OVERVIEW

RESEARCH

WIREFRAMES

TESTING

FINAL DESIGN

NEXT STEPS

OVERVIEW

Medscape’s Continuing Medical Education Activities allows doctors to gain necessary credit towards certifying their up-to-date learning.

Medscape’s Continuing Medical Education Activities allows doctors to gain necessary credit towards certifying their up-to-date learning.

I got the opportunity to lead the re-design of the end of activity portion of Medscape’s Continuing Medical Education Activities. Medscape.com is a website that garners millions of hits a day, mainly from users in a medical profession.

TIMELINE

4 weeks final intern project;
Presented to team

4 weeks final intern project;
Presented to team

MY ROLE

UX intern

UX intern

TEAM

Collin Scott, Senior UX Designer

Vivian Chen, Product Designer

Nikkole Haynes, PM Wanjiao Zhao, PM

Collin Scott, Senior UX Designer

Vivian Chen, Product Designer

Nikkole Haynes, PM Wanjiao Zhao, PM

PROBLEM

Doctors are constantly short on time. The current experience has confusing/time-consuming obstacles and steps that make doctors less able to continue on to more activities in one session.

Doctors are constantly short on time. The current experience has confusing/time-consuming obstacles and steps that make doctors less able to continue on to more activities in one session.

GOAL

Less time-consuming, less confusing, more satisfying.

Less time-consuming, less confusing, more satisfying.

My main goals were to make exiting the activity less time-consuming, make potential choices after finishing an activity less confusing, and completing a learning activity more satisfying. I was hoping see this reflected in two ways:

Increase in % positive comments

Increase in % positive comments

Increase in % positive comments

Increase in correct predictions of where to go next

Increase in correct predictions of where to go next

Increase in correct predictions of where to go next

RESEARCH

THE USER JOURNEY

Going through the user journey, current design, and receiving feedback from company stakeholders, I concluded that the most specific area that I could change was the user experience after they had completed a learning activity.

I brainstormed opportunities for steps of the journey. One problem we had been facing was that there would be drop-off immediately after users took the CME quiz, preventing them from seeing other activities.

Going through the user journey, current design, and receiving feedback from company stakeholders, I concluded that the most specific area that I could change was the user experience after they had completed a learning activity.

I brainstormed opportunities for steps of the journey. One problem we had been facing was that there would be drop-off immediately after users took the CME quiz, preventing them from seeing other activities.

RESEARCH - COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

I investigated 3 other popular CME sites past interviewees would mention: UptoDate, myCME, and the Curbsiders. I had two main observations:

I investigated 3 other popular CME sites past interviewees would mention: UptoDate, myCME, and the Curbsiders. I had two main observations:

NAVIGATION

NAVIGATION

NAVIGATION

Competitors had some sort of outline to let users know what steps were next

Competitors had some sort of outline to let users know what steps were next

Competitors had some sort of outline to let users know what steps were next

1/X QUESTIONS

Number of total questions were shown and separated into slides to make things less overwhelming

Number of total questions were shown and separated into slides to make things less overwhelming

Number of total questions were shown and separated into slides to make things less overwhelming

RESEARCH - USER TESTING

In addition to identifying points of improvement based on other research and spearking with stakeholders, I also gathered user feedback on the current designs (with some UI changes) from 8 US doctors who completed CME online. Reactions were mixed but there were 3 main points of friction:

In addition to identifying points of improvement based on other research and spearking with stakeholders, I also gathered user feedback on the current designs (with some UI changes) from 8 US doctors who completed CME online. Reactions were mixed but there were 3 main points of friction:

  1. Users didn't know what was next, discouraging likelihood to extend sessions. This a result of vague button text like "save and proceed" and cutoff text.

  1. Users didn't know what was next, discouraging likelihood to extend sessions. This a result of vague button text like "save and proceed" and cutoff text.

  1. Users didn't know what was next, discouraging likelihood to extend sessions. This a result of vague button text like "save and proceed" and cutoff text.

  1. Lots of long text with small font inspired users to use descriptors like "intimidating" and "hard to read." Users did not view tasks as easy.

  1. Lots of long text with small font inspired users to use descriptors like "intimidating" and "hard to read." Users did not view tasks as easy.

  1. Lots of long text with small font inspired users to use descriptors like "intimidating" and "hard to read." Users did not view tasks as easy.

  1. Users were getting confused whether they had finished a test or not, and were unsure of whether they gained credit, decreasing their satisfaction in completing an activity.

  1. Users were getting confused whether they had finished a test or not, and were unsure of whether they gained credit, decreasing their satisfaction in completing an activity.

  1. Users were getting confused whether they had finished a test or not, and were unsure of whether they gained credit, decreasing their satisfaction in completing an activity.

Below is an example of one of the pages being tested:
These doctors saw a version of the post-assessment page I had already redesigned to be coherent with Medscape’s new design system. The UX layout basically stayed the same.

Below is an example of one of the pages being tested:
These doctors saw a version of the post-assessment page I had already redesigned to be coherent with Medscape’s new design system. The UX layout basically stayed the same.

OLD DESIGN

UPDATED DESIGN INTERVIEWEES SAW

Vague return to activity button that didn’t consider reasons why users would need to return to the previous activity.


Although score was shown unlike before, it was still too unnoticeable and continue link was confusing.

Vague return to activity button that didn’t consider reasons why users would need to return to the previous activity.


Although score was shown unlike before, it was still too unnoticeable and continue link was confusing.

Vague return to activity button that didn’t consider reasons why users would need to return to the previous activity.


Although score was shown unlike before, it was still too unnoticeable and continue link was confusing.

Button was all the way at the bottom so if there was more than 1 question users would have to scroll far to even know what step was next.

Button was all the way at the bottom so if there was more than 1 question users would have to scroll far to even know what step was next.

Button was all the way at the bottom so if there was more than 1 question users would have to scroll far to even know what step was next.

The one significant design change I did make, which continued to be effective, was highlighting the correct answer and allowing incorrect answers to still show.

The one significant design change I did make, which continued to be effective, was highlighting the correct answer and allowing incorrect answers to still show.

The one significant design change I did make, which continued to be effective, was highlighting the correct answer and allowing incorrect answers to still show.

WIREFRAMES

SOLUTION - ADDING A TIMELINE

One of the biggest reasons for doctors not continuing to do another activity was a lack of time because of the nature of their occupation. By replacing navigational arrows with a progress bar, users could see what they had done and estimate what was left, gaining motivation.

One of the biggest reasons for doctors not continuing to do another activity was a lack of time because of the nature of their occupation. By replacing navigational arrows with a progress bar, users could see what they had done and estimate what was left, gaining motivation.

Finished progress

Unfinished activities

SOLUTION - ADDING TEXT HIERARCHY

Another point of confusion was that users were not sure if they had completed the test. Creating text hierarchy that brought more attention to the completion message helped users identify their results more clearly.

Another point of confusion was that users were not sure if they had completed the test. Creating text hierarchy that brought more attention to the completion message helped users identify their results more clearly.

Success confirmation

Score

Title of test

Success confirmation

Point total

largest

smallest

SOLUTION - NEW ACTIVITY EVALUATION

One goal of ours was to decrease the likelihood of users to close out of the activity before reaching the final page that allows them to see other activities.

One goal of ours was to decrease the likelihood of users to close out of the activity before reaching the final page that allows them to see other activities.

Clear title of telling users what they are doing

Labeled number of total questions; one question at a time

Clear labelling that lets users know they can reach their main goal next step (receiving credit)

Activity Evaluation

Question 1/X

Back

Next

Continue to Certificate

TESTING

USER TESTING THE DESIGNS

10 users (US doctors who had take CME online in the last 3 years) were asked to step through 2 prototypes of the end of activity experience (one with progress bar, one with two buttons). They then compared 2 versions of a redesigned activity evaluation (one with the card format). They answered about ~15 questions on their experience. Some of the finding include:

10 users (US doctors who had take CME online in the last 3 years) were asked to step through 2 prototypes of the end of activity experience (one with progress bar, one with two buttons). They then compared 2 versions of a redesigned activity evaluation (one with the card format). They answered about ~15 questions on their experience. Some of the finding include:

  1. There was a clear increase in positive responses to the designs by users.

  1. There was a greater likelihood to complete the activity evaluation with the one-by-one format.

  1. There was a decrease of confusion concerning where buttons led.

More specifically I found:

  • The progress bar was the new feature users wanted the most and had the most positive things to say about.

  • Users were satisfied with the current linear user flow and preferred to stick to the end rather than being offered options to choose.

  • Some users preferred an activity evaluation where questions were all on one page but users who preferred them one-by-one felt more strongly about their opinion.

FINAL TAKEAWAYS

The final results of this project were 4 high-fidelity designs also adjusted for different breakpoints. Shown below are the final designs for the test success page and the activity evaluation.

Changed button text from ‘Continue’ to

also have the next pages to give users clarity

Progress bar for tracking and navigation

Design is using elements and colors from Medscape’s already established design system to create a “high contrast and welcoming feel” compared to previous survey

Live button under question-by-question design allows users who do not want to complete the evaluation to skip without scrolling without making it too apparent that this activity evaluation is optional, considering both user and stakeholder interests

Allow users to easily return to top to confirm and continue after reading

Color-coding and marking each question’s correct status to help users scan results more quickly

WHAT I LEARNED / NEXT STEPS

These were some of the recommendations I gave to my team to continue exploring with the project that I could not accomplish in just 4 weeks.

Consider how user preferences found from the end of the activity experience can be applied to the rest of the activity experience.

  • How can we make the entire activity cohesive?

  • Are there usability issues present there that were also present in this investigation?

Consider interviewing those who use specifically Medscape’s CME regularly.

  • If designs are improved, do we see more regular users?

  • Are there needs that regular users have that first-time users don’t?

Evaluate user preferences between desktop and mobile CME.

  • Do users use our mobile CME? Is it more or less user-friendly?

Medscape CME

Medscape CME

2023

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