Improving Access to Mental Health Information on Medicare.gov
Overview
- Project Type: Accessibility, UX Design
- Industries: Government Services, Digital Health
- Date: 2023
- Role: UX Designer and Researcher
- Responsibilities: Created wireframes, prototypes, and user interfaces that improved the usability and aesthetic appeal of the mental health wayfinding page.
Project Summary
As a UX Designer & Researcher at Bellese Technologies, I led significant design improvements on mental health information on Medicare.gov by creating a resource page to enhance accessibility and usability for mental and behavioral health information.
Challenge
The site previously faced multiple issues that significantly affected the ability to access crucial mental health services:
Lack of User Personas
There was no persona or archetype information specific to Medicare users seeking mental and behavioral health services, making it difficult to tailor content and navigation to meet their needs.
Incomplete Information on Mental Health Coverage
The category page for mental and behavioral health coverage was minimalist, consisting mostly of a list of links without detailed instructions or context, which left users confused and uninformed about their options.
The Solution
Developing User Personas
Due to policy obstacles and privacy concerns, there were difficulties in directly accessing our users, but we began by conducting extensive secondary research to create detailed proto-personas of Medicare users who might be seeking (or helping others seek) mental and behavioral health services.
Personas
Improving Mental and Behavioral Health Category Page
Initial Exploration
We explored a variety of ways to enhance the content of the category page in order to better guide the user, including:
- A dedicated Mental Health Resource Hub that would act as a centralized repository of information.
- A guided journey feature that provided resources in a logical sequence, matching the typical process individuals might follow when seeking mental health assistance.
- Bringing awareness to the existing "Annual Wellness Visit" program, aiming to normalize and encourage discussions about mental health during routine check-ups.
Hub Wireframes
Designs
We collaborated with the team that managed the coverage pages and CMS's design leads to conceptualize a new design paradigm called "wayfinding pages," which aimed to provide more context for each link and to offer users a clearer understanding of their coverage options.
Hub Designs
Results
Although the designs were handed off to another team in charge of development for this portion of the website, we anticipate the measurement of several results:
Improved Usability and User Experience
The new design layout and improved navigation are expected to help users find and understand mental health information more efficiently.
Enhanced User Engagement
The intuitive design and clearer presentation are anticipated to increase user engagement with the mental health section.
More Comprehensive Coverage Information
Offering detailed and contextual information about mental health coverage should help users better understand their options and benefits.
Final Solution
Measuring Success
To ensure the effectiveness of the new hub designs, the other team developed a comprehensive plan to track various metrics using the Google HEART Framework. This framework focuses on Goals, Signals, and Metrics to provide a holistic view of the user experience.
Image credit the static site team on Medicare.govReflections
Additional Challenges
- Design Handoff: While handing off designs for final adjustments and implementation presented an obstacle, we made sure to communicate clearly and often with the other teams.
- Joint Research Initiatives: Collaborating with a dedicated research teams added complexity in directly measuring our results. Nonetheless, this challenge provided us with the opportunity to leverage specialized expertise, enriching our project outcomes.
Lessons Learned
Collaboration Across Teams
Working with various teams brought perspectives that enriched the final design.
Design Documentation and Communication
Clear and comprehensive documentation facilitated smoother handoffs to development teams.