Dan Collins Design

Work

About

Desktop GP

Patient Messaging

Design lead

Web / widget

2020 - 2021

Design lead

Web / widget

2020 - 2021

Desktop GP

Patient Messaging

Design lead

Web / widget

2020 - 2021

Desktop GP

Patient Messaging

Solving for a rapidly changing world

The Context

Late 2020, during the pandemic, Livi acquired MJog.

MJog’s software is in over 60% of all GP practices in the UK, the majority of which only use their batch messaging tool.

MJog had recently built a new direct messaging tool specifically for GPs; Desktop GP.

The task

I worked closely with new and existing stakeholders to lead the transition from MJog’s existing product to a hybrid of Livi and MJog and ultimately to where the product is today.

A big part of my role was to introduce Livi’s agile ways of working and design principles to the CPO and development team who hadn’t worked in this way before.

The Challenges

Guiding a new team, a new product and understanding new users is always a challenge, combining that with a new acquisition who have a totally different work culture makes for a high-pressure, emotional minefield to navigate.

A challenge that ultimately taught me a lot and is continuing to improve and provide a set of brilliant products.

Phase 1: Rapidly refresh and rework

Step 1

Review the existing product

Working alongside the new team and speaking with support team members we were able to rapidly get a sense of what wasn’t working and what we could change or discard.

Step 1

Review the existing product

Working alongside the new team and speaking with support team members we were able to rapidly get a sense of what wasn’t working and what we could change or discard.

Step 1

Review the existing product

Working alongside the new team and speaking with support team members we were able to rapidly get a sense of what wasn’t working and what we could change or discard.

Step 2

MVP Refresh

Using the existing Livi design library from another internal clinician tool as a base I began the process of ‘re-skinning the product.

To note: This product was built on very old technology and as a result had a lot of technical limitations around what was able to changed in time for release. This is very much the MVP.

Step 2

MVP Refresh

Using the existing Livi design library from another internal clinician tool as a base I began the process of ‘re-skinning the product.

To note: This product was built on very old technology and as a result had a lot of technical limitations around what was able to changed in time for release. This is very much the MVP.

Step 2

MVP Refresh

Using the existing Livi design library from another internal clinician tool as a base I began the process of ‘re-skinning the product.

To note: This product was built on very old technology and as a result had a lot of technical limitations around what was able to changed in time for release. This is very much the MVP.

Step 3

Talk to our users

Next we conducted research on this refreshed design, some I ran and some I was lucky enough to work with a user researcher. This process proved invaluable as it gave us the clear direction that we needed to progress into next iteration of the product.

Step 3

Talk to our users

Step 3

Talk to our users

Phase 2: Research, rethink and redesign

Step 4

Quick iteration

Working with a Junior product designer, introducing them to activities like Crazy 8’s and pairing sessions we generated ideas and refined our potential solutions down to one direction.

Step 4

Quick iteration

Working with a Junior product designer, introducing them to activities like Crazy 8’s and pairing sessions we generated ideas and refined our potential solutions down to one direction.

Step 4

Quick iteration

Working with a Junior product designer, introducing them to activities like Crazy 8’s and pairing sessions we generated ideas and refined our potential solutions down to one direction.

Step 5

More research

We then took these concepts a tested with users. We captured all of this in a Trello board and used this to analyse the feedback, which created our design considerations and tickets for the following sprint.

Step 5

More research

Step 5

More research

Phase 3: The final iteration

Reducing real-estate

Clearly displaying patient identifiers

Simplifying messaging

Reducing clinical complexity

Results & key learnings

195% increase in sign-ups

Feature parity with leading competitors

Increased positive feedback from users

When working with Junior designers, set clear ownership of who owns what and manage time spent in meetings with them.

Encourage collaboration, particularly with developers who haven’t worked with a designer before.

Pragmatism can really help progress a project under pressure.

Delve deeper into the details of the product — ask 5 more questions that you think you need.