GlucoGuardian is an app for diabetics that supports a holistic approach to diabetes management.
ROLE: UX Researcher and Designer
METHODS: Client Interview, Secondary Research, Directed Storytelling, Competitive Analysis, Journey Mapping, Rapid Prototyping, Kano Analysis, Usability Testing, High Fidelity Prototyping
TOOLS: Figma, Figjam, Miro, Zoom
Client Overview
MelaninMD is a healthcare startup aiming to bridge the longstanding gaps in healthcare for people of color. They envision a future where every individual, regardless of skin tone or background, has equitable access to healthcare resources and receives personalized, accurate, and timely medical support.
Project Goals
Create an application for those diabetes that is culturally responsive and inclusive where users can monitor their glucose levels, track their food intake and empower themselves to take charge of their health.
Research
To better understand the landscape of diabetes and those it impacts, we needed to understand the gaps in the current marketplace and understand how we could incorporate cultural inclusivity into the app itself. Secondary research revealed that non-white people are diagnosed with diabetes at a much higher rate than white people. They also face greater barriers to receiving proper healthcare and in accessing healthy and whole foods to take manage their diabetes and glucose levels. The research also revealed that racial discrimination and poverty have immersive impacts on the rates at which BIPOC people due to heightened and prolonged exposure to the stressors associated with racism and poverty.
Speaking with users…
Through directed storytelling sessions, we found challenges for users in managing their diabetes.
Currently, people have difficulty with finding nutritional information for their cultural foods on food tracking apps which often times leads to not eating them since they cannot track the information well
Getting an educational information on diabetes is difficult and can be unclear. Even if a care team is available, people don’t feel like they can advocate for themselves or know what to ask to help manage their diabetes
Despite healthcare becoming increasingly inclusive, it is still difficult for people of color to advocate for themselves in the healthcare setting. This is especially true for immigrants who are not fluent in English
Being able to share glucose updates with care providers is important and having access to historical data to show that information overtime is essential
Determining app features
Reflecting on what the users said about their current experiences with diabetes management, our team synthesized the information and considered what features could best meet their needs. We created 12 features to assess in a Kano Analysis to help inform our next steps.
The Design
Take a look at a small portion of the GlucoGuardian app. Together, our team prototyped a culturally inclusive diabetes management app that helps users monitor their current and historical glucose levels, track dietary information, with emphasis on diverse cultural foods, locate culturally competent care and have a source for trusted education on diabetes, so users can take charge of their whole health.