LivingWith™ UC

Improving the wholistic health of patients with Ulcerative Colitis

Find in the App Store & Play Store

Client

Pfizer

UX Designer

Role

Timeline

7 months

Measurable Outcomes

2nd

most downloaded app
in the Pfizer portfolio

50%

of users returned
to the app multiple times

5mins

time spent on average
while using the app

What was the ask?

Approximately 1 million individuals live with ulcerative colitis (UC), navigating a complex journey of diagnosis and treatment that considerably affects their physical and emotional well-being.

LivingWith™ UC is a mobile app available on iOS and Android devices that helps patients with Ulcerative Colitis understand and manage their daily symptoms in order to improve their overall physical and mental wellness. By better managing their symptoms they will be able to live healthier and more fulfilling lives. This app was created to support Pfizer’s Unbranded campaign that compliments the branded campaign for their drug VELSIPITY.

User Research

Information Architecture

Wireframing & Prototyping

Usability Testing

STAGE 1: RESEARCH & DISCOVERY

PATIENT INTERVIEWS

Key Takeaways:

  • Need support beyond adherence to medication

  • Require a tool to help manage their physical symptoms

  • Would like help with the mental burden that comes with having UC

  • Patients have to download a combination of apps to get the support they need

COMPETITIVE AUDITS

Key Findings:

  • There are very few UC/IBD focused apps available

  • There is no existing multi-faceted app

  • Many apps that currently on market feel very primitive and uninviting

  • The app with the best rating had features that took mental health into account

PROBLEM

People living with UC need help regularly tracking and managing all their symptoms.
How do we build a comprehensive tool that helps with wholistic disease management?

PROPOSED SOLUTION

LivingWith™ UC will help users track symptoms, analyze health trends, and provides actionable tools to maintain a healthier lifestyle, both mentally and physically.

STAGE 2: DEFINITION & SYNTHESIS

BRAINSTORM SESSION

We ran a brainstorm session with our clients, brand strategy team, account management team, development team and UI team. The goal was to think of all possible features, regardless of feasibility, so that we could create a pool of features to pull from and refine.

MoSCoW Prioritization

Based on patient and stakeholder feedback, we took the most popular ideas from the brainstorm session and turned them into proposed features. We then ran a MoSCow Prioritization workshop with key stakeholders, patient spokespersons, the legal team and development team.

CONCEPT TESTING

We asked current UC Patients how the felt about the solutions we had landed on during the MoSCow Workshop to determine our final features:

Key Takeaways:

  • Participants said Daily Habits & Symptom Tracking and Food Journal features would be very useful

  • Participants were indifferent to the Filtered Wellness Exercises and a Bathroom Locator

  • Participants would love to see Filtered Gut Friendly Meals

  • Participants strongly supported the idea of having a dedicated section catered to mental health

STAGE 3: DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT

SKETCHES & FLOWS

The focus for the sketches was to formulate an experience that took the features and functionality we picked for the MVP stage and further expand on the full During this stage we were continually validating our recommendations against the constraints the Development Team had given us and the ongoing feedback from focus groups of stakeholders and patients.

WIREFRAMES

MVP & Fast Follow

Knowing we were working with a tight timeline we split our features into 2 categories: “MVP” and “Fast Follow”. The goal was to launch the app with the components that were absolutely required and then release an update 6-8 weeks later with the rest of the features.

Our MVP consisted of 2 of the 5 Health Tracker categories, a condensed Recipe experience and condensed Home experience.

When building the wireframes, we split the app into 5 sprints, designing both the MVP and Fast Follow experience so that our dev team could build each screen/feature with it’s future state in mind.

Key Features & Functionality

Home

Monthly Badge

Reminders & Affirmations

Home Page

The Home Screen provides users with immediate access to all app features. At the top, users receive an overview of their day, displaying entries from the Health Tracker and Food Journal. Unfilled categories are highlighted to prompt users to input missing information.

Beneath this daily snapshot, a time-sensitive notification encourages users to engage with the app's Recipes and Mental Wellness tools. For instance, around noon, users are directed to lunch recipes, while in the evening, they're guided to wellness tools for unwinding. Users can also set personalized to push the reminders to a more convenient time.

Recognizing that mental wellness and motivation are key challenges for individuals with UC, the Home Screen features daily refreshed affirmations and quotes to inspire users. Additionally, the home page includes carousels showcasing trending recipes and sounds from the mental wellness section, reflecting popular user choices.

Badges & Gamification

The Home Screen shows the days users have completed entries across all the health trackers and meals that week, and also highlights their current overall "streak" of completion within the app. Users earn badges upon reaching specific milestones, fostering a sense of achievement.

To enhance adherence and retention, the app incorporates gamification strategies inspired by Duolingo's success: a 2021 study found that 80% of language students enjoyed using Duolingo because of its gamification elements. By integrating similar techniques, LivingWith UC aims to improve user retention and ensure users fully benefit from the app through consistent usage of the features.

Health Tracker

Trends

Compare Trends

Health Tracker

The Health Tracker screen provides users with a comprehensive overview of their recorded symptoms for the day, ensuring they have a clear snapshot of their health status. Any missing entries across the five trackers are highlighted, prompting users to complete them. From this screen, users can easily navigate to individual trackers to add new entries or update existing ones, making symptom tracking seamless and accessible.

The 5 categories were selected based on what UC Patients felt were the symptoms that affected their UC and their flares the most,

Trends

The Trends screen enables users to analyze their recorded health data over a selected period, offering insights into their symptom patterns.

Users can also compare multiple symptoms simultaneously to identify correlations between their recorded inputs. For UC patients, recognizing these trends is crucial, as it can help anticipate the onset of flares. By providing an overarching view of symptom progression, the Trends feature empowers users to detect patterns, make informed decisions, and proactively manage their UC.

Food Journal

Skipped Dinner

Breakfast Entry

Food Journal

The Food Journal enables users to log their three daily meals individually, including the time each meal was consumed as well as record any snacks they consumed throughout the day. They can input each food item eaten and add optional notes for additional context. If a meal is skipped, users can record that as well. This feature helps users identify patterns by reviewing past meals in relation to symptom escalation, making it easier to spot potential correlations.

Recipes

Sample Recipe

Filters

Recipes

The Recipes section features curated recipes sourced from Nutritional Therapy for IBD, an organization dedicated to supporting IBD patients through nutrition. A filtering system allows users to browse recipes based on their specific dietary needs. Each recipe is tagged with common allergens, dietary requirements, and dietary therapies, making it easy for users to quickly identify suitable options.

Users can rate recipes and save their favorites for easy access later. The landing screen includes a personalized carousel at the top, dynamically populated based on their saved recipes, ratings, and most recent filter preferences. This creates a more tailored experience, helping users quickly find meals that align with their tastes and dietary needs.

Mental Wellness

Mental Wellness

Through user research with UC patients, mental and emotional wellness emerged as a significant challenge, with stress frequently cited as a major trigger for flares. To support users in managing stress, the Mental Wellness section offers a range of tools designed for daily use. This includes calming soundscapes and guided wellness exercises, helping users incorporate stress-relief practices into their routine to promote overall well-being.

HIGH FIDELITY PROTOTYPE

Make sure to tap through the full prototype! 😊