The Situation
Every day, thousands of healthcare providers across the United States order and manage their state and federally supplied vaccines with software created by Scientific Technologies Corporation (STC). In 2015, STC was awarded a contract from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve the user experience of this software. STC partnered with JEBCommerce to conduct multiple usability evaluations in the lead up to a major redesign of the Vaccine Order Management System.
Our Solution
Phase 1: Field Visits & Observational Interviews
In order to design the usability tests, we needed to better understand how Vaccine Coordinators and State Administrators use the software. We observed the environments in which they work, how they conduct tasks, and what tools they use to accomplish their goals. The interviews allowed us to identify the highest priority tasks within the software and confirm suspected usability issues.
Phase 2: Prototypes for Recommended Improvements
Based on what we learned in the interviews, we brainstormed possible solutions and designed working prototypes that incorporated our recommended changes to the software.
Phase 3: InPerson & Remote Usability Testing
In the initial rounds of user testing, we asked users to perform tasks on the existing software and the newly created prototypes. The usability issues we observed were rapidly redesigned and retested in the prototypes. Overall, the prototypes demonstrated that our recommended changes were on track to improve task efficiency and usability.
The Outcome
STC has redesigned the Vaccine Order Management System, leveraging the insights gained from usability testing. Notable improvements to the software include:
- Consistent and intuitive interface
- Efficient workflows that match users’ expectations
- Reduced number user errors and improved error feedback
- Improved user confidence that tasks have been successfully completed
Take a look at the new and improved Vaccine Order Management System!
“[JEB Commerce] was an excellent partner for us during a major project to rewrite our inventory management application. Their willingness to learn the use cases, go out into the field to interview end users, perform usability testing and collaborate on workflow design moved our product a long way ahead when it comes to user experience.”
Matt Halloran – Product Manager, Scientific Technologies Corporation
Complex projects like this don’t come along very often. We’re honored to have been selected by STC to support the relaunch of their software platform for the CDC. It was fascinating to learn about the subtleties and complexities of vaccine distribution. From a project standpoint it was immensely rewarding to dive deep in order to discover gain insights, design the prototypes, test and make improvements and then witness their development team develop and relaunch the software platform on time and under budget. We absolutely loved working with STC on this project and appreciate the opportunity.
