This Chicago-based startup helps surgery teams coordinate with hospital management to improve workflow and increase efficiency.
They digitally connect every member of the surgery team, provide assistance with all possible issues, and enable team members increase efficiency by constantly improving surgical techniques.
The digital service functions across these channels:
Corporate website
Web-based desktop application
Touch-screen TV app, set up in surgery rooms
iPad app, used during surgery
iPhone app
Here’s a short video about the startup (the interface shown in the video is
the one created before our team started working on the project).
The Challenge
While working to improve the overall user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) on all digital channels, the most challenging was the iPad app, which is the device used during surgery.
UI elements have to look and function differently from the ones we use every day. This made things a little more complicated.
While featuring all of the steps to be taken during surgery, as well as a detailed description of the tools and controls used to communicate with other team members and hospital administration, the app needed to be very simple, to avoid distraction.
Obviously, all elements needed to be large and high-contrast. But devices used in surgery rooms also have to be sterile. To meet that objective, they are placed in two layers of plastic. This makes tapping harder and removes the ability to swipe.
The Approach
After performing a series of field tests during real surgeries, we learned a number of interesting insights from actual surgery team members. Using this feedback and app stats, we performed two rounds of iterations to tweak the major functionality and layout of the app. We are still constantly and systematically working on improving the UX of the app.
The Result
In collaboration with the Explorer Surgical team, we developed a highly-efficient, user-friendly interface that is currently being integrated into all of the company’s digital channels.
The interface assists surgery teams to ensure that the entire process runs
as smoothly as possible. The app also provides quick access to additional
information, as well as updates on the surgical process and optional steps.
We believe the digital solution we designed not only improves the workflow of hospitals, but also helps doctors save people’s lives.
