Overview
The Medical Costs Finder is an online resource launched by the Australian Federal Government, designed to provide information on the expenses associated with specialised medical services. It encompasses both inpatient and outpatient services that patients commonly seek information on. The information this tool provides is derived from the latest publicly accessible Government data on the fees paid for medical services.
The Medical Costs Finder is an online resource launched by the Australian Federal Government, designed to provide information on the expenses associated with specialised medical services. It encompasses both inpatient and outpatient services that patients commonly seek information on. The information this tool provides is derived from the latest publicly accessible Government data on the fees paid for medical services.
Role
As a design lead for this project, I led all design initiatives, including Brand Identity, Information Architecture, User Interface, and User Experience. I also worked with a User Researcher who helped me conduct user testing, a Creative Director who evaluated the ideas, and Project Managers and Developers.
Business Goals
1. Comprehensive Information Hub
• Deliver detailed, accurate data on medical procedures and costs
• Empower patients with knowledge for informed healthcare decisions
2. Simplified Complex Information
• Transform intricate medical and financial data into user-friendly formats
• Increase accessibility and understanding for all users
3. End-to-End Patient Journey
• Guide users seamlessly from initial research to post-procedure care
• Enhance patient preparedness and overall healthcare experience
This project demonstrates a strategic approach to a critical healthcare challenge, balancing comprehensive information with user-friendly design. The focus on simplifying complex data while providing end-to-end guidance showcases a deep understanding of user needs and healthcare intricacies – qualities I highly value in UX professionals.
Empowering Patient Decisions
Design Process: Double Diamond Approach
Discover
• Conducted extensive user research through interviews and surveys
• Analysed existing healthcare cost platforms and their limitations
• Gathered insights from healthcare providers and insurance companies
Define
• Identified key pain points in understanding medical costs
• Defined user personas and their specific needs
• Articulated the core problem: lack of transparent, accessible cost information
Develop
• Brainstormed multiple solutions for presenting complex cost data
• Created low-fidelity wireframes for different user journeys
• Conducted rapid prototyping and iterative design sessions
Deliver
• Developed a high-fidelity prototype with intuitive navigation
• Implemented a user-friendly interface for comparing procedure costs
• Created an end-to-end guided experience from research to post-procedure
Reflection
This project challenged me to distill complex healthcare information into an accessible format. Key learnings include:
🎯 The importance of cross-functional collaboration with healthcare experts
👀 The power of visual design in making numerical data more digestible
🧑🤝🧑 The need for continuous user testing to refine the information architecture
The most rewarding aspect was seeing how our solution reduced anxiety for patients facing medical procedures. This project reinforced my passion for creating designs that have a tangible, positive impact on people's lives.
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— Discover Stage
1. Discover: Listening to Users' Perspectives
Analysing Diverse Participant Perspectives
• Gathered insights from patients, healthcare providers, and insurance representatives
• Identified varying needs and pain points across different user groups
Evaluating Customer Suggestions
• Collected and categorised user-submitted improvement ideas
• Prioritised suggestions based on frequency and potential impact
Observing User Sessions
• Conducted live observation of users interacting with existing healthcare cost platforms
• Noted common frustrations, navigation patterns, and areas of confusion
This comprehensive discovery phase ensured that our eventual solution would be grounded in real user needs and behaviours, setting a strong foundation for the subsequent stages of the design process.
— Discover Stage
2. Discovery Insights: Conversation Analysis
My analysis of user conversations revealed critical usability issues affecting the Medical Costs Finder:
Unclear Initial Guidance
• Users struggled to understand what actions to take on the search page
• Lack of clear framing created immediate confusion about the site's purpose
Ambiguous Search Patterns
• Multiple search options existed without clear direction on optimal approach
• No hierarchy or guidance to help users choose the most effective path
Misaligned Expectations
• Users anticipated finding specialist information directly on search results
• Frustration emerged when multiple clicks were required to access expected information
Confusing Results Interface
• When precise results weren't immediately available, users became disoriented
• Lack of clear next steps or refinement options created dead ends
Underutilise Navigation Elements
• Alternative paths like specialist-type lists were not intuitively discovered
• Users only explored these options as a last resort, not as a natural navigation choice
Technical Knowledge Barriers
• Significant disparity between users familiar with MBS items versus those who weren't
• Medical terminology created accessibility issues for the general public
These insights highlighted the critical need for intuitive guidance, aligned user expectations, and accessible language throughout the platform.
— Discover Stage
3. Discover: Listening to Users' Perspectives
Analysis of user feedback revealed two key suggestions for improving the Medical Costs Finder:
Specialty-Based Search with Local Results
• Users expressed a desire to search by medical specialty (e.g., "orthopaedic surgeons")
• Expected results: A list of relevant specialists in their local area
• Benefit: Connects users directly with nearby healthcare providers, streamlining the search process
Guided Specialty Exploration
• Users requested more informative specialty listings
• Suggested improvement: Include brief descriptions or common procedures for each specialty
• Benefit: Helps users identify the correct specialty for their needs, especially when unsure of medical terminology
These suggestions highlight users' need for more intuitive navigation and contextual information within the platform. Implementing these changes could significantly improve user orientation and reduce frustration during the search process.
— Discover Stage
4. Discover: User Sessions Observation
Direct observation of user sessions revealed a critical insight about medical terminology:
Terminology Challenges
• Users without prior exposure to Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items struggled significantly
• Unfamiliar medical terms created immediate barriers to engagement
• Some users avoided clicking on unfamiliar terms entirely, limiting their access to relevant information
• More persistent users tediously clicked through multiple procedures, reading descriptions to find matches
Proposed Solution
• Implement contextual tooltips or brief descriptions beneath each medical term
• Provide plain-language explanations of technical terminology
• Create a more accessible experience for users without medical backgrounds
This observation highlights how specialized terminology creates significant accessibility barriers. Addressing this issue would make the platform more inclusive and reduce the cognitive load for first-time users navigating complex medical information.
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— Define Stage
1. Define Stage: Identifying Core Challenges
After gathering extensive user insights during the discovery phase, I moved to the Define stage to synthesise findings and establish clear design priorities.
Following the Right Orientation
I methodically filtered and analysed all collected information to identify fundamental problems and articulate the primary design challenge. This process involved:
• Pattern Recognition: Identifying recurring themes across user feedback and observations
• Problem Prioritisation: Evaluating issues based on impact and frequency
• Challenge Framing: Creating a clear design challenge statement to guide solution development
This analytical approach helped transform raw user feedback into actionable design opportunities. By establishing a clear orientation for the project, I ensured that subsequent design decisions would directly address the most critical user needs while fulfilling business objectives.
The define stage created a solid foundation for the development phase by crystallising what problems needed solving and why they mattered to both users and stakeholders.
2. Define Stage: Main Customer Problems
Through rigorous analysis of user feedback, three critical issues emerged as the core challenges needing resolution:
Unclear Purpose and Navigation Path
• Problem: Users struggled to understand the site's fundamental purpose
• Impact: Hierarchy wasn't apparent, leading to confusion and hesitation
• Root Cause: Homepage overloaded with unnecessary functions creating immediate cognitive overload
Fragmented Search Experience
• Problem: Multiple competing search bars and navigation options (3-4 different entry points)
• Impact: Users unsure which search method would yield desired results
• Root Cause: Lack of a unified, intuitive search experience aligned with user expectations
Terminology Creating Accessibility Barriers
• Problem: Medical and technical terms presented without context or explanation
• Impact: Created significant knowledge gaps, especially for first-time visitors
• Root Cause: Overwhelming layouts combined with specialised vocabulary discouraged engagement with the government website
These defined problems created a clear focus for the development phase, highlighting the need for a simplified interface with intuitive navigation, streamlined search functionality, and accessible language throughout the user journey.
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— Develop Stage
The development phase focused on creating solutions that balanced user needs, technical constraints, and business requirements. My collaborative approach ensured we were building the right product in the right way.
1. Define Stage: Balanced Collaboration Model
I established a three-way partnership between:
• Users: Incorporating feedback to address their core pain points
• Client Stakeholders: Ensuring alignment with business objectives and brand vision
• Development Team: Working within technical parameters and implementation realities
This collaborative triangle helped prevent common pitfalls where designs might look good but prove technically unfeasible or fail to meet business goals.
Key Development Activities
• Conducted collaborative workshops to align stakeholder expectations
• Created progressive wireframes reviewed by all three stakeholder groups
• Developed interactive prototypes for user testing of key journeys
• Iterated based on developer input regarding technical constraints
• Balanced ideal user experience with implementation pragmatism
By maintaining this balanced approach throughout development, I ensured the final design would not only address user needs but also be technically viable and support the Medical Costs Finder's core business objectives.
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— Deliver Stage
Ensuring Success Through Implementation and Validation
The delivery phase focused on transforming design concepts into a fully functional product that met user needs and business objectives.
Validating Through User Feedback
After receiving stakeholder approval on the final design, I implemented a systematic validation approach:
• Conducted usability testing with representative users
• Collected qualitative feedback on the streamlined experience
• Established baseline metrics for ongoing performance monitoring
The results were extremely positive: users reported clear understanding of how to achieve their goals, and the clean, engaging design received high marks for usability and visual appeal.
Seamless Development Handoff
To ensure the design was implemented with fidelity, I:
• Created detailed specifications and interaction documentation
• Maintained close collaboration with developers throughout the build process
• Conducted regular review sessions to address implementation questions
• Provided guidance on accessibility requirements and edge cases
This collaborative approach with the development team ensured that the final Medical Costs Finder website accurately reflected the approved designs while meeting technical requirements.
The successful delivery resulted in a platform that effectively balanced comprehensive medical cost information with an intuitive, accessible user experience—fulfilling both the business goals and addressing the user pain points identified earlier in the process.
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— Outcome
The redesigned Medical Costs Finder has delivered exceptional results that demonstrate both user value and business success:
Quantifiable Success
• High Traffic Volume: Over 95,000 monthly visitors accessing healthcare cost information
• Strong Engagement: Average visit duration exceeding 4 minutes, indicating meaningful user interaction
• Consistent Growth: Steadily increasing visitor numbers showing sustained relevance and value
• Improved Business Metrics: Significant enhancement of key performance indicators
Team Achievement
This success reflects the collaborative effort of a dedicated team bringing different expertise to create a solution that genuinely serves user needs. The platform now effectively fulfils its mission of making healthcare costs transparent and accessible.
Community Impact
Beyond metrics, the most significant achievement is creating a resource that empowers everyday people to make informed healthcare decisions. The platform now serves as a valuable community asset, helping users navigate the complexities of medical costs with confidence.
This project demonstrates how thoughtful user experience design can transform a previously confusing government resource into an intuitive tool that delivers measurable value to both users and stakeholders.
