Merging empathy, technology and health
Curatio
Curatio was created to support individuals living with chronic conditions by connecting them with peers and providing tools from leading health organizations. As the user base continued to grow and relied on both mobile and desktop experiences, Curatio needed a unified, scalable platform that could serve users with various conditions through an accessible and empathetic design.
The Process
Research-Driven & Iterative Design
Curatio’s original platform enabled users with chronic conditions to find support and resources tailored to their health journey. However, the fragmented framework created challenges in maintenance and scalability, especially as the platform grew to support users managing multiple conditions. Additionally, while many users accessed Curatio through mobile devices, a segment required desktop accessibility, underscoring the need for a responsive, singular platform to serve diverse user needs effectively.
Our approach focused on understanding the experiences of Curatio's users and the healthcare organizations that support them. We conducted a structured process of ethnographic research, iterative testing, and thoughtful design to create a functional and emotionally engaging platform.
Ethnographic Research
Given the platform’s focus on accessibility, we conducted group interviews with individuals living with chronic conditions, including Parkinson’s, cancer, and heart disease. These sessions offered a window into the daily challenges and environments our users navigated, helping us refine the platform’s design with empathy and precision. In parallel, we collaborated with stakeholders from health organizations, such as the Davis Phinney Foundation and the Heart and Stroke Foundation, to incorporate the needs and requirements of the foundations supporting thousands of users. This combined insight allowed us to create comprehensive personas, user journeys, and a requirements list that would shape Curatio’s redesign.
Perfecting the Onboarding Experience
User testing began with an evaluation of Curatio’s legacy mobile app, uncovering key usability issues and informing the foundation of a more accessible onboarding flow for users with varying health conditions. We built low and high-fidelity prototypes, iteratively testing and refining the flow every few days. Our testing approach included task completion timing and feedback on user satisfaction, leading to a streamlined onboarding process that significantly reduced the time required for new users to get started. By the end of our two-week testing phase, onboarding time had decreased notably, enhancing the experience for users across all conditions.
Balancing Brand and Functionality
A major part of the project was redesigning Curatio’s iOS app. With limited brand identity and style guidelines, our process began by establishing a mood board to refine the brand’s visual language. We defined typography, photography, and iconography to create a cohesive, empathetic aesthetic that would resonate with users.
The app’s functionality evolved alongside this visual framework. One of the primary challenges was reimagining Curatio’s “circle of friends” feature within established iOS patterns. We introduced a toggle functionality, allowing users to view friends based on activity and engagement, facilitating a sense of community and support. This adaptable design allowed the app’s layout to progress rapidly, with development teams prioritizing essential elements for launch.
Evaluating Success
Usability: The redesigned Curatio platform improved the onboarding experience, reducing completion times and enabling easier navigation for users with a range of conditions.
Scalability: Moving Curatio to a unified, responsive platform allowed for efficient scaling, simplifying maintenance while expanding accessibility to desktop users.
Brand Alignment: By refining the visual identity and incorporating user feedback, the rebranding effort helped Curatio resonate deeply with users, creating a welcoming, supportive environment for people managing chronic conditions.