Aware
ADHD Resource App
Aware is a mobile app designed to help women with ADHD to connect and set appointments quicker with ADHD specialists.
Project Details
Timeline
4 Weeks
Tools Used
Figma
Roles
UX Designer, Researcher, Copywriter
Problem Space
Girls with ADHD are under-represented due to the lack of public awareness and knowledge, often leaving them undiagnosed until they are well into their adult years. While ADHD diagnosis and treatment exist in Canada, the process could be improved to better accommodate the needs of women struggling with the disorder.
Secondary Research
75% of women with ADHD
are undiagnosed.
46% of women with ADHD are misdiagnosed,
often being diagnosed with another illness.
Psychiatrists give varying assessments
While some psychiatrists are covered by provincial insurance, patients are often confused and unprepared to seek specialized assistance.
Long wait times
Early identification and intervention are often difficult, wait times can range up to 1.5 years.
Private assessments can cost upwards of $3,000
Adults often have to seek private practices to receive a proper diagnoses, but it comes at a cost.
Hypothesis Statement
I believe that by making all methods of ADHD diagnosis easily accessible for Canadian women it will help them receive diagnosis and treatment faster.
I will know this is true when I see a higher percentage of women being diagnosed and receiving proper treatment much earlier in their adult years rather than later.
Assumptions
- That most Canadian women are unaware of the resources available to receive an ADHD diagnosis.
- Women encounter difficulty requesting to see a specialist because of their family doctor.
- Some women may be ashamed to be diagnosed with ADHD and therefore avoid getting a diagnosis.
- That a majority of women did not try to get a diagnosis as a child or were completely dismissed from having ADHD at all.
- Lack of digital and online tools to request and receive an ADHD diagnosis.
User Interviews
Three interviews were conducted over a virtual call using Discord. Participants were asked several questions ranging from when they discovered ADHD to when they finally received a diagnosis if they had gone through that process.
Participants were chosen with these criteria in mind:
Must be living in Canada
Must be over the age of 18
Must identify as a Female
Either believe they have ADHD or have received an ADHD diagnosis
Key Insights & Themes
As I looked over the notes taken for each interview, the same issues and concerns seemed to come up. These were categorized into three key themes:
Understanding & Clarity
Many women want the sense of clarity that having a diagnosis brings, while also understanding the process to get to that diagnosis.
Convenience & Speed
Canadian women would like to receive ADHD diagnosis and treatment faster, but are unable to because of long waiting periods between appointments.
Lack of ADHD Representation
In comparison to more well-known illnesses such as depression, ADHD in women lacks public knowledge and awareness, making it more difficult to come across resources in daily life.
Problem Statement
I chose the theme of Understanding & Clarity, as the information gathered from the interviews and secondary research revealed that many women want to receive a clear diagnosis so they have a better understanding of their condition.
"How might we make the ADHD diagnostic process more tangible so that more Canadian women can be assessed and diagnosed?"
User Persona & Stories
Once the user persona was created, I began formulating user stories to see what features would help users to achieve their goals.
The user stories fell into three epics, Quick & Informed Booking, Treatment & Medication, and Providing ADHD Resources. Quick & Informed Booking was the chosen epic as it was most aligned with the problem statement. By making the steps of the booking process clearer and more efficient, it can lessen the confusion and stress for women, thus making the process of receiving ADHD diagnosis and treatment more accessible and streamlined.
The complete list of user stories for this particular epic are listed below.
Task Flow
This particular task flow follows a new user who has not been diagnosed and follows their journey of booking a first-time appointment with a psychiatrist.
Wireframe Sketches
Exploratory Sketches
Once the user task flow was decided I began sketching potential screens that would be used in the lo-fi prototype. I made sure to keep important information easy to access, and since booking is the main goal, to make it obvious and simple. Most importantly, I avoided putting too much information on one screen so that users wouldn't be overloaded with information.
Solution Sketches
After exploring different layouts, solution sketches were chosen out of the three iterations created for each screen.
First Prototype
Usability Tests
Usability testing was conducted over virtual online calls with five users. The goal of the testing was to see if the initial prototype’s flow was smooth and provided clarity on the process and see if any improvements could be made to the overall design and experience.
Due to the time constraints fo this project, testers were not required to fit any particular criteria to participate.
Usability Testing Results
Users were able to complete the required tasks with minimal difficulty and confusion. While users were able to achieve the goal, there were a few issues that they encountered that slowed their progress.
For example, the psychiatrist list not being obvious that it could be dragged up to reveal the full list.
Design Prioritization Matrix
After usability testing was conducted, issues were sorted on this matrix to identify which ones could be easily solved and make the most impact on usability.
Second Prototype
Implemented Revisions
Of the changes made to the prototype, the biggest one was made to the layout of the appointment confirmation cards. Information was organized in a way that would be easier for the user to read.
Other notable changes included:
- Fixed copywriting issues on the homepage
- Underlining distance and ratings to indicate that they're interactive
- Unselected times changed to have a stroke-only box instead of filled, so users could easily tell that they did not select it
Revised Task Flow
After some consideration, I felt that the previous task flow needed to be revised improve the overall user flow.
Because the persona is a new user who has not been diagnosed, it made more sense to add an onboarding process to the task flow, where the user would insert their information and also indicate that they have not been professionally diagnosed with ADHD, which would then prompt the app to help them set up their first assessment appointment. The booking process itself had very minimal changes.
Hi-Fidelity Prototype
After revisions to the task flow were made, these changes were then implemented to the final hi-fidelity prototype.
What Aware Accomplishes
Helps streamline the process of receiving an assessment and diagnosis by guiding the user step-by-step.
Lessens the workload a user needs to take to search for a psychiatrist by including all the information needed in the app (psychiatrist history, reviews, and location).
Providing additional resources that a user may need to help them on their journey to get assessed.
Key Learnings
Importance of User Testing
I've learned just how vital user testing is to create a well-designed application. It was easy for me to assume that what I designed made perfect sense, until users interacted with my prototype in ways I didn't expect.
Wireframing Workload
Although I've had prior experience creating wireframes, this was my first time doing a deep dive into the process. I found it very enriching to get a better idea of how projects such as these go from sketches to prototypes.
Next Steps
Hi-Fidelity Prototype Testing
I did not get a chance to test the latest version of this app's prototype, so it would be great to have another round of user testing to see if the revised task flow works much better than the original.
Elaborating on Medication Functions
Aside from being able to book appointments, it would be great to add the function to place orders for medication through the app, as well as automatic re-fills, and possibly giving psychiatrists notes on the effects of the medication prescribed.
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