The Process
🔍 Getting to know our users
We investigated what our users valued most and what they wanted when using an app as a replacement for visiting the pharmacy. While many users appreciate the traditional experience of speaking with a pharmacist for personalized advice, our goal was to replicate this value through our app while enhancing the overall medicine purchasing experience. Our investigation revealed several key features vital for users when purchasing products:
- Users seek professional advice when purchasing medicines
- They prioritize fast delivery of their products
- Privacy is crucial during the purchase and receipt of certain items
- They value flexibility in receiving their products
💊 Defining an improved digital pharmacy experience
With our users' insights and needs in mind, we developed the concept for the app and created a roadmap for releasing an MVP (minimum viable product). The goal was to launch an initial version of the app to gather user feedback and provide a simple, yet functional, experience for purchasing medicines. This would allow us to refine and enhance the app with advanced features, adding more value for the user in the near future:
- Prescription management: Allowing users to provide prescriptions when purchasing medication that requires it
- Flexible delivery options: Offering delivery services and the option to pick up purchases at their most convenient pharmacy location
- Product requests: Enabling users to request specific products if they can't find them, similar to how they would in a physical pharmacy
- Personalized plans: Creating personalized plans for users to receive their medications periodically, along with expert advice and support
🤘🏾 Designing for consistency
🧪 User testing and refinement
After completing our first prototype, we scheduled user testing sessions with six participants to gather initial feedback and impressions of the app. During these sessions, we focused on testing the main flows, including purchasing a product, editing the cart, and uploading a prescription. From these tests, we gained valuable insights:
- Users appreciated the app's design and appearance
- They found navigating the main sections easy, describing the app as intuitive and straightforward
- However, during tasks like purchasing, some users found the process of editing their cart confusing
- However, during tasks like purchasing, some users found the process of editing their cart confusing
🎉 Making healthcare solutions accesible to everyone
The final design is a simple, intuitive, and efficient app that allows users to easily acquire healthcare products and prescription medicines directly from their phones, without the need to visit a pharmacy
🚀 Outcome and next steps
After 16 weeks of dedicated teamwork and effort, we successfully launched the app. In its initial release, we are gathering valuable feedback to optimize the user journey across key flows.
Our goal is to continuously refine the app and add new features such as medical advice, medicine refills, and a pharmacist chat to enhance the value offered by Aide Chemists in the coming months. The initial results have been very positive, with users successfully using the app and providing excellent feedback about their experience. The pharmacy is advancing towards its mission of becoming a leader in the African region, providing accessible solutions to help people lead healthier lives.
Being part of the team and successfully launching the app in such a short time has been a fantastic experience for me. Our collaborative efforts and the enjoyment we found in the process have been key to creating an app that will positively impact South African communities.
