OverviewWake Forest Health System stands as the leading healthcare provider in the region, renowned for its centers of excellence that attract national and international attention. To elevate its digital presence, Wake Forest partnered with EPAM to reimagine its online experience. The goal was clear: transform the Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center website into a dynamic, engaging platform that drives easier access to care, enhances health outcomes, and strengthens the WFBMC brand.
Project Needs:
User Experience Design Role: Experience Lead |
ChallengeWake Forest wanted to elevate the patient experience by improving online transaction capabilities, simplifying patient access, and showcasing its service excellence. The challenge was to design a website that didn’t just look good, but also served as a powerful tool for current and potential patients, helping them navigate the healthcare system seamlessly.
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ActionThe ApproachUser-Centered Focus
We knew that a website must reflect the needs of the users first and foremost. To ensure the digital experience would be intuitive, we conducted deep user research, including contextual inquiry, interviews, and surveys. This helped us uncover key insights about user motivations, needs, and pain points—empowering us to create a site that genuinely resonated with Wake Forest’s diverse audiences. Building a Solid Foundation: Information Architecture We understood that the backbone of any website is its structure. The site needed to clearly reflect the needs of different audiences without overwhelming them. By analyzing the existing content, we pinpointed opportunities for improvement in how information was structured and accessed, laying the foundation for a more organized, user-friendly website. Omni-channel Experience In today’s world, users are multi-channel, and Wake Forest needed a seamless experience across all devices. I worked with the team to ensure that the platform would work flawlessly across every channel, from mobile to desktop, and integrate smoothly with social media platforms. This approach helped us meet users where they are, delivering the right tools, information, and services at the right time. Developing Insights & Building AlignmentI spearheaded the creation of personas and journey maps to bring clarity to user needs and illustrate key gaps in the current digital experience. This visual approach helped ensure alignment across all stakeholders and led us to a deeper understanding of user frustrations and expectations.
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Uncovering Key IssuesThrough extensive research and discovery, we identified several pain points that needed to be addressed:
Guiding Principles & RecommendationsBased on our findings, we outlined several guiding principles to transform the user experience and achieve Wake Forest’s goals:
Redesigning the Architecture & NavigationRefining the Information Architecture
One of the most important steps was separating the content for the healthcare system from the medical school, creating two distinct sites. This allowed us to showcase important information more clearly and cater to the distinct needs of different audiences—patients, doctors, and students. Navigation Revamp We overhauled the website’s navigation, implementing a mega menu that provided clear, intuitive categorization and deep linking, allowing users to get to their desired destination faster. We also created quick links to provide immediate access to critical information in urgent situations. Optimizing Search We addressed a major pain point: site search. We redesigned the search function to match the user’s language, ensuring results were intuitive, easy to navigate, and tailored to their specific needs. This was bolstered by a robust tagging system, making it easier for users to find what they were looking for. |
Prioritizing Key Information & Enhancing User ExperienceLayout & Hierarchy
We worked on a responsive design framework that made it easy for users to find the information they needed on any device. Important content was prioritized through strategic layout changes, making it faster and simpler to access care information. We also ensured the design showcased content relevant to where users were within their health journey, whether they were researching conditions, looking for doctors, or booking appointments. |
Finding a DoctorI led the redesign of the “Find a Doctor” tool, ensuring it aligned with how users search for healthcare providers. It was simple, intuitive, and user-centric, helping patients easily connect with the right doctor for their needs.
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Doctor Profiles & Decision MakingTo drive users to book appointments, I guided the creation of doctor profile pages that featured essential information, like specializations and patient reviews, while using strong calls to action to prompt appointment scheduling.
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Enhancing Condition & Treatment PagesTo establish Wake Forest’s reputation for expertise and drive patient access, I led the creation of in-depth condition and treatment pages. These pages highlighted Wake Forest’s differentiators, helped patients understand their care options, and provided easy access to specialists.
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ResultsAfter the new site launched, the impact was significant:
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