Roles
Design Research
Product Design
UI/UX Design
Tools
Adobe Illustrator
Sketch/inVision
Timeframe
Jan - Oct 2018
00
Objective
Our team worked on mitigating disparities in hearing literacy and hearing healthcare access through a comprehensive redesign of the audiogram, a ubiquitous tool for displaying auditory function.
We tried to improve hearing loss patients’ quality of life by improving their health literacy on hearing loss and hearing aids.
01
Solution
Audiohelp is a web-based audiogram management platform that transforms the old audiogram to our new design for patients with hearing loss. Our new design of audiogram addresses the problems of the old audiogram, which will be explained in details later. We decided to create a web-based application because hearing loss occurs gradually when people age, and the majority of our targeted audience placed computer as their most used device.
Upload
Users can upload their old audiogram and one-click transform it into our design, which features a more comprehensive and user friendly interpretation
Transform
Important information such as user’s hearing condition at different frequencies is transformed in our new design.
Interpret
Our new design of the audiogram eliminates the x&y axes and clearly labels the left ear and right ear. The smaller the size of the green circle, the worser the hearing loss. In addition, the black outlined reference circle help patients visualize their hearing loss.
Store
Patients can store both their original audiograms and new audiograms in the platform. They have the option to share their audiograms to other as well.
Working as a visual design and product development intern for this project, I took charge of redesigning the audiogram by using stakeholder-informed, evidence-based best practices as well as evaluating the efficacy of the new audiogram with focus groups.
I am also responsible for designing a whole new set of supplement infographics to help patients better understand hearing loss and hearing aids. In addition, I created an web-based audiogram management platform and saved the time users spend on retrieving useful information by 90%.
03
My Role
04
Research
The research has three stages:
Stage 1) Audiologist focus groups.
We asked participants to examine the current versions of the audiograms and then answer a series of questions about content, usability, layout, readability, comprehensibility, and preferences.
Stage 2) General public focus groups (Patient Focus group).
We first asked participants about their experience with hearing loss, and then asked them to examine the current versions of the audiograms and then answer a series of questions about content, usability, layout, readability, comprehensibility, and preferences.
Stage 3) Evaluation of audiogram comprehensibility and health literacy (Patient Interviews).
The participant completed a brief survey that collects demographic information and intent to purchase hearing aids. They also completed the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) to assess numeracy, literacy, and inferential ability. Finally, participants completed a test of comprehension administered by a study team member. This test will depend on the results of the first stage of research, and will be submitted in an amendment prior to beginning work on this stage.
05
Findings
Health literacy & Intention to purchase hearing aids
Health literacy has a significant association with intent to purchase hearing aids, above and beyond any effect of SES, race, or severity of hearing loss. For now, only 1 out of 5 people who could benefit from hearing aids actually wear one.
Health literacy & Comprehension of the audiogram
Patients have low levels of comprehension of the audiogram (as measured by tests designed for this study), and there is a significant association between health literacy (as measured by NVS) and comprehension. Therefore, health literacy can be improved by improving patients’ comprehension of the audiogram.
Problems of the current audiogram
Patients’ comprehension of the audiogram can be improved by eliminating problems on the current audiogram (see next section: Problem on the Current Audiogram) and redesigning an clearer and more intuitive audiogram.
Supplement infographics
Supplement infographics on hearing loss and hearing aids in addition to the audiogram are necessary to improve patients’ health literacy as well as improve patient’s quality of life.
06
Problems
Problems of the current audiogram are shown below. It is difficult to understand and depressing to look at for patients with hearing loss.
Patients want to have a intuitive audiogram that they can use to better understand their hearing loss.
07
Persona
08
Prototype
09
Redesign of audiogram
After runs of design meetings and design iterations, the final design is shown below.
Advantages:
1. Left ear and Right ear are now clearly labeled.
2. x & y axes are eliminated.
3. The smaller the size of the green circle, the worser the hearing loss.
4. The black outlined reference circle help patients visualize their hearing loss.
