DNA app
Mooleq is a service that provides users the possibility to check their health risks based on DNA data they can receive from companies that provide DNA tests.
The challenge was to design a product that would allow users to check their health risks based on DNA results. We also needed to understand what the target audience is expecting to see, what is the average level of medical knowledge among the users, and what is the most convenient way to provide the complex data to them.
First of all, I wanted to understand potential users’ profiles, so I found a few people for user interviews who made DNA tests and would be interested in getting more out of the data they had. I also made research and talked to domain experts to understand more about DNA tests and what could be done with this data. When I had the outcomes of the research and interviews I collaborated with the product manager to figure out how the product would work and which features we would want to build. When we were clear on it, I moved to working on user flows and iterating on wireframes. Afterward I ran usability testing which, as I later realized, could have be done differently in order to bring better results. Based on the outcomes of testing, I iterated on wireframes and jumped on working on UI. As a result, we delivered the product in a very short amount of time, received investment, and took a part in the EIT Jumpstarter program.
If you read this and are still interested in knowing more details, let’s start with understanding users.
To understand the topic itself, I started researching more about DNA tests and the risks that could be identified using the outcomes of it. I also consulted the domain experts we worked with. In order to understand if potential users would be interested in such a product and what would be their expectations, I started by searching for people who made a DNA test and would be willing to talk about it. It was quite difficult but I found a few people and invited them for a call. I also made a DNA test myself to be able to understand users and what kind of data they receive in results.
During user interviews, I discovered that some of them would love to get health results based on their DNA test. This was possible in some European countries and in the US but not in their own country. I was also wondering about the emotional part of it, or in different words, if they would be okay finding out about some risks of serious diseases like cancer, and most of them were absolutely ok with it. Their argument was the fact that they could use this information to prevent certain diseases from happening.
Using the outcomes of the interviews and research, I collaborated with the product manager to create specifications for the MVP and started working on task flows and iterating on wireframes. One of the most important decisions I’ve made was data simplifications. The initial prototype from the product manager was highly technical but a lot of medical data might be unnecessary for our target users. I decided to hide it in the detailed descriptions, making the interfaces cleaner. My goal was to make the product easily accessible for people without medical degrees.
Since we were very limited by time and resources, I conducted a few sessions of guerilla testing. I also sent the prototype to people I interviewed but didn’t run proper unmoderated or moderated testing which was a huge learning for me later when I realized I can’t properly analyze the results just based on feedback from participants.
Results of usability testing discovered some issues with the language we used during onboarding and while checking results. The language seemed difficult to understand for people without medical backgrounds and it was a trigger for me to simplify it as much as possible.
After usability testing, I started working on improving the visual part of the designs. Using colors I decided to emphasize if the user has increased or decreased risk of some disease.
We designed and delivered the MVP version of the product in a very short amount of time. The product received investment and was part of the EIT Jumpstarter program.
If I were to do this again and with fewer time limitations, I would definitely run a proper research phase and define personas. I would also run a proper usability testing session. I would invest more time working on the UI and improve readability.