The University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) serves as the foundational health insurance program for individuals engaged in academic pursuits and employment within Ontario's university landscape. Notably, the UHIP website garners a substantial viewership of approximately 65,000 visits per semester. Nevertheless, the current platform falls short in furnishing comprehensive guidance to students regarding UHIP utilization. This project undertakes the pivotal task of rectifying this issue by presenting international students with a centralized, lucid information hub. This strategic enhancement ensures that students are well-informed about the procedures and expectations associated with their tenure at the university, thereby enhancing their capacity to navigate the Canadian healthcare system more effectively and enjoy a superior healthcare experience.
While the existing U of T UHIP website provides a wealth of information, a recurring challenge arises each year, particularly during the start of each semester. The office is inundated with a significant volume of emails from individuals seeking answers to common questions like "Where can I locate my identification number?" or "How can I obtain my UHIP card?" Regrettably, the solutions to these frequently asked questions are readily available on the website. However, users often struggle to efficiently locate this information, leading to a substantial surge in the workload of the lone staff member responsible for addressing email inquiries. When the client reached out to us, they asked:
"Can you design a chatbot to assist answer those emails?"
During our initial client meeting, they brought along email metrics data. The data indicated that approximately 9,000 emails were received, with a staggering 85% of these inquiries revolving around UHIP card and account access – information that was already available on their website. The UHIP office sought our assistance in addressing this predicament and enhancing the efficiency of the staff member responsible for handling these recurring queries. They had a concept in mind, proposing the implementation of a web chatbot to automatically address these common questions.
As a designer, I've been contemplating whether a chatbot represents the optimal solution. While it seems like a chatbot could potentially assist in the situation, the question remains: is this what the users truly require in this context? While the metrics data can shed light on issues from the client's perspective, it's evident that further research is necessary to gain a deeper understanding of our user's specific needs.
I initiated a competitive analysis by investigating other institurion/organizations' UHIP website, trying to find out the commons and differences. One interesting finding is that given the natural context of health insurance, almost all the websites are content heavy and hard to digest, the key point for a better experience would be the content layout and information architecture.
Additionally, alongside with my teammates, we designed and conducted survey and usability testing to discover more insights from user.
"Users need a way to find clear and centralized information, helping them understand UHIP, and how it can be used."
The existing user experience on the U of T UHIP website is not particularly favorable, and there are numerous aspects that could benefit from enhancement. Nevertheless, due to our tight project schedule of four months and in accordance with the client's specific demands, my team conducted a vote to prioritize the most frequently mentioned pain points identified during our research, focusing on those areas where effective improvements can be made.
With pain points discovered from the journey map, potential design ideas were generated for the future design phase. When brainstorming, I believe in "The more, the better", and a prioritization grid was created to help categorize and organize the thoughts.
In this phase, I led the team discussion about the prioritized user pain points and big ideas. The ideas were assessed with both their impact on users' needs and feasibilty of implementation. I also presented those thoughts to client to get the confirmation before moving to the design period, and also to make sure that we are on the same page in terms of the understanding of the problem.
Taking into account the identified pain points and the constrained timeline, the core design solutions centered around enhancing the layout of webpage content and introducing clear, explicit information about insurance coverage.
When designing the new information hierarchy and content layout, the webpages were divided into two parts - the Homepage and Subpages, where the primary elements in the homepage were redesigned to be more intuitive and clear, redesign of the subpages focus more on information breakdowns.
On the right, the wireframe shows the preliminary content layout of the homepage. With the updated sidebar on the leftside, including links to secondary parts of UHIP and quick links for common information.
The main content starts with an anchor for easier navigation within the page, and the three major blocks now showing brief notes about what is covered under each of them.
The Important Dates part employs a timeline with dots to notify users about the deadlines for different UHIP activities.
The home page continues to prominently feature the three primary steps in the user flow for accessing UHIP information. Under each step, specific activities are clearly displayed, allowing users to grasp what they'll find when they click on them. This approach aids users in efficiently locating the information they need, improving their browsing experience.
Additionally, the Important Dates section, complete with a timeline and concise notifications, offers users a convenient way to quickly grasp upcoming deadlines for various activities. The filled dots serve as clear indicators of impending deadlines.
The updated sidebar utilizes colors to indicate the user's current position on the website, with the titles corresponding to the three steps mentioned on the homepage.
The emergency contact information and quick links are neatly divided into two sections to enhance their visibility, and colors have been employed to distinguish between them.
In the case of subpages, the initial horizontal navigation has been converted into a vertical version to align with the content intuitiveness principle discussed earlier. Subtitles have been included beneath each section to enhance the discoverability of information.
Within each subsection, particularly in the text-heavy and challenging-to-read sections, information has been fragmented into manageable chunks, each accompanied by a title. This approach facilitates readers in digesting the content and swiftly pinpointing the specific information they seek. Furthermore, each section is designed to be collapsible, enabling unrelated information to be hidden, thus reducing distractions for users seeking relevant information.
Apart from the redesign of the website's content layout to enhance the overall discoverability and user-friendliness, it's crucial to recognize that although the U of T UHIP website serves as a primary resource for individuals seeking insurance services, the original website lacks comprehensive coverage details. Consequently, it is essential to develop designs that offer a more accessible means of comprehending the coverage in order to address user pain points effectively.
In a questionnaire distributed during the research phase, 63.6% of respondents indicated that they visited the official UHIP website for information on insurance coverage.
I have introduced the Coverage Detail Table on the website. This table provides users with the essential information required for exploring insurance coverage.
A quick link to the table has also been incorporated in the sidebar, enabling users to reach their destination with just a single click.
In order to address users' lack of awareness regarding supplemental insurance in conjunction with UHIP, I developed an interactive insurance comparison table. This table allows users to easily distinguish between the insurance plans they are enrolled in.
Located in the top-right corner, users can specify their status, and the relevant information will be highlighted within the table. Additionally, a search bar has been implemented to assist users in comprehending how their specific needs are covered by these plans.
Completing the initial design phase doesn't mark the conclusion of the journey; testing and iterations are perpetually crucial for refining products and achieving perfection. Following the introduction of the design concepts and the creation of the first version of the high-fidelity prototype, I organized a presentation with the client to demonstrate our efforts and the website updates. Fortunately, the feedback received was positive, and the client expressed excitement about the upcoming changes to the website.
In order to persist with the design iterations, my team conducted a second round of usability testing to confirm whether the new website aligns with users' expectations and effectively addresses the pain points identified during the initial round of testing.
Being a UX designer, I firmly believe that communication is a skill that can continually evolve. In this particular project, the client not only presented their requirements but also offered a suggested solution. While it is crucial for me to attentively listen to the client's viewpoint to comprehend the current scenario, it is equally important for me to critically assess whether their proposed solution is indeed the optimal choice. I consider myself fortunate in this project, as the client proved to be accommodating and open to various ideas, allowing me the time to conduct thorough user research and gain insights into user perspectives.
In certain situations, effective communication serves as the bridge that enables me to advocate for my own insights and consider the perspectives of various stakeholders, ultimately guiding us toward a mutually agreed-upon destination.
Determining the completion of a project can be challenging, and in my view, projects tend to remain a work in progress. The testing of prototypes or existing products proves to be the most effective means of uncovering opportunities for enhancement and gaining a deeper insight into user needs. Users evolve over time, along with their requirements and experiences, making usability testing an essential tool for gauging the success of my work thus far and identifying areas for further exploration.
Furthermore, even when a design is accepted and launched, I firmly believe that it's just the beginning. I am consistently dedicated to refining the product and delivering an exceptional user experience. In this journey, there's always room for improvement, and it's an ongoing commitment to ensure that the product remains at the forefront of user satisfaction.
