- The average session was approximately two minutes in duration, but engagement was much longer if the guest discussed the material with the booth's scientific experts.
- Based on our tracking information, guests were able to easily switch between different sections and data views. Most were able to explore at least 2-3 of the six application sections.
- Guests were more inclined to explore the app on their own, rather than following the suggested flow of the tutorial.
Feedback and Future Plans
- Our client believed the app was successful in communicating the importance of treating MS patients as soon as possible.
- In particular, they were very pleased with how we adapted the data, and made it easy to share information with medical professionals.
- Since its debut, 'Brain Atrophy in MS' has been installed at numerous conferences around the world. Our client's scientific experts also requested an iPad version to use outside of conference settings.
Credit: Visual mockups - INVIVO