UX design | Behavioral design | Agile
Boosting user engagement in Hereditary Cancer Testing through behavioral design strategies
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BRIEF
Hereditary cancer testing is a crucial preventive measure, yet many individuals choose not to proceed, resulting in low engagement and high drop-off rates. This 14-week project aimed to develop an MVP that boosts user participation and streamlines the testing process using behavioral design, human-centered design, and agile methodologies.
ROLE
Worked in a team of 3 members, leading the research and
service design function.
METHODS
user research, journey mapping, service blueprint , information design, wireframing, storytelling
Who hasn’t felt a twinge of fear when hearing about a loved one’s battle with cancer ?

CHALLENGE
Women wish to remain healthy, but the uncertainty during the process prevents them from getting an HCT
Hereditary cancer testing can be a life saving intervention to bring awareness and take action to mitigate your risk. And yet, when given the opportunity to pursue hereditary cancer testing, not everyone chooses to proceed.
1
Low initial engagement with Questionnaire
High drop-off rates occur as individuals struggle with time constraints, insufficient support, or fear of test results, leading to missed chances for early cancer detection.
2
Increased drop-off rates while filling questionnaire
Participants abandon the questionnaire due to anxiety over potential outcomes, complexity, and lack of immediate guidance, leaving risk assessments incomplete.
3
Emotional overload after positive results
Those testing positive often disengage from follow-up steps due to emotional overwhelm, lack of confidence, and inadequate post-result support, hindering further action.
RESEARCH SYNTHESIS: INSIGHTS ON USER NEEDS
1
Information and access to support group to feel confident in their ability to manage their risk
You may be wondering about your cancer risk. The thought of facing that possibility can be demoralizing...


What I'd do do different next time!
Healthcare projects involve navigating complex relationships among multiple stakeholders, both internal and external. To better understand these dynamics, I will use stakeholder mapping as an active tool to uncover key influential stakeholders that can impact the overall process. By using stakeholder maps, we could've avoided being blindsided by the (HIM) department earlier in the project and design a full proof submission process.
In rapid research, effectively documenting insights is key to quickly moving from research to action. Without a structured approach, valuable information can become fragmented. Using templates could have streamlined this process by providing a consistent format, ensuring key details were captured, enhancing clarity, and improving collaboration—ultimately accelerating the transition from insights to implementation
We know cancer is overwhelming but
understanding your risk doesn’t have to be!
CONTEXT + PROBLEM
Statistics reveal 1 in 8 Women in the U.S face lifetime risk of developing Breast Cancer
Women, unaffected, age 30 and above, with a family history of cancer are at high risk. Without the knowledge of their risk, those at high risk are not only susceptible to disease but are also less likely to catch it before it becomes unmanageable.

Save and reach out to your family members for answers

'Save and return later' to prevent dropouts out of the fear of inaccurate information
When users encounter a family history question they can't answer, they can click 'Save answers and return later,' allowing them to seek help from their family before completing the questionnaire. This prevents dropouts by giving users the flexibility to pause and return, ensuring they can provide accurate information without feeling pressured.
With MyGenee, you are equipped to confidently manage your health and lead a healthy life free of fear!

Design process
Let's be honest, medical reports are complicated. Numbers are tough to understand. You don't have to break your head with us -- we make it simple for you!
A concise breakdown of the results to help users understand their risk without alleviation a false sense of fear
Test results are presented in clear, accessible language, supported by concrete visuals and segmented into smaller, digestible pieces of information. This approach helps users understand their results more easily without misinterpreting the severity, fostering clarity and reducing unnecessary anxiety.

You start searching and talking to people, even taking cancer assessment tests, but you never seem to finish them or reach a clear solution.

maybe because you did not have time
maybe because the tests did not inspire confidence and confused you
Now you’re feeling worried or anxious about a potential threat

maybe because the fear of getting a positive result deterred you
MOTIVATIONS
We used the 5A behavioural framework to help us find out insights in each section directing us to the solution
Women are motivated to get themselves screened if they feel confident and supported in their journey to manage the health outcomes.
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Distrust in people
Cultural beliefs and general distrust in American medical system and doctors. Absence of support from trusted family and/or friends and peers
" If my doctor sends me this, I might consider it "
Distrust in product
Lack of privacy about genetic data
Lack of trust and the legitimacy of the product (e.g 23&Me)
“I do not want to give away my genetic data to a company”
Fear of diagnosis
The probability of getting diagnosed with cancer is perceived as a greater loss as compared to the probability of being able to manage cancer
“I am already so busy and exhausted with work and life, What if they find something?”
Convinience
Health screenings demand additional time out of an individuals routine, which creates frustration.
“I’ll take the test if it’s a 5 minute
job”
RESEARCH: BARRIERS
I developed a research plan and created research tools, such as an interview protocol, to conduct generative research, which provided valuable insights.
Fear of a life-altering diagnosis, inconvenience in daily routines as well as concerns about data privacy, create significant barriers to health screenings and genetic testing
GOAL
For unaffected women aged 30+ with a family history of cancer, who do not know their hereditary risk of cancer our product/solution My Genee is a service (digital+physical) with a virtual-first-at-home model that utilizes behavioral design to support and guide them through each step of their journey of identifying their hereditary risk for cancer and transitioning to medical management
RESEARCH FINDINGS:
INSIGHTS ON USER NEEDS AND MOTIVATIONS
Information and access to support group to feel confident in their ability to manage their risk
Clarification about the process and importance of the test to reduce unnecessary fear of results
Convenience of testing anytime and anywhere
Proper guidance after the questionnaire to direct users to resources and support services for cancer management
You want to focus on a healthy lifestyle and continue living life to the fullest, while feeling supported and identifying your risk



Goal statement decomposed into Hill statements
Hill statements decomposed into sub-hill statements
With the IBM Framework we decomposed the problem into smaller chunks to hills,
sub-hills and stories
Introducing
MyGenee
A hereditary cancer testing assessment tool for Women, unaffected, age 30 and above, with or without a family history of cancer.

SOLUTION
An assessment tool to identify, understand and support women throughout their journey
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Questionnaire
An on boarding process that clarifies the whole end to end process for the users.
Gives them the flexibility to induct their preferred provider, ask for help from their family increasing clarity and confidence in their ability to
proceed further
HCT
Provides convenient ordering options, and easy digestible explanation of results to reduce potential friction points and reduced fear due lack of clarity. Access to community forums and contact counselors
Medical Management
The probability of getting diagnosed with cancer is perceived as a greater loss as compared to the probability of being able to manage cancer
SERVICE BLUEPRINT
By utilizing a service blueprint, we designed our user's journey, visually decomposing the overall experience
into discrete components.
The subhills allowed us to transform the objectives to visible tangible artifacts that could fit in the service blueprint. In short it made the invisible, visible.
APPROACH + METHODS
Agile methodology enabled us to translate high level strategy into concrete actions. By decomposing strategic objectives, we created a clear path forward

Behavioral Design
Applying behavioral design principles and frameworks, to identify behavioral motivations and barriers to HCT.
To develop interventions that influences engagement with HCT
Agile
We blend Agile's iterative approach with
Human-Centered Design's user focus, breaking down strategy into manageable steps and continuously gathering feedback to create a product that meets both business objectives and user need.

Click to see the full service blueprint here
FUTURE EXPERIENCE JOURNEY
Collaborated to create a journey map to communicate the future experience of the service.

We know your time is precious, and we promise to keep this brief

Integrating a medical provider for seamless treatment consultation
At the start of the questionnaire, users can enter their provider's information, allowing them to send their results directly to their provider. This feature fosters trust and credibility in the product by enabling users to consult their trusted healthcare professional for verification and discussion of their treatment options.
Confused with the questions? Help is right at your fingertips
AI chatbot for clarifying FAQs and questionnaire details
Users can clarify FAQs or obtain detailed information about the questionnaire by interacting with the AI chatbot. Providing easy access to relevant information at the right moment helps reduce anxiety, build trust, and encourage users to proceed confidently through the process.
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Distrust in people
" If my doctor sends me this, I might consider it "
Distrust in product
“I do not want to give away my genetic data to a company”
Fear of diagnosis
“I am already so busy and exhausted with work and life, What if they find something?”
Convinience
“I’ll take the test if it’s a 5 minute
job”
RESEARCH: BARRIERS
I developed a research plan and created research tools, such as an interview protocol, to conduct generative research, which provided valuable insights.
Fear of a life-altering diagnosis, inconvenience in daily routines as well as concerns about data privacy, create significant barriers to health screenings and genetic testing