Partnering with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust and TrusTech to conceive and deliver two pivotal applications and a central App Management Portal (CMS). This case study focuses on the Major Incident application and its associated CMS, a system engineered to significantly enhance communication and coordination among opted-in clinical staff during major incidents, such as the Manchester Arena bombing. The core objective was to enable the swift request and provision of medical assistance, availability, and estimated time of arrival (ETA) from relevant personnel, crucially bypassing any silent or do-not-disturb settings on their devices to ensure critical alerts were received.
The Approach: User-Centric UI/UX Design and Agile Project Management for a High-Stakes Solution
My role in this critical project encompassed both the UI/UX design of the application and the comprehensive project management throughout its lifecycle. Given the high-stakes nature of major incident response, the design process prioritised creating an intuitive, efficient, and reliable interface for clinical staff under pressure. Simultaneously, a flexible, agile project management approach was implemented to navigate the evolving requirements and ensure timely delivery of a robust and user-validated solution. This involved close collaboration with medical professionals who possessed firsthand experience in major incident clinical response, ensuring the application directly addressed their needs and workflows.
Client
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust & TrusTech
Service
Content Strategy Design Development Mobile App CMS
Key Features and Implementation.
User-Centric UI/UX Design for Rapid Response: The UI/UX design focused on creating a sleek and easy-to-use interface that would enable rapid information exchange during critical events. Key elements included clear visual cues, intuitive navigation for quick responses (attending/not attending, ETA), and efficient data presentation for incident coordinators.
Enabling Critical Alerts via iOS and Android: A significant UI/UX consideration was the integration of critical alerts, requiring justification to Apple for bypassing silent modes. The design ensured users understood the importance of these alerts and could easily respond.
01
Bespoke App Management Portal (CMS)
The CMS was designed with a secure, invite-only admin login for key hospital staff. Its UI/UX focused on enabling clear audit trails and robust governance, facilitating the efficient pushing of critical alerts and the real-time management of responder availability and ETAs.
02
Branding and Visual Identity
The project involved the complete branding of the solution, including logo design. The UI/UX design incorporated the NHS official colour palette while creating a fresh and professional visual identity for the application and CMS. Multiple logo and brand scheme options were presented to the client for selection.
03
Project Management and Collaboration
Throughout the project, an agile methodology was employed to manage the evolving MVP and incorporate new features and content efficiently. Regular meetings and interactive prototypes facilitated clear communication and feedback loops with the client and medical professionals, ensuring alignment and minimising scope creep. Definitive sign-offs were secured at each stage to maintain a clear audit trail.
Outcomes and Demonstrated Capabilities.
Project Update
The Major Incident App and CMS project delivered a critical communication and coordination platform for emergency response, driven by user-centric design and effective project management:
Intuitive and Efficient UI/UX for High-Pressure Situations: The application’s design enabled rapid and accurate information exchange for clinical staff during major incidents.
Robust and Secure App Management Portal: The CMS provided a secure and user-friendly interface for administrators to manage alerts and responder information effectively.
Successful Integration of Critical Alert Functionality: The UI/UX seamlessly integrated the critical alert feature, ensuring vital notifications bypassed device settings.
Effective Stakeholder Management and Collaboration: Agile project management facilitated close collaboration with the client and medical professionals, ensuring the solution met their specific needs.
Successful Navigation of Evolving Requirements: The agile approach allowed for efficient adaptation to changes and additions throughout the project lifecycle.
Rigorous Testing and User Validation: Comprehensive UAT ensured a reliable and user-validated final product.
Seamless Deployment and Handover: Effective project management facilitated a smooth deployment and handover of the solution to the client.
This project highlights the ability to lead both the UI/UX design and project management for mission-critical applications, particularly within the healthcare sector. The focus was on creating an intuitive and reliable user experience for professionals in high-pressure environments, combined with a flexible and collaborative project management approach to ensure successful delivery of a complex and vital solution.
Outcomes and Demonstrated Capabilities.
Project Update
The Major Incident App and CMS project delivered a critical communication and coordination platform for emergency response, driven by user-centric design and effective project management:
Intuitive and Efficient UI/UX for High-Pressure Situations: The application’s design enabled rapid and accurate information exchange for clinical staff during major incidents.
Robust and Secure App Management Portal: The CMS provided a secure and user-friendly interface for administrators to manage alerts and responder information effectively.
Successful Integration of Critical Alert Functionality: The UI/UX seamlessly integrated the critical alert feature, ensuring vital notifications bypassed device settings.
Effective Stakeholder Management and Collaboration: Agile project management facilitated close collaboration with the client and medical professionals, ensuring the solution met their specific needs.
Successful Navigation of Evolving Requirements: The agile approach allowed for efficient adaptation to changes and additions throughout the project lifecycle.
Rigorous Testing and User Validation: Comprehensive UAT ensured a reliable and user-validated final product.
Seamless Deployment and Handover: Effective project management facilitated a smooth deployment and handover of the solution to the client.
This project highlights the ability to lead both the UI/UX design and project management for mission-critical applications, particularly within the healthcare sector. The focus was on creating an intuitive and reliable user experience for professionals in high-pressure environments, combined with a flexible and collaborative project management approach to ensure successful delivery of a complex and vital solution.
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Elliot NEOS Global Consulting
"4heron was great from start to finish of the process. He took the time to understand what the vision for my company website was, he then brought his experience and expertise to develop a concept that far exceeded the vision that I originally had. Even now, months after completing my website 4heron is still on hand to help whenever I have questions or need changes to my website. I would highly highly recommend 4heron for your next website."
Elliot NEOS Global Consulting
