PATTERSON FUSE TIMELINE CASE STUDY
At Patterson, the initial concept of creating a timeline was proposed by a subject matter expert (SME). My role involved applying design thinking principles to evolve this idea further, alongside conducting preliminary research to understand its potential impact. This research aimed to explore how timelines could serve as a universally understandable tool for conveying information, especially in the dental industry.
Based on the research findings and the positive feedback on the universality of timelines, my task expanded to validating the concept specifically for dental health management. I engaged in detailed interviews and surveys with dentists and hygienists to confirm the hypothesis that a patient dental health timeline would significantly enhance the way professionals access and interpret patient information.
In the development phase, I collaborated closely with product management, and SMEs to gather comprehensive requirements. This involved a meticulous examination of existing timeline implementations across popular platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, ensuring our design aligned with familiar user mental models.
Further, I worked with icon designers to review and refine artwork, ensuring it met our user-centric criteria. By incorporating elements from the comprehensive design system I had previously developed, we aimed to deliver a consistent and cohesive user experience, reflected in the detailed wireframes and prototypes I created and iteratively refined based on feedback from dental professionals and SMEs.
The timeline feature was successfully integrated into Fuse, becoming a crucial component of the dental practice management system I was responsible for in terms of usability design, visual design, and information architecture.
Launched in April 2018, the feature received high praise for its intuitive interface and ease of use, with Dental Product Shopper rating it 4.6 out of 5. Dental Products Support also highlighted its intuitive navigation, which significantly improved the way dental professionals access and manage patient history. This acknowledgment cemented the product's status as a leader in dental practice management software, demonstrating the effectiveness of our user-centered design and research approach.
PATTERSON DEEP DIVE
Learn more about my work at Patterson.