Case Study | MetaOptima

PROBLEM

Users face issues in capturing quality images with their smartphones and receiving timely medical reports, affecting the accuracy and efficiency of dermatological assessments and treatments. How can I assist users in taking professional smartphone photos for tele-dermatological consultations and in notification management?

BREAKing down THE problem

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Issues with 3D Body Mapping

Interacting with 3D images is difficult, leading to user confusion

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Low-Quality User Images

Low-quality smart phone images hinder accurate diagnosis

notifications_off

Notifications Overload

Users want timely reports without notification overload

solution

To address the challenges in image quality and timely communication, I designed a 3D body mapping experience and a user-friendly camera interface that guides patients to take accurate skin photos with their smartphones. I simplified the notification system by focusing on four key report delivery scenarios, ensuring users stay informed without feeling overwhelmed. Together, these solutions improved diagnostic accuracy, enhanced the teledermatology experience

outcomes

Enhancing Patient Satisfaction & Remote Consultation Performance

I collaborated with Customer Success Team in conducting survey to measure how satisfied the patients were with the image submission process and the result indicated that the process is exceeding user expectation. Regarding the performance of the remote consultation, UX team worked together with the interdisciplinary teams and the clinics to regularly monitor and analyze metric on analytics tool.

92%

Patient Satisfaction

The success metric of patient satisfaction after assessing image submission satisfaction using a Likert scale questionnaire.

50%

Remote Dermatological Consultations

Skin App boosted remote dermatology consultations by 50% weekly, cutting clinic costs vs. traditional visits.

Background

Intelligent Teledermatology Platform

Skin App is a teledermatology app for patients with skin disorders. Patients can capture images of skin conditions, receive diagnosis and prescriptions from doctors and book appointments for virtual visits.
‍DermEngine is a Web App for providers to diagnose skin conditions submitted by users of the Skin App.

My Team
UX Designer
Senior Product Manager
Engineers (Web & Mobile Teams)

Role & Responsibilities
Built native iOS, Android app and a web app from concept to delivery

Project Timeline
2020 - 2021

Problem Space

Business Challenge

Accurate dermatological diagnosis can only be achieved with high-quality images. So, clinics would not use the tele dermatology app unless the app help the patients take good quality images of the skin disorder.

UX Challenge

Dermatoscope, a special medical device, is used by medical specialist to take clinical dermatological images. My task as a UX designer was to design an application that help user take high-quality images that are as good as dermatoscopic images using their regular smartphone and consult the skin issues with the doctors remotely.

discovery

Research

I collaborated with the product manager and the customer success team to conduct research on patients and healthcare providers worldwide. Healthcare providers include -

clinic owners
medical specialists
general practitioners (GPs)
nurse practitioners
clinic reception staff

UX Flow

To grasp user and business needs comprehensively, I streamlined tasks making the entire experience frictionless with a UX flow diagram.

Skin iMage Submission

Tackling the first challenge: Body mapping & Capturing images

The user could seamlessly interact with a 3D body model to pinpoint and added spots to desired body parts. Collaborating with a 3D artist, we identified each body segment for intuitive navigation, complemented by navigation tips. The 3D model's gender corresponded to the user's registration choice.

Designing a User-friendly Camera Controller Interface

I analyzed the UIs and the usability of the top four photo apps from the App Store to see how they addressed the problem.

The Trade-off: Form follows function

To maximize the image preview during skin photo capture, the Android camera app was the only one employing a concise static instruction (see table). Therefore, it was crucial for me to reserve space for instructional tips to assist users. A black background provided optimal contrast for skin photos. I prioritized a steady flashlight for even lighting, collaborated on automatic image enlargement for devices without optical zoom lenses, and retained the countdown timer and front/back camera switch.

Ensuring Accuracy in Skin image Submission

The user must tap on a specific area of the skin for accuracy if the skin condition is melanoma (skin cancer) or they could retake photos or confirmed that the image was not blurred.

The Final Submission Flow

Users submit images after interacting with a 3D body model to pinpoint desired spots and employing a user-friendly camera controller interface designed to maximize image preview and accuracy, which includes specific instructions for capturing skin images accurately, especially for conditions like melanoma.

notifications & reports

Streamlining Diagnosis: User Notification Management

After the patient submitted the case, the provider diagnosed the conditions on the DermEngine Platform. To minimize distractions, I limited user notifications to four report delivery scenarios.

Scenario - 01 - Patient receives notification email/ Checks email on the phone

Scenario - 02 - Patient receives notification email / Checks email on the desktop

Scenario - 03 Patient receives push notification on the phone
Scenario - 04 Patient checks notification tab on the mobile app

User Testing

App Testing Success: Meeting User Needs

In user testing, I ensured the app met both patient and dermatologist needs. I recruited patients with diverse skin conditions and tech skills to cover various scenarios. Testing included filling out questionnaires, scheduling appointments, payment processes, and live video consultations for remote care on top of skin-image submission and managing notifications and reports.

Other than feedback about some minor interface adjustments, I received positive feedback about the testing.

Reflection

What is next

My time at MetaOptima was deeply rewarding. I contributed to impactful projects that advanced dermatological care and collaborated closely with engineers in a supportive, fast-moving environment. These experiences continue to shape how I approach product design today.
The app was successfully launched on both iOS App Store and Google Play Store after development.

Intelligent Teledermatology Experience