COVID-19 Testing & Screening
Challenge
For health and safety reasons, all UC Davis students and employees must take a daily COVID-19 screening survey before entering campus facilities. They must also get tested for COVID-19 every 14 days if vaccinated and 4 days if unvaccinated.
For this project, I worked with three other people to design a new solution that streamlines COVID-19 testing and screening for UC Davis students and employees.
Current Design
DAILY SCREENING SURVEY
SCHEDULING A COVID-19 TEST APPOINTMENT
User Research & Synthesis
To identify the pain points in the process, we distributed a survey to 58 UC Davis students asking questions about scheduling and appearing for regular COVID-19 tests, taking the daily symptom survey, and utilizing the results.
We then synthesized our findings using an affinity map and voted on the specific pain points that we wanted to focus on when designing a solution.
Pain Points:
Scheduling a COVID-19 test is tedious. There is no direct button, so users must go through several steps before they can actually pick a time.
The current process for completing a daily symptom survey requires the use of too many applications.
It is difficult to keep track of requirements. There are no reminders to take the daily symptom survey or schedule COVID-19 tests. It is difficult for users to see when their next COVID-19 test is due.
Defining The Scope
In this project, we will design a new mobile application that will streamline the process of taking the Daily Symptom Survey, scheduling and appearing for COVID-19 tests. The application will also assist students in staying up-to-date with testing and screening requirements.
Developing a Solution
We decided to create one central application so that all of these processes could be accessed in one place.
Branding
Because this is an application that will be used by employees and students of UC Davis, we utilized the UC Davis brand guidelines. The primary colors in our design are the Aggie Blue and Gold, and all of the text is in Proxima Nova.
However, we created our own style of components. Our design uses rounded corners to make the user interface seem “friendly” and reflect how these safety protocols are hassle-free for users.
During one of our ideation sessions, I developed the visual concept of using white boxes with rounded corners and subtle drop shadows over a light blue background. My team really liked how it reflects the UC Davis brand, but also creates a friendly and modern interface.
Wireframes
My team and I started off by creating some low-fidelity wireframes on paper to draw out potential solutions to the previously outlined pain points. We then narrowed down these ideas and developed mid-fidelity wireframes.
User Testing & Revisions
Before proceeding further, we wanted to get some feedback from our users. My team and I worked together to create a user testing script and tested our mid-fidelity prototype with five people.
Our results are summarized below:
Problem: The information on the homepage and the testing screen was mostly repeated, making it confusing for the user.
Solution: We decided to consolidate these two screens and eliminate the navigation bar at the bottom. Instead, we added a hamburger menu in the top right corner.
Problem: Our screens were too information-heavy and users were having a hard time finding what they were looking for.
Solution: My team and I carefully examined each of our screens to determine which information could be eliminated. We also reevaluated how we grouped our information. I suggested that we organize the information by creating smaller boxes, similar to “widgets,” and establish a stronger visual hierarchy.
Revised Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
We incorporated these changes into our mid-fidelity wireframes, which are shown below.
Final Prototype
We then worked on designing our high-fidelity prototype. I have highlighted our application’s key features below.
Scheduling a COVID-19 Test
Pain Point: Scheduling a COVID-19 test is tedious
To schedule an appointment, users can click the “Schedule COVID-19 Test” button located right on the homescreen. Then, they can input the appropriate information and select a testing window. Currently, when users schedule an appointment, they must scroll through numerous possible times at 5 minute intervals. However, since these exact appointment times aren’t enforced, I suggested that we create one hour testing windows instead. Individuals can show up at any time within their chosen testing window. This improves the user experience because individuals who want a later time on that day can easily select the appropriate testing window without any scrolling.
Additionally, in the current process, the testing reminders aren’t clearly listed and the QR code is difficult to access later on; either users must pull up the QR code in their email or log in to their Health E-Messaging once again. However, with the app, this information is much easier to access because users can simply click “View Details.”
Completing the Daily Screening Survey
Pain Point: Completing the Daily Screening Survey requires the use of too many applications
To complete the Daily Symptom Survey, users can just click the button located right on the homescreen and then answer the questions. Once completed, the result shows up on the homescreen. Users do not have to utilize several applications or wait for the result to arrive in their email address. It is also easier for users to present this result as they do not have to find the email in their inbox.
Users can also easily view what their result means by clicking the “information” icon. With the current process, users must search for this information somewhere on the UC Davis website.
Dashboard & Notifications
Pain Point: Keeping track of COVID-19 testing and screening requirements
Currently, there is no easy way for users to check how many days are left before their next COVID-19 test is due. This information is clearly displayed on the homescreen and 2 days before, the countdown box is also highlighted with a yellow outline if the user has not scheduled their next COVID-19 test yet.
Furthermore, users can enable notifications and be reminded when they haven’t filled out their survey yet, when they need to schedule a test, and when they have a testing appointment coming up.
What I Learned
With this project, I had the opportunity to work with a team and further my understanding of the design process. We were able to successfully create a solution that addresses the pain points that many, many students face while following COVID-19 safety protocols. Our project ended up winning two awards: Most Customer-Centric & Audience’s Choice.