Protocol Builder
Revolutionizing Medical Protocol Creation
Project Overview
Company
A Medical Imaging Data Management Platform Company
My Role
Lead UX Designer creating all wireframes, mockups, and prototypes, as well as conducting all UX research.
The Challenge
In the high-stakes world of medical imaging, our team faced a critical bottleneck. Customers relied on a single employee to write custom viewer protocols in JSON, creating an unsustainable process that hindered scalability and user autonomy. I was tasked with transforming this technical hurdle into an intuitive, user-first solution.
The Journey
Through deep systems thinking and user research, I uncovered that Protocol Builder wasn't just a UI challenge but a complex tool requiring a rethink of the entire user journey. What began as 35 screens evolved into a comprehensive solution encompassing:
20+ user flows
100+ meticulously designed screens
A data-driven approach to validate our decisions
Research Driven Process
Breaking new ground, I championed the company's first-ever usability testing initiative:
Conducted eight in-depth user tests with diverse stakeholders
Gathered qualitative data to drive iterations
Presented findings company-wide, advocating for user-centered design
Key Insights
62% of users wanted enhanced education and context throughout
87% expected intelligent auto-save functionality
Users unanimously praised the tool because it opened up the ability for anyone on their team to create protocols.
The Transformation
Leveraging my expertise in UX copywriting and prototyping, I crafted:
Intuitive step-by-step workflows replacing technical JSON editing
Context-aware tooltips and documentation links
Streamlined annotation and viewer configurations
Real-time preview capabilities at every step
Outcomes & Future Impact
Some highlights from the project:
Transformed complex technical processes into user-friendly experiences
Lead design end-to-end while managing stakeholder and business expectations
Introduced and championed user testing
While the project was ultimately deprioritized, the extensive research, testing, and design work laid a foundation for future development and demonstrated the value of user-centered design at the company.
When this tool is eventually created, it will significantly improve the protocol-building process for Flywheel’s customers and lay the groundwork for an assistant to help users set up protocols more efficiently. I imagined it could harness the power of AI/ML, learn from their selections over time, and eventually suggest prefilled defaults, saving them even more time and hopefully expanding the assistant offering to other features in the app. It would also make it a great selling feature for the sales team.