Risk Communication Tool Designer
for BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute
Length: May 2022 to August 2022
My role: Risk Communication Tool Designer and Co-Author
Utilized skills:
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Competitor Analysis
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Usability Testing with multiple user groups
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Observation
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Qualitative Coding and Thematic Analysis
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Quantitative data analysis using basic statistical methods
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Poster design for publication
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Manuscript writing & revision
Project Overview
Problem Statement:
In the age of AI, healthcare tech can better support clincian-patient communication by providing quantified information for surgeries, medicine use and caretaking strategies. However, healthcare communication tool design is still in its early stages, with limited research on this topic. Clinicians need a tool to effectively communicate the risk of pain to pediatric patients and their parents with quantitative data and qualitative risk mitgation strategies at BC Children's Hospital and beyond. This project therefore fills the research gap of the healthcare communication tool space by defining design requirements for risk communication tools based on quantitative and qualitative research.
Methods:
In my role as a Risk Communication Tool Designer, I:
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Redesigned a risk communication tool in Figma based on prior research studies for testing
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Conducted competitor analysis of existing healthcare communication tools
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Designed and led 13 usability tests (including task-based scenarios, Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire and the NASA Task Load Index scale) with clinicians and pediatric patients' parents to identify core user needs and design requirements for the tool
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Conducted qualitative and quantitative data analysis
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Used the results to iterate on the risk communication tool to produce a final prototype
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Designed project poster for presentation at 2022 Canadian Pediatric Anesthesia Society
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Wrote and revised manuscript for publication
Results:
The results of this project included:
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A project poster presented at 2022 Canadian Pediatric Anesthesia Society
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A Risk communication tool prototype for BC Children's Hospital Research Institute
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A peer-reviewed publication of design requirements to risk communication tools with built in AI-compatible features in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting
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A solid foundation for future investigations of AI integration in risk communication tools in pediatric hosptial settings
Background:
Risk communication tools support the communication between patients' family members and clinicians using decision support systems (artificial intelligence-based decision-making systems used to make treatment). It is an easy-to-understand and helpful way for families of children to comprehend their children's post-operation experiences. This project lays the foundation for a broad range of future AI-based decision-making systems, in which a family member uses system guidance to make a treatment decision either by themselves, or in collaboration with their physician. This projects involves two parts: first part presents a research poster at the 2022 Canadian Pediatric Anesthesia Society, and the second part a published research paper in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting journal.
First part of the project - Research poster presentation:
The first part of the project utilizes co-design sessions with family members and clinicians to identify themes for tool design, with details presented in the poster below. Poster was presented at Canadian Pediatric Anesthesia Society conference (held between 16 -18 September 2022, Vancouver, Canada).
Research findings led to tool redesign from the Original Prototype to the Redesigned Prototype.
Second part of the project - Research paper publication:
In the second part of the project, 12 new participants (7 clinicians and 5 family participants) were invited to complete individual usability evaluations of the tool via virtual interviews with me. We designed tasks for participants to go through and measured their mental workload (using NASA Task Load Index) as well as user satisfaction (using Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire) after doing the tasks. Findings are analyszed using qualitative coding, thematic analysis, and statistical analysis methods.
The results led to another design iteration of the tool, mainly to move the bottom notes section to the second page of the tool so patients have more space for note-taking, and validated the functionalities of the other sections of the tool.
The full results are published in JMIR Pediatrics and Parenting journal on Nov. 17, 2023:
Wood M, West N, Fokkens C, Chen Y, Loftsgard K, Cardinal K, Whyte S, Portales-Casamar E, Görges M
An Individualized Postoperative Pain Risk Communication Tool for Use in Pediatric Surgery: Co-Design and Usability Evaluation
JMIR Pediatr Parent 2023;6:e46785
URL: https://pediatrics.jmir.org/2023/1/e46785
DOI: 10.2196/46785