Quality Improvement SolutionsCollection InformationUser Flow BrandResponsive Design User Interface (UI)Visual Design

Case Study: Quality Improvement Solutions.

Designing and Validating Tools to Help Save Time and Money

The Quality Improvement Solutions (QIS) app helps organizations in Health and Human Services be more efficient with compliance tasks by replacing paper based processes with digital tools. QIS is software as a service solution that replaces paper-based quality assurance. QIS would help organizations by assisting in the process of capturing data, alerting them of opportunities, providing tools for data analysis, and archiving the data.

The Challenge: Handling & compiling data

QIS wants to empower HHS organizations with more efficient tools and services so they can focus more of their energies on the people they support instead of spending time on administrative and compliance tasks.

What is the QIS




My Role

I was part of a small team of collaborators that assembled to invent and deliver a solution. I was responsible for the user-research, interaction design, and visual design for 'QIS'—a web based application for ILC (Integrated Life Choices).

QIS solution

QIS became a Software as a Service solution to ILCs original problem. QIS would help organizations by assisting in the process of capturing data, alerting them of opportunities, providing tools for data analysis, and archiving the data.

QIS devices applications

This involved designing a mobile app that could be used on location to obtain data and designing a web platform that could interface with that data.

Goals, Capabilities, & Features

Goal

The purpose of this project is to support the activities of ILC staff that improve the quality of life of their clients. The Quality Improvement (QI) goals they have set to help fulfill this purpose are:
1- to increase the number of potential QI opportunities that get identified.
2- to increase the number of approved QI opportunities that get completed.
3- to reduce the amount of time needed between identifying and completing QIS.

Capabilities

The purpose of this project is to support the activities of ILC staff that improve the quality of life of their clients. The Quality Improvement (QI) goals they have set to help fulfill this purpose are:
  • Collecting Information - need the ability to collect data
  • Securing Information - need the ability to assure the security of the data collected
  • Viewing Performance - need the ability to view and analyze the data
  • Reporting Findings - need the ability to export and share the data
  • Monitoring QI - need the ability to identify quality improvement opportunities
  • Maintaining System - need the ability to assure the quality of the system and guarantee access
  • Empowering Customers - need the ability to obtain and empower new customers

Features and feature sets

Each capability has a collection of features that work together to allow the stakeholder to complete that ability.





User Flow



The Approach

Throughout the project we conducted a series of interviews all using prodding questions about current strategies and workflows. This approach was necessary to understand the reasoning process a typical user from ILC might use. It was also our only available method due to the confidential nature of the company's work.

Sketching Interfaces

Instead of formally wireframing, I opted to sketch them on paper. I used paper prototyping techniques to bring the designs to life and evaluate them with our users. This helped me work rapidly and led me to consider more ideas & validate them in interviews. Sketching also gave me an opportunity to visual the user flow and quickly problem solve by observing how a user would interact with the structures I was creating.

Mockups

I used Sketch to create hi fidelity mockups to validate the product with stakeholders and act as a visual reference for development. Below are UI mocks for the mobile app.

Dashboard

Form submitter tool

Location manager tool

Data viewer tool

Prototyping

Scenarios

In order to effectively communicate with the developer, I laid out powerpoint slides that broke down the design decisions from the abstract capability that was being served to the concrete interface. The slides walk through each component, explaining the UI and outlining the constraints for the interaction. Scenarios were a great way to use language to create constraints on the design.

Prototyping and Usability Testing

I worked closely with the developer to bring our designs to life as a working prototype. Communicating requirements face-to-face and discussing constraints and possibilities with the aide of the slides I created was an effective means to prototype quickly.
We worked collaboratively, tested constantly and iterated progressively.



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