CareLink
Role
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UX Research
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UX Design
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UI/ Visual Design
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Branding
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Information Architecture
Tools
Context
CareLink is a mobile app concept designed to improve communication and coordination among home healthcare professionals. It was created in response to fragmented systems, delayed updates, and inefficient documentation, with the aim of making day-to-day workflows more structured, intuitive, and connected.
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Figma
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Miro
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Adobe AfterEffects
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Adobe Illustrate
Duration
May - August 2024
3 months
The Problem
Home healthcare is built on collaboration, but in reality, it often breaks down. Caregivers rely on multiple disconnected tools, paper notes, and informal communication channels, which leads to missed updates, duplicated work, and gaps in care.
Through early research, it became clear that while systems exist, they are often too rigid, overly clinical, and not designed around how people actually work together.
The Solution
I set out to design CareLink, a mobile app focused on simplifying communication and coordination between caregivers.
Rather than building another documentation-heavy system, the goal was to create something that supports real workflows, real interactions, and real-time collaboration, bringing everything into one clear, structured space.
EMPATHY
Market Research
Looking at existing tools, I found that most healthcare systems prioritise data collection over communication. While platforms like EHRs improve record-keeping, they don’t effectively support collaboration between teams.
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Systems are often complex and text-heavy
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Communication is still fragmented across channels
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There’s little focus on user experience or workflow efficiency
This highlighted a clear gap: tools weren’t designed for how caregivers actually interact day-to-day.
What are apps lacking?
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From both research and observation, the key gaps became clear:
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No centralised communication
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Poor real-time updates
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Rigid documentation systems
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Lack of human-centred design
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No space for collaboration or knowledge sharing
What are people used to seeing?
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Before designing anything new, I needed to understand existing behaviours.
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Caregivers are used to working with:
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Paper-based notes
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Phone calls and WhatsApp messages
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Linear, step-by-step systems
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Interfaces that are functional but not intuitive
These habits shaped expectations, but also highlighted opportunities for improvement.
Insights
As patterns began to emerge, a few key insights stood out:
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Communication quality directly impacts care quality
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Strong relationships between caregivers improve outcomes
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Overly complex systems increase stress and cognitive load
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Simplicity and structure can dramatically improve efficiency
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This shifted the focus from just “better tools” to better interactions between people.
User Research
To ground the project in real experiences, I conducted 10 semi-structured interviews with caregivers across public and private sectors.
Participants ranged from newcomers to highly experienced professionals, giving a broad perspective on daily challenges, behaviours, and needs.
User Interviews
The interviews revealed a consistent theme:
caregivers weren’t struggling with their work, they were struggling with the systems around them.
They spoke about:
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Delays in receiving important information
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Having to switch between multiple tools
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Frustration with unclear or missing updates
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The importance of trust and familiarity within teams
DEFINE
Making sense of the data
Thematic analysis + Value Proposition
Using thematic analysis, I organised the findings into five core areas:
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Relationships
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Communication & information sharing
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Collaboration
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Organisational structure
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System barriers
This helped turn raw feedback into clear, actionable directions.
Clustering insights revealed a central need:
structured, flexible communication that supports real workflows.
Value Proposition:
A single platform that allows caregivers to communicate, document, and coordinate seamlessly, reducing fragmentation and improving care delivery.
User Persona + Journey Map
From the research, I developed a core user: the formal caregiver.
They are:
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Time-pressured
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Managing multiple clients
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Constantly switching between tasks
Typical journey:
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Visit
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Check information
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Deliver care
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Document
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Handover
Pain points appeared at almost every step, especially around accessing and sharing information quickly.
So, how can we define our problem?
At this point, the challenge became clear:
How might we reduce fragmented communication and improve coordination for caregivers, without adding complexity to their workflow?
IDEATE
Conceptualisation
How-Might-We... solve our problem?
This led to a key shift in thinking.
Instead of designing another structured system, I focused on creating something that was:
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Flexible
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Relationship-centred
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Built around real behaviours, not ideal processes
I explored multiple directions through “How Might We” questions:
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How might we simplify documentation?
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How might we centralise communication?
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How might we support real-time updates?
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How might we reduce cognitive load?
These questions guided early concepts and design decisions.
MoSCoW Method
To prioritise features, I used the MoSCoW framework:
Must Have:
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Central communication hub
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Digital care logs
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Task tracking
Should Have:
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Notifications
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Structured workflows
Could Have:
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Social feed for knowledge sharing
This ensured the solution stayed focused and practical.
So, what is our final solution concept?
After bringing everything together, I designed a final solution to create a mobile app designed to support better communication, coordination, and information sharing among home healthcare professionals.
The final concept responds directly to the challenges uncovered in the research, fragmented systems, delayed updates, and inefficient documentation, by creating one centralised, easy-to-use platform for care teams. Alongside the core must-have features identified through the MoSCoW method, the solution also introduces a more relationship-centred experience through structured workflows, real-time visibility, and opportunities for shared learning, helping caregivers feel more connected, informed, and supported in their day-to-day work.
PROTOTYPE
Developing the idea
UserFlow
I began this part of the project by breaking down the existing care workflow into its main stages, looking closely at how caregivers move between checking information, completing visits, and recording updates. From there, I structured the user flow in a way that felt more intuitive and supportive of their real working patterns. The aim was to create a journey that reduced confusion, simplified decision-making, and allowed users to complete key tasks such as documentation and handovers more smoothly within one clear flow.
Design Shift
After reviewing the research and testing insights, it became clear that the design needed to move away from rigid, fragmented systems and towards something more centralised, flexible, and user-friendly. Caregivers were often switching between different channels, struggling with delayed updates, and working within documentation processes that didn’t fully support the realities of their day-to-day workflow. In response, I shifted the design towards a clearer and more intuitive structure that would help users complete tasks, access information, and communicate with their team more efficiently.
Wireframes
Low-Fi Wireframes
I began with low-fidelity wireframes to quickly test ideas and structure.
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Explored layout and navigation
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Ran A/B tests on key interactions
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Focused on speed and clarity
Mid-Fi Wireframes
As the design evolved, I refined the interface:
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Improved structure and hierarchy
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Introduced clearer interaction patterns
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Focused on usability and efficiency
TESTING
Testing was a continuous part of the process.
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Early A/B testing shaped core decisions
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Usability testing validated high-fidelity designs
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Tools: Figma, Zoom, Maze
Key learnings:
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Users need flexibility in how they log information
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Navigation must be fast and intuitive
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Real-time feedback builds confidence in the system
The aim of my testing was to evaluate how effectively the CareLink app supported caregivers in carrying out essential tasks such as reviewing client information, completing documentation, and staying connected with their wider care team. I conducted usability tests using task-based scenarios, giving participants a series of actions to complete independently so I could observe how naturally they moved through the interface. Throughout the sessions, I paid close attention to their behaviours, decision-making, and any points of hesitation or confusion. After each task, I asked participants to reflect on any challenges they faced, what felt clear or unclear, and what improvements could make the experience more intuitive and supportive. I also invited feedback on the app’s readability, structure, and overall feel. The testing showed that a clearer, more flexible approach to navigation and documentation was essential, and these insights helped shape a solution that felt more efficient, more connected, and more aligned with the realities of home healthcare work.