Project:
Designing a video content library for seniors diagnosed with a disease causing vision loss
Client:
This information is confidential.
Team:
Design Researcher, Software Designer
Timeline:
7 weeks
My Role:
Interaction Design, UX/UI Design, Prototyping, UX Research
Our client, a biopharmaceutical company that is the second to market for an eye disease treatment, was looking for an opportunity to differentiate themselves from their established competitor and educate users about their treatment.
In phase 1, the concept of a video content library was pitched by IDEO.
Now, in Phase 2, we are building on the concept to design and test a proof of concept to garner further investment.
Challenges included establishing trust among doctors regarding the product and alleviating patient anxiety regarding this particular treatment.
The Problem:
Exploration
In our brainstorming phase, we focused on designing a video library that felt truly helpful and accessible for seniors—especially those 80+ dealing with vision loss.
I led the exploration of different video styles like interviews, panels, animations, and storytelling, then ran a prioritization session to decide which formats we should prototype and test.
The goal was to create a user-friendly platform that empowers older adults to better understand and manage their eye health. We made sure our research questions spoke to all key stakeholders including seniors, doctors, and the pharmaceutical company. We kept inclusivity and clarity front and center. By grounding everything in real people’s needs and experiences, we were able to shape research that felt both thoughtful and practical.
Prototyping
We advanced to developing the concepts that aligned with both the client's goals and the most innovative, realistic ideas.
I led the design of all doctor-facing flows for our video library, drawing inspiration from platforms like Spotify, Netflix, and Skillshare to create familiar, efficient user experiences.
With just one day for design, I focused on intuitive layouts and seamless navigation— all designs were meant to be in the context of a clinical setting.
One feature that stood out in my research was Tidal’s AI-generated playlists, which I incorporated into the design for testing, enhancing the platform's value by curating video content for doctors based on patient needs.
I also developed flows for playlist customization and sharing, aiming to boost patient engagement through personalized content.
Research
To shape a patient-doctor video content library, we led a mixed-methods research phase engaging six patients and five ophthalmologists. Our approach combined remote and in-person methods including Q&A sessions, card sorting, video feedback, and interactive prototyping.
I designed 15 high-contrast, accessible physical cards for participants—most of whom were over 70 with low vision—to prioritize video topics and assess usability.
To test content and tone, I scripted videos and used HeyGen and Midjourney to create different formats (talking head, storytelling, animation), helping us gauge preferences and which ones resonated most emotionally.
Participants showed a strong preference for consuming educational content while waiting for appointments, with clear interest in disease understanding and treatment paths. We also found that AI avatars were acceptable to both patients and ophthalmologists, validating a scalable direction.
Key Findings
In our research, we focused on uncovering insights that were not only engaging but also actionable for design and valuable to our client. We found that patients are empowered by clear, practical information—especially when it helps them navigate vision loss, understand treatment options and side effects, and connect with local support resources. Representation also mattered deeply; patients responded best to videos featuring people who reflected their own identities and experiences.
However, many faced challenges with basic technology due to low vision, reinforcing the need for simple, intuitive design. While patients appreciated the independence offered by educational content, they still valued follow-up conversations with their doctors, positioning the video library as a “supplement to care, not a replacement.” Interestingly, both patients and doctors expressed trust in AI-generated content, so long as it was perceived as accurate and credible.
Takeaways
I learned how to conduct user research within the user’s homes. I’ve led interviews before but I’ve never experienced doing so in person and in the context of people’s lived spaces. This has led me to advocate for in-person research in projects that follow because you understand so much more about people and their needs.