Curology

For Q3 2022, our team hypothesized that keeping prescriptions truly personalized would improve patient retention. My challenge was to design an intuitive flow that would help patients easily request formula changes when their skin needs evolved, while also streamlining the process for our medical providers.

• Led end-to-end design process from concept to launch
• Conducted rapid prototyping and two rounds of usability testing
• Created high-fidelity wireframes and product specifications
• Timeline: 1 month for design, 2 months total to launch (Q3 2022)

1. Understanding Current Friction Points

The existing process placed significant burden on patients. To request a formula change, patients had to:

1. Navigate to their dashboard
2. Find the "Messages" card
3. Select "I have a medical question"
4. Type in their new skin concerns in a text field
5. Wait for provider follow-up questions and requests for photos
6. Respond with additional information
7. Sometimes wait up to 36 hours for provider responses

This multi-step, text-heavy process created friction and delays.

2. Balancing Multiple User Needs

While designing, I needed to balance two distinct user groups:

For patients: Create a simple, accessible way to request formula changes

For providers: Gather enough upfront information to reduce back-and-forth messaging

A key insight emerged during medical provider interviews: if we could collect the right information upfront, we could significantly streamline the process for both parties.

3. Iterative Design Process

Round One: Focused on Accessibility

My initial concept drew inspiration from mobile messaging interfaces, creating a simple, familiar flow that would make formula changes as easy as responding to a text message.

• Inspired by the effortless interaction of replying to iPhone messages without unlocking the device
• Formula change card design positioned beneath the patient's current prescription
• Streamlined formula request with prefilled messaging

Round Two: Adding Provider Context

After medical team feedback, I redesigned the flow to include targeted questions about skin concerns and current skincare routine. Working with our Senior Content Designer, we created a mini-questionnaire that:

• Felt personalized rather than clinical
• Gathered crucial information providers needed
• Leveraged our existing quiz component for faster development

4. User Testing and Validation

I collaborated with our Senior User Researcher to test six Curology users (ages 18-45) on mobile devices. We tested their existing mental model for requesting changes, the current messaging workflow (control), and the new formula change card experience (experiment).

5. Adaptable Implementation

Based on testing results, I proposed a pragmatic approach:

• Implement both pathways to accommodate different user preferences
• Place the formula change card on the patient dashboard for higher visibility
• Keep the questionnaire focused and brief to minimize user effort

The feature launched on January 1, 2023, and by January 25th:

Two Key Learnings

1. Empathy requires understanding both sides of the exchange.
By considering both patient and provider needs, we created a solution that improved the experience for everyone involved.

2. User preference doesn't always align with efficiency.
Despite creating a more streamlined path to resolution, users sometimes prefer familiar routes. This taught me to maintain multiple pathways when appropriate.

This project exemplifies my approach to design: creating intuitive experiences that balance user preferences with business goals, all while remaining adaptable to feedback and testing insights.