Fighting Breast Cancer
A Human-Centered Redesign of Rutgers’ Breast Cancer Survey to Improve Experience and Data Value
Tasked with conducting a user experience heuristic analysis and redesigning the Rutgers University Genetics Center's Fight Against Breast Cancer website. Conducted under the supervision of Johnathon Ross, the Head of Product Management at the Regeneron Genetics Center (RGC).
UX Heuristic Analysis and Redesign
August 2024
UX Heuristic Analysis Guidelines and Standards
At Regeneron, I evaluated the Rutgers Genetics Center’s breast cancer study app, using Nielsen’s heuristics and W3C accessibility guidelines. I focused on onboarding, enrollment, and survey flows, proposing redesigns to improve usability, support research goals, and match the V.2 look and feel.
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The Jakob Nielsen's 10 general principles for interaction design is what I used to conduct the heuristic analysis of the site. These include:
Visibility of System Status
Match Between the System and the Real World
User Control and Freedom
Consistency and Standards
Error Prevention
Recognition Rather than Recall
Flexibility and Efficiency to Use
Aesthetic and Minimalist Design
Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, and Recover from Errors
Help and Documentation
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I used the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) to suggest accessibility improvements. For a healthcare-related app, it’s particularly important to design with accessibility in mind, as people with disabilities, older adults, and non-native speakers will be using the site. Ensuring the app is accessible to all these groups enhances its usability and effectiveness.
Removing Barriers to Cancer Research Through Design
This heuristic analysis uncovered usability issues that kept people from completing key tasks, limiting both participation and the vital data needed in the fight against breast cancer. Redesigning the study removed those barriers, giving every user the chance to contribute fully and be part of the journey. Many thanks to Johnathan Ross and Regeneron for supporting this work.