Pharmacy Advisor
ROLE
I worked as a UX Design intern, driving end-to-end design with a focus on information architecture and strategy to streamline workflows in large- scale form filling.
TEAM
UX Designer, PM, SDE
TIMELINE
3 months
TOOL
OVERVIEW
During my internship at CVS Health Corporation from June to August 2022, I was part of a team that applied lean agile methodologies to redesign an outdated B2B communication software for the Pharmacy Advisor platform. Alongside a senior product designer, a project manager, and five engineers, we improved the software's user experience and functionality, focusing on streamlining prescription refills and enhancing client communication.
Our product team exercised daily standups to maintain momentum and ensure alignment, while I help present bi-weekly presentations to business stakeholders which allowed us to adapt quickly to feedback. This agile approach not only expedited our development process but also significantly boosted the software’s accessibility and efficiency, markedly improving the support system for patients with chronic diseases and fortifying the CVS Health client-business relationship.
PROBLEM
Outdated Software Slowed Down CVS Pharmacy Transactions Which Effected Both Customers and Staff
The outdated ACE software, primarily used by many CVS retail pharmacy employees, especially pharmacy technicians, was over 15 years old and severely out-of-date. Its persistence stemmed from being built on an old yet stable software architecture that failed to incorporate modern UI patterns, which are crucial for meeting the demands of contemporary prescription processing. As an intern, I collaborated with the senior designer to devise and test innovative solutions to address these inefficiencies.
GOAL
Redefining Workflow to Boost Staff Efficiency and Integrate with the CVS Pharmacy Advisor Program
Revamping software pivotal to daily operations for a large customer base presented a significant challenge. Our strategy extended beyond just updating the user interface to modern standards. We aimed to closely align the software's design with the fundamental principles of customer-pharmacy interaction.
This involved enhancing communication channels between pharmacists and patients, ensuring the delivery of timely and relevant health and medication information. Our focus was on creating a user-centered design that facilitates a seamless exchange of information, embodying the ethos of effective pharmacy-patient engagement.
SOLUTION
Revision of UX flows while helping to create the admin system
Upon my internship commencement in June 2022, the Pharmacy Advisor project had progressed beyond its initial discovery phase and was in the design and development process. Under the guidance of a senior Product Designer, our daily efforts were dedicated to refining UI processes, developing a new admin feature, and conducting usability and user testing. These activities were pivotal in advancing our designs and providing the necessary context to propel the product forward.
User Interviews
With the lead designer and PM, I interviewed various pharmacists, pharmtechs and supervisors in order to get context are the everyday problems that occur. We needed to understand of the current features we have for Pharmacy Advisor which will be in the admin?
For every feature, we had to ask how was this important to the admin
Notes to clarify what was needed
Admin Features
After ideation, we built a usable prototype with Pharmacy Advisor features that were only available to admins.
For every feature, we had to ask how was this important to the admins.
Feature 1: Unlocking Members
Members were typically locked based on multiple factors. We added a lock icon to signify that we were locked, followed by a hover to unlock.
Feature 2: Clearing RARs (Refilling Authorization Request)
At first, we used this trash icon, but it was later changed through user interviews because pharm techs thought it meant delete.)
Feature 3: Fax Status
Faxing status was crucial, so we implemented check and x buttons to signify on and off status. One user stated they had a hard time decerning the color, so the check mark was changed to green.
REFLECTION
Embracing imperfection and moving your product forward
My internship at CVS Health was an incredible journey that provided me with my first hands-on experience with agile-lean design and development processes. What they don't teach you in school, as you work on UX projects, is the reality of constraints, frequent pushback from business stakeholders, and the ongoing challenge of validating your designs. The most valuable lesson I learned was how to navigate these complexities in order to move the product forward every day.
Overall, this experience opened my eyes to the importance of not only efficiently solving user problems but also delivering significant business value.