myDNAhealth

2021 / RESEARCH / DESIGN / PROTOTYPING

In our second year at Norwich University of the Arts our course worked on a Dietary Assessment tool for myDNAhealth. Their goal is to gather dietary information from their clients to provide them with health reports that are easy to digest and act on. We designed an app prototype that would allow users to track their diet, reference the food diary while answering sections of the questionnaire, and access their results.

Design Challenges

At the start of the project there was a 98 question long online form that users had to complete in one go, and that covered their diet over the past four weeks. We also discovered a mismatch between the way dieticians look at nutritional information compared to how consumers view and categorise their food. This presented an educational gap that we had to bridge, so that users could both intuitively navigate the questionnaire and gain a better understanding of their nutrition. The original questionnaire took approximately 45 minutes to complete, while our research showed that users would only be willing to engage with it for at most 15 minutes at a time.

Accuracy vs Usability

Another important aspect of our solution is, to make it easy and convenient for users to provide accurate information on their diet. We accomplish this by integrating a food diary for users to easily record their meal in a flexible way, that they can reference while answering sections of the questionnaire.

Combining Diverse Requirements

The app combines a diverse set of features and information that needed to be accessible as easily as possible. To solve this challenge, we designed a home screen that provides intuitive access to all parts of the app and allows for quick and convenient entries to the food diary.

Reflection

This project strongly developed my teamworking skills, enabling me to better work with and towards others, and ensure everyone’s work is consistent. I learned how to manage and use component libraries with a team and trust in their ability to deliver quality work in time.