OVERVIEW

DailyEase serves as an application and an interactional record device designed to facilitate communication between chronic pain patients and professional consultants. It engages individuals experiencing chronic pain, recording pain-related data daily in an easily accessible and enjoyable manner.

MY ROLE

Design Research Lead

Responsible for primary research, co-design workshop, and define user pain points.

UX and UI Designer

Responsible for delivery wireframe and high-fidelity prototype for DailyEase application.

TOOLS

Figma/Miro/Blender/Arduino

TEAM

Xinxin Li/ Yitong Shang/ Yuanyuan Lin/ Zhiyang Cheng

DURATIONS

Feb - May 2023

ACHIVEMENT

Nominated for the UX Award 2024

In early 2024, DailyEase was nominated for the UX Award 2024, making it one of my proudest design projects, as it has the potential to offer valuable insights to those in need.

Learn More

Learn More

Learn More

Nominated for the UX Award 2024

In early 2024, DailyEase was nominated for the UX Award 2024, making it one of my proudest design projects, as it has the potential to offer valuable insights to those in need.

Learn More

ACHIVEMENT

Nominated for the UX Award 2024

In early 2024, DailyEase was nominated for the UX Award 2024, making it one of my proudest design projects, as it has the potential to offer valuable insights to those in need.

Learn More

Learn More

Nominated for the UX Award 2024

In early 2024, DailyEase was nominated for the UX Award 2024, making it one of my proudest design projects, as it has the potential to offer valuable insights to those in need.

Learn More

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Chronic pain patients often face significant challenges in conveying their pain experiences to healthcare professionals, leading to misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment.

The project goal was to develop a solution that improves data documentation and facilitates better communication between patients and their clinicians.

THUS , WE TENDED TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION

How might We Close the Communication Gap between Chronic Pain Patients and the Medical Specialists?

Lack on Data Support

Pain Description

Distrust

Memory Lost

Time Constrains

Distrust

Memory Lost

Pain Description

How might We Close the Communication Gap between Chronic Pain Patients and the Medical Specialists?

Lack on Data Support

Pain Description

How might We Close the Communication Gap between Chronic Pain Patients and the Medical Specialists?

Lack on Data Support

Pain Description

Time Constrains

Distrust

Memory Lost

SOLUTIONS
SOLUTIONS

Documentation

Designed a physical device and an accompanying app to help users document pain data across seven domains: Pain Types, Pain Quality, Location, Relief, Triggers, Emotion, and Duration.

Image: DailyEase application and records device

Report Generation

Enabled users to generate reports that summarize their pain data for use during medical consultations, enhancing the clarity of communication with specialists.

Image: Report provides to the clinicians

Report Generation

Enabled users to generate reports that summarize their pain data for use during medical consultations, enhancing the clarity of communication with specialists.

Image: Report provides to the clinicians

SOLUTIONS
SOLUTIONS

Documentation

Designed a physical device and an accompanying app to help users document pain data across seven domains: Pain Types, Pain Quality, Location, Relief, Triggers, Emotion, and Duration.

Image: DailyEase application and records device

Report Generation

Enabled users to generate reports that summarize their pain data for use during medical consultations, enhancing the clarity of communication with specialists.

Image: Report provides to the clinicians

Report Generation

Enabled users to generate reports that summarize their pain data for use during medical consultations, enhancing the clarity of communication with specialists.

Image: Report provides to the clinicians

SOLUTIONS
SOLUTIONS

Documentation

Designed a physical device and an accompanying app to help users document pain data across seven domains: Pain Types, Pain Quality, Location, Relief, Triggers, Emotion, and Duration.

Image: DailyEase application and records device

Report Generation

Enabled users to generate reports that summarize their pain data for use during medical consultations, enhancing the clarity of communication with specialists.

Image: Report provides to the clinicians

Report Generation

Enabled users to generate reports that summarize their pain data for use during medical consultations, enhancing the clarity of communication with specialists.

Image: Report provides to the clinicians

MVP APPLICATION OUTCOME

GIF: Onboarding information input

Onboarding

Onboarding

Collected initial data on users’ pain history, including intensity, duration, triggers, and relief methods.

Collected initial data on users’ pain history, including intensity, duration, triggers, and relief methods.

Device Interaction

Device Interaction

Developed animations and user interface elements to help users effectively interact with the pain record device.

Developed animations and user interface elements to help users effectively interact with the pain record device.

GIF: Records tablet interaction

GIF: Documenting pain experience within Daily Record

Pain Experience Recording

Pain Experience Recording

Facilitated users in recording their daily pain experiences, including key metrics like duration, triggers, relief, and mood.

Facilitated users in recording their daily pain experiences, including key metrics like duration, triggers, relief, and mood.

Data for Self-management

Data for Self-management

Provided users with daily health statistics to help them manage their pain more effectively.

Provided users with daily health statistics to help them manage their pain more effectively.

GIF: Insights feature

GIF: Generating report

Report

Report

Allowed users to compile detailed health summaries for different time periods, aiding in more accurate diagnosis and treatment.

Allowed users to compile detailed health summaries for different time periods, aiding in more accurate diagnosis and treatment.

GIF: Onboarding information input

Onboarding

Collected initial data on users’ pain history, including intensity, duration, triggers, and relief methods.

GIF: Records tablet interaction

Device Interaction

Developed animations and user interface elements to help users effectively interact with the pain record device.

GIF: Documenting pain experience within Daily Record

Pain Experience Recording

Facilitated users in recording their daily pain experiences, including key metrics like duration, triggers, relief, and mood.

GIF: Insights feature

Data for Self-management

Provided users with daily health statistics to help them manage their pain more effectively.

GIF: Generating report

Report

Allowed users to compile detailed health summaries for different time periods, aiding in more accurate diagnosis and treatment.

GIF: Onboarding information input

Onboarding

Collected initial data on users’ pain history, including intensity, duration, triggers, and relief methods.

GIF: Records tablet interaction

Device Interaction

Developed animations and user interface elements to help users effectively interact with the pain record device.

GIF: Documenting pain experience within Daily Record

Pain Experience Recording

Facilitated users in recording their daily pain experiences, including key metrics like duration, triggers, relief, and mood.

GIF: Insights feature

Data for Self-management

Provided users with daily health statistics to help them manage their pain more effectively.

GIF: Generating report

Report

Allowed users to compile detailed health summaries for different time periods, aiding in more accurate diagnosis and treatment.

RECORD DEVICE PROTOTYPE

Physical record device with NFC tag readers, body system figures, and pressure sensors to capture pain types, location, and intensity

Simple technology is often the best solution. Research indicated that many target users with chronic pain face financial barriers, so I proposed using simple technologies with lower cost in the design to increase accessibility.

Image: DailyEase Pain Records Devices

PRIMARY RESEARCH

Conducted semi-formal interviews with stakeholders, utilizing engagement tools to capture pain expressions and needs

  • Conducted 30-60 minute interviews with six key stakeholders.

  • Using engagement tools like a body shape board and color markers to help participants express their pain through shapes, colors, words, or symbols.

Explore the Engagement Tool

Image: Interview with Engagement Tools

KEY INSIGHTS

Miscommunication

Invisible pain and miscommunication often result in significant misunderstandings between doctors and patients, leading to the misdiagnosis and bias.

Self-management

For a long time, people suffering from chronic pain have learned about their pain through reading, experiencing, and educating.

Data Support

Specialist counselors require accurate patient matching to avoid misdiagnosis, yet referrals are slow. A specialist-accessible medical records database could speed up the process.

Data Support

Specialist counselors require accurate patient matching to avoid misdiagnosis, yet referrals are slow. A specialist-accessible medical records database could speed up the process.

Self-management

For a long time, people suffering from chronic pain have learned about their pain through reading, experiencing, and educating.

View Full Design Research Process

View Full Design Research Process

CHANLLENGES

Without Medical Expertise, How can We Create Beneficial Solutions for Chronic Pain Patients?

CO-DESGN

Invited the Users Participate into the Design Process

I adopted Co-design/Participatory Design include primary and secondary stakeholders into all design process, to ensure the solution meet the needs of stakeholders.

Meet the Co-Designers

CO-DESIGN PROCESS
STEP 1

Conceptualize

Because Nancy, Marjory and Chris, our co-designers, had no previous expertise in design, it was crucial to equip them with guiding principles for design. We engineered several tools to assist them in articulating discomfort in six sectors: location of pain, varieties of pain, degree, causes, alleviation, and duration.

Image: Tools Provided to Express Various Pain Domains

STEP 2

Co-design Workshop

Then I hosted co-design workshops with target users, to discuss the pain language with the provided tools, and brainstorm the design.

Image: Co-Design Workshop

STEP 3

Identify Clinicians' Diagnostic Needs

I subsequently arrange a seminar involving a torment expert from NHS (UK National Health Services) to discuss findings from the prior co-design workshop and establish the data and intel that healthcare professionals require for diagnosis.

Image: Online Workshop with Pain Specialist in NHS

BUSINESS SCOPE

Competitor Analysis: Determined the available offerings, benchmarked the features, and identify the design trend

To identify the potential market of the final design outcome, I conducted a competitor analysis. According to the research, the existing offerings are lied into three categories: Pain Relief Tools, Self-management Tools, and Pain Communication Tools.

Potential Revenue Model

Government Funding

Support by the government or public health agencies

Cooperation

Collaboration with hospitals or clinicians

Subscription

Gain revenue by users subscription

Freemium

User purchase pain record devices and use app for free

Government Funding

Support by the government or public health agencies

Cooperation

Collaboration with hospitals or clinicians

Subscription

Gain revenue by users subscription

Freemium

User purchase pain record devices and use app for free

DESIGN & TESTING

Wireframe & Prototype

Based on the outcomes from our collaborative design workshop, I constructed the low-fidelity application prototype for these experience:

Onboarding

Pain Records Process

Provide insights data for self-management

Reports to assist specialists in making diagnoses

Image: DailyEase Application Wireframes

Wireframe & Prototype

Based on the outcomes from our collaborative design workshop, I constructed the low-fidelity application prototype for these experience:

Onboarding

Pain Records Process

Provide insights data for self-management

Reports to assist specialists in making diagnoses

Image: DailyEase Application Wireframes

UI Kits

Image: Design System Colors & Typography

See More: Components

Components

See More: Components

Components

See More: Components

Components

User Testing

So far, the DailyEase had tested for three rounds, and we iterated the product twice according to users test result.

  • Low-fi Test: We tested the low-fi prototype with three users before we delivery the Hi-fi prototype.

  • User Test: I hosted a workshop, to test the first Hi-fi prototype with stakeholders.

The usability test participants included chronic pain patients, pain specialists, and researchers.

Image: User Testing with Target Users

User Testing

So far, the DailyEase had tested for three rounds, and we iterated the product twice according to users test result.

  • Low-fi Test: We tested the low-fi prototype with three users before we delivery the Hi-fi prototype.

  • User Test: I hosted a workshop, to test the first Hi-fi prototype with stakeholders.

The usability test participants included chronic pain patients, pain specialists, and researchers.

Image: User Testing with Target Users

OUTCOME & IMPROVEMENT

Usability Enhancements

Improved interaction between the pain record device and the application, addressing usability issues identified during testing.

Image: Improvement 1, Left: Before, Right: After

Image: Improvement 2, Left: Before, Right: After

IMPACT

Defining Project Success

I presented the project to representatives from various institutions, including the NHS, private hospitals, charities, and government bodies. Many recognized it as a potential solution for enhancing communication. With a vast number of potential users worldwide and a high user satisfaction rate in testing, I am confident that this project has strong market potential.

1.5 Billions

Potential users world-wise
(Chronic Pain)

80%

Potential investor indicated it would enhance the quality of healthcare interactions

90%

Of test users saidthey would use this product if it available

TAKEAWAY

Cross-Disciplinary

The project required a deep integration of medical knowledge, particularly in understanding chronic pain management. To ensure the outcome was truly beneficial, I actively engaged with experts in the field. This experience taught me the critical value of cross-disciplinary collaboration and the importance of continuous learning to close the gaps between different fields.

The project required a deep integration of medical knowledge, particularly in understanding chronic pain management. To ensure the outcome was truly beneficial, I actively engaged with experts in the field. This experience taught me the critical value of cross-disciplinary collaboration and the importance of continuous learning to close the gaps between different fields.

Empathy-Driven

The DailyEase project was a profound exercise in empathy-driven design, where stakeholder engagement was crucial to our success. This experience made me understood my value as a designer to bridge between needs and solutions, enhancing my skills in empathetic communication and stakeholder collaboration.

The DailyEase project was a profound exercise in empathy-driven design, where stakeholder engagement was crucial to our success. This experience made me understood my value as a designer to bridge between needs and solutions, enhancing my skills in empathetic communication and stakeholder collaboration.