The
Problem
Information about birth control exists on many opposing platforms.
Users are overwhelmed when finding reliable details about side effects, alternatives, insurance coverage, ingredient comparisons, and community support. This leads to confusion and ineffective medication management, leaving users struggling to make informed decisions about their birth control.
How might we improve the experience of users trying to finding reliable details about their birth control online?
User Research: Interviews
01
What were the user's most influential resources?
Sites like Reddit where there were honest discussions with actual users.
“And I would trust [support groups] more than a Google source because it's them talking about their own experiences.” (Participant 2)
02
How did the users determine a source was reliable or credible?
Reading stories that were backdated to the early 2000s, when before AI existed. “And so I was like, there's no way that people could lie about that.”
(Participant 1)
03
How did the user navigate discrepancies?
“I tried to find connecting information. If multiple people had the same side effect that wasn't listed.” (Participant 3)
Persona 1
19 year old college student with job, trying to quickly research side effects so she won’t have to take days off.
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Keep easy to filter organizational system in solution.
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Create method to understand what medication will be best for their body
Persona 2
19 year old college student with job, trying to quickly research side effects so she won’t have to take days off.
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Keep easy to filter organizational system in solution.
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Create method to understand what medication will be best for their body
The
Solutions
1. The Birth Control Archive
2. Hormone Testing System
The Archive
Concerns:
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Too much overwhelming information
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Information is spread thin
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Cut down on research time
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Need for community building
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Impartial flow of information
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Backdated Information
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Geniune Accounts that are AI free
Pictured:
Whiteboard, Crazy 8s, and Drafts of Home Page & Profile Creation
The Archive
Key Features:
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Imports & collects pre-exisiting information online about birth control
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Provides support groups and forums with fellow users
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Keeps users up to date with current news regarding any and all things birth control
Pictured:
Low Fidelity Wire Frame of Archive Homepage
Information Architecture
The Archive
Key Features:
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Compares side effects, ingredients, insurance & rates of known birth control options
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Keeps users up to date with current news regarding any and all things birth control
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Filter-based sorting system, personalized to user
Pictured:
Low Fidelity Wire Frame of Archive Profile Page
The
Solutions
1. The Birth Control Archive
2. Hormone Testing System
User Research: Survey
24 Responses from College & Middle Aged Adults
Has a diagnosed condition (PCOS, endometriosis, etc)
Has had a Hormone Test
done before
Has had their first
prescription work as expected
Awareness
Implementation
Contact
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Hormone tests can reveal important information about women’s health
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including fertility problems, hormone imbalances, and hormone levels in the body
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When asking a gynecologist, Hormone Testing is not common but does exist
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Can help diagnose women with the correct kind of birth control
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saves time, money, and resources
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Resarch on women’s health only began with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Revitalization Act of 1993
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Normalizing it on a level similar to as tests for strep, flu, or covid
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Knowing Hormone Levels help narrow down medication options
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Allows for faster hormone imbalance or disease diagnoses
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Diagnoses the problem at the source
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Potential provides research opportunities