With this hypothesis in mind, we conducted focused qualitative research including interviews, surveys, and usability tests. We engaged site users across a range of experience levels, understanding that pain points differ for new users versus seasoned coordinators.

To move quickly, we prioritized speed and efficiency: scheduling sessions promptly, using existing tooling, and documenting feedback in a centralized, accessible research repository that the team could digest in real time.

After collecting data, I thoroughly reviewed all recordings and notes to identify recurring patterns and meaningful insights. Using affinity mapping, I grouped responses to uncover core themes and areas of opportunity—providing structure to the synthesis process and helping guide next steps.

To anchor design decisions in real user needs, I developed two personas grounded in interview and survey data. These personas captured users’ goals, frustrations, and workflows—helping the team stay aligned on who we were designing for and why. This ensured our solutions were not only user-informed but user-centered.

After defining the MVP scope, we prioritized features to ensure an effective roadmap by categorizing them into must-haves—essential, high-impact functionalities necessary for success—and nice-to-haves, which enhance product effectiveness but can be deferred to later versions if time constraints arise.

To create a more user-friendly and efficient Site App, we developed an intuitive, scalable information architecture. Its three-level structure—Authentication, Topbar (Site-Level), and Sidebar (Study-Level)—ensures seamless navigation and supports efficient task completion.

By defining this structure early on, we established a clear foundation that not only guided the design process but also allowed for scalability as new features were introduced.

User flows played a crucial role in guiding our design process by clearly outlining how users interact with the app. By mapping out these flows beforehand, we established a solid foundation for designing intuitive and efficient user experiences. This structured approach allowed us to address potential pain points early on.

Created mid-to-high fidelity wireframes using our design system to focus on structuring key components and organizing content, enabling rapid testing and iteration. This approach allowed us to quickly validate concepts and make informed adjustments based on feedback.

To further enhance usability, I developed interactive Figma prototypes for testing, which provided valuable insights into user interactions and guided feature refinements.

Studies are housed at the Site-Level and display all studies the site user is engaged in. For the MVP, we focused on including the following study statuses: Active, Enrolling, and Closed Out. In future iterations, additional statuses like Completed, Pending, and Terminated may be incorporated.

Other Site-Level pages include:

• Site Home: Displays tasks, an activity log, and a summary of queries that require attention.
• Team Page: Lists all team members associated with the site, including contact information and activity history.

The Study Dashboard provided a comprehensive overview of study progress, including overall and task-specific compliance rates, enrollment metrics, and a visual breakdown of participant status.

Data visualizations

• Heat Map: Chosen for its ability to efficiently display variance across variables, highlighting low, medium, and high compliance levels, with low compliance flagged for critical follow-up./li>
• Metric Cards: Selected for their compact, straightforward presentation, metric cards reduce visual clutter by emphasizing single-value metrics. This design ensures that key performance indicators are immediately noticeable without overwhelming the user.

A centralized list displaying key participant details such as ID, name, email, next visit, and current status, enabling easy management and tracking.

The Add Participant functionality allows the site user to input new participant information (ID, name, email, next visit, status) and, if needed, send an invitation to join the study.

The Participant view provides a comprehensive overview for each participant, including demographic information, study-specific data, visit schedules, and uploaded documents. This one-stop reference enables efficient tracking and management of individual participants throughout the study.

The Visit Schedule is an organized calendar timeline displaying both completed and upcoming visits, allowing researchers to monitor progress. Additionally, the Participant Documents section serves as a secure repository for essential files, such as signed consent forms, visit notes, and more, ensuring all relevant documentation is easily accessible.

In a clinical research study, a query is a request for clarification or additional information regarding data collected during the trial. Queries typically arise when there are inconsistencies, missing details, or data that appear inaccurate within study records, and they must be addressed to ensure data integrity.

For the Site App, the design intent was to present a clear list of queries categorized by status—open, resolved, and closed—enabling site users to efficiently review and respond to each query promptly..

Although responsive design was a lower priority, key screens were optimized for responsiveness, with plans for further development. One major challenge was designing a responsive table pattern that maintained usability, leading to the exploration of card-based layouts as a solution.

Key design decisions included implementing a compact, "skinny" navigation for tablet views to maximize screen space while maintaining usability, as well as developing a responsive table strategy.

To document insights from usability testing, I created a report highlighting key pain points, frustrations, and opportunities for improvement.

The most significant issues identified included difficulties grouping participants by compliance level in the dashboard heat map, challenges updating a participant’s status (often requiring navigation to other systems), and the inability to download lists like Participants, Documents, or Consents, which limited offline access and reporting.

Although responsive design was a lower priority, key screens were optimized for responsiveness, with plans for further development. One major challenge was designing a responsive table pattern that maintained usability, leading to the exploration of card-based layouts as a solution.

Key design decisions included implementing a compact, "skinny" navigation for tablet views to maximize screen space while maintaining usability, as well as developing a responsive table strategy.