Assumptions about a feature opened up more questions
Buoy came to us with two features already scoped — advanced filters and a metrics widget, added to the existing patient table. The ask was specific, but we didin’t know specifically what information providers actually needed to see, or how it would change what they did in a day. I wasn't convinced we understood the problem well enough to design yet.
What we actually discovered from customer feedback:
I lead discovery interviews with 5 providers who weren't yet on HANS-HQ, using early wireframes to stress-test the proposed direction.
What providers actually wanted:
- A way to see where the patients are, and what to do next.
- Reduce time sink when providers and operators manually re-gather context on a patient
- Reduce email communications
We reframed the problem: providers didn't need better analytics. They needed to organize and act on their whole patient pipeline without leaving the tool.
Re-imagined the feature with a tab-based UX for modularity and content scalability
I proposed a new tab-based UX with an info panel for scalability and surface to perform actions. Once we aligned scope, I refined the design to bring 1) more space for reading, 2) reduce all visual noise to improve scan-ability and 3) improve color consistency with design system token usage.
What we learned
Providers self-reported meaningful time saved on context-gathering before a patient interaction.
- "So much more comfortable to read and helps me get a birds eye view of my patient’s journey stages." — Dr. Koz
- "The tabs make it easy for me to see which patients to pay attention to. Keeps myself and my assistant on the same page." — Dr. Kelley
What didn't land: Overall new-user adoption stayed low. Providers were consistent that a good table isn't what makes them switch tools.
What it set up: clarity on scheduling as the next priority; configurable status thresholds, and customizable journey labels, since treatment stages differ by specialty.
For full case study email me at → jouannchen@gmail.com
