In this role, I worked on a team creating an innovative medical device to track patient breathing under anesthesia using audio. From discussing signal processing algorithm choices to soldering prototype devices to coordinating a 100+ patient study in Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, I touched all aspects of device development. I completed two major UX-focused projects to inform the team's design direction.
To test the effectiveness of our first-generation prototype device in a clinical setting, our team conducted a study of the device in over 100 pediatric endoscopy procedures. During the course of the study, I spent dozens of hours running our device in the operating room. Based on my observations and my conversations with the medical providers using it during procedures, I authored a human factors design report, first describing the use setting and main user groups and then outlining future development goals based on five major user needs (sterility, reliability, versatility, clarity and security). My work provided important context for team members who had not seen the device used in the OR and informed the design of our second generation prototype.
As the we finished building the second-generation prototype device, the team wanted to identify the strongest potential beachhead market and understand how we might target our work to serve market needs. Thus, I interviewed 10 potential users and buyers, from administrators at large hospitals to anesthesiologists working at outpatient clinics, to validate our assumptions about how our product might create value for them. From there, I created a focused value proposition and a technical development checklist geared toward launching the device in a hospital context.