04 · Two people and five conditions

Who we design for

Heliodore is used by a doctor with a full day and read by a patient who may be worried, older or with poor eyesight. The design starts from the worst conditions, not the best.

The doctor

Works long shifts, jumps between screen and patient, types little and looks fast. Wants to see who is coming now, who is next and what is missing. Does not want to configure anything to get started.

Needs to know the time and the name without reading a paragraph
Uses a computer and a phone, sometimes with one hand
Has a practice where other people may look at the screen

The patient

Receives messages and documents: reminders, appointment confirmations, directions on where to go. May be nervous, have little experience with apps or have difficulty seeing.

Needs the essentials: who, when, where
Reads on a small phone and sometimes with enlarged text
Deserves to have their name and reason for the visit hidden from everyone else

Five conditions of use

Each condition changes a specific design decision. Choose one to see what is done and where it is tested in this manual.

What happens: at the end of the shift it is harder to read, decide and fix mistakes.

One main action per screen, always in the same place
Short texts and familiar verbs: “Save”, “Change time”
Confirm only what cannot be undone; everything else can be reversed

Tested in: Components, Reminders, errors and empty states.