For this project, I established a relationship with a holistic medical doctor, Dr. Ben Kaplan-Singer, who was interested in optimizing his website to improve customer interaction and thereby increase his conversion rate. I worked with him and a front/back-end web designer as a human factors consultant, using design heuristics, human-computer interaction principles, and psychology to redesign the website’s user experience.
Dr. Benjamin Kaplan-Singer’s business is focused on providing care through lifestyle restructuring, incorporating diet, wellness practices, and utilizing appropriate supplements and medications. Potential clients find him through mutual connections, his website, and, possibly, advertising. While look and feel were at the top of his list, I actually began by learning about the stakeholders within the overall process – Dr. Kaplan-Singer, his staff, potential clients, etc. After some active listening and increasingly open dialogue, we had a plan to move ahead, with a special eye to the overall user experience.
Dr. Kaplan-Singer and I worked to refine his website’s requirements, and even considered alternative sources for his online presence. Then, we worked backwards from the client’s first meeting with Dr. Ben. We constructed storyboard, and I began to find ways to streamline the process. Each stage of the interaction mattered differently: landing on the home page, reading about the services, navigating the pages to learn more about Dr. Ben’s business, and understanding the new-patient process. We developed strategies to reduce the number of clicks and allow users to access the booking page more quickly. During the process, I continued to improve my understanding of his potential clientele, even creating and discussing client personas. It was interesting to teach some human factors concepts along the way when Dr. Ben had questions about the “root causes” of my thinking.
The project continues, I remain in contact with Dr. Ben, and we are redesigning a potentially overhauled website that will support upcoming developments in his business.
Holistic Human Factors and Design Thinking 