Imagine you are a patient needing medication for a chronic condition. You open the package and find a long, complicated leaflet with tiny font and medical jargon. You struggle to understand the instructions, the side effects, and the precautions. You feel frustrated, confused, and anxious.
Now imagine you are a patient who receives a medication with a clear, concise, and user-friendly leaflet. You can easily scan the information, find the answers to your questions, and follow the guidelines. You feel confident, informed, and empowered.
Which scenario would you prefer?
If you are like most people, you would choose the second one. And you are not alone. According to a recent survey by Accenture, 77% of patients said that improving their experience is very important to them. And one of the key factors that influence patient experience is the design of the medication package and leaflet.
But how can pharmaceutical companies create better designs that meet the needs and expectations of patients? The answer is simple: by using research-driven design.
What is Research-Driven Design?
Research-driven design is a process that involves conducting user research to understand the needs, preferences, behaviors, and challenges of the target audience. Then, using the insights from the research, creating solutions that address those needs and solve those challenges.
Research-driven design is not a new concept. It has been widely used in other industries, such as technology, e-commerce, and education. However, it is still relatively new in the pharmaceutical industry, where design decisions are often based on assumptions, regulations, or internal opinions.
Why is Research-Driven Design Important for Patient Experience?
Research-driven design is important for patient experience because it helps pharmaceutical companies create solutions that are:
- Relevant: Research-driven design ensures that the solutions match the needs and expectations of the patients. For example, research can help identify what information patients want to know about their medication, how they want to receive it, and how they want to interact with it.
- Usable: Research-driven design ensures that the solutions are easy to use and understand by the patients. For example, research can help optimize the layout, font size, color scheme, icons, and language of the medication package and leaflet.
- Engaging: Research-driven design ensures that the solutions are appealing and enjoyable for the patients. For example, research can help incorporate elements of storytelling, humor, personalization, and gamification into the medication package and leaflet.
How to Apply Research-Driven Design in Pharmaceutical Industry?
Applying research-driven design in pharmaceutical industry involves four main steps:
- Define: The first step is to define the problem or opportunity that needs to be addressed. For example, how can we improve patient adherence to a medication? How can we increase patient satisfaction with a medication? How can we differentiate our medication from competitors?
- Research: The second step is to conduct user research to understand the target audience. This can include methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, usability tests, and data analysis. The goal is to gather insights into the needs, preferences, behaviors, and challenges of the patients.
- Design: The third step is to use the insights from the research to create solutions that address the problem or opportunity. This can include methods such as brainstorming, sketching, prototyping, testing, and iterating. The goal is to generate ideas that are relevant, usable, and engaging for the patients.
- Deliver: The fourth step is to deliver the final solution to the market. This can include methods such as packaging production, leaflet printing, distribution, marketing, and evaluation. The goal is to ensure that the solution reaches the intended audience and achieves the desired outcomes.
Examples of Research-Driven Design in the Pharmaceutical Industry
There are some examples of pharmaceutical companies that have successfully applied research-driven design to improve patient experience. Here are some of them:
- Novo Nordisk: Novo Nordisk is a global leader in diabetes care. They used research-driven design to create FlexTouch, a prefilled insulin pen that has a unique dosing mechanism that allows patients to inject any dose up to 80 units with just one click. They conducted extensive user research with patients and healthcare professionals to understand their needs and challenges with insulin injection. They used the insights from the research to design a pen that is easy to use, comfortable to hold, and discreet to carry.
- Roche: Roche is a global leader in oncology. They used research-driven design to create Kadcyla, a targeted therapy for HER2-positive breast cancer. They conducted user research with patients and healthcare professionals to understand their emotional journey and information needs throughout their treatment. They used the insights from the research to design a patient support program that includes a personalized website, a mobile app, a booklet, and a card. The program provides patients with relevant and timely information, tips, and resources to help them cope with their condition and treatment.
- Pfizer: Pfizer is a global leader in cardiovascular disease. They used research-driven design to create Caduet, a combination therapy for high blood pressure and high cholesterol. They conducted user research with patients and healthcare professionals to understand their motivations and barriers to taking medication. They used the insights from the research to design a patient education program that includes a website, a brochure, and a reminder system. The program provides patients with clear and simple information, benefits, and incentives to help them adhere to their medication.
Conclusion
Research-driven design is a powerful process that can help pharmaceutical companies create better solutions to improve the patient experience. By conducting user research, pharmaceutical companies can understand the patients’ needs, preferences, behaviours, and challenges.
Research-driven design can help pharmaceutical companies achieve various benefits, such as:
- Increase patient adherence: Research-driven design can help patients follow their medication regimen more consistently and correctly, improving their health outcomes and reducing healthcare costs.
- Increase patient satisfaction: Research-driven design can help patients feel more confident, informed, and empowered about their medication and condition, which can improve their quality of life and loyalty.
- Increase market differentiation: Research-driven design can help pharmaceutical companies stand out from the competition by offering unique and innovative solutions that meet the needs and expectations of the patients.
By using the insights from the research, they can create solutions that are relevant, usable, and engaging for the patients.
