Anya Surnina

Re-Agent

Problem

At The University of Texas Medical Branch, reagents are used to test blood that is going to be transfused. Currently, a technician has to use a paper journal to track changes in reagent inventory. The process is very inefficient and leaves a lot of room for human error.

Proposed Solution

Create an app that saves time spent on keeping reagent inventory, alerts user when a reagent is about to expire or run out, and shows the statics of reagent use.

Understanding User Needs

To fully understand user needs and frustrations, I've observed and documented the current the process of keeping the reagent inventory through conducting contextual inquiry and interviewing lab workers. It helped me understand the existing process and create a hypothesis on what features would help to streamline it.

There are about 60 different types of reagents that are kept in a refrigerator, 20 of which are used more often than others. What makes the process of keeping the inventory more complicated is the fact that each reagent has different batches or “lots” that have diffenrent life spans. It makes keeping track of the reagents that are running out or about to expire really hard and time-consuming. A mistake can lead to two negative situations. If the lab is out of a particular reagent that is needed at the moment, it needs to be requested from another hospital. Or, if the reagent is expired, a document proving its validity is required to be filled out and submitted for approval. Both situations are time-consuming and undesirable in case of the emergency when blood needs to be transfused as quickly as possible. There are about three to four main companies that supply the hospital with reagents. All orders have to be manually placed.

Project Goals

primary

Process Efficiency

Speed up methods of inventory keeping, while ensuring it's accuracy. Create a quick way to find a regeant in a system.

Prevent Running Out

Create alarms that will notify the user before the regeant runs out.

Expiration Tracking

Track and alert users when a certain reagent is about to expire.

secondary

Usage Data

Collect and visualize usage data.

Streamline Ordering

Allow supervisors to order directly from the app. Save time on placing the orders manually.

Check Availability

In case of reagent emergency, find the nearest hospital that has that reagent available.

Understanding The Taxonomy

REAGENT

Reagents are solutions that are used to determine blood types and antibodies. Currently, about 60 different types of reagents are kept in a refrigerator.

LOT

Lot is a technical term for a "batch" of a certain reagent. Each lot has it's own number and expieration date, making keeping the inventory harder.

VILE

Vile is a small glass container with reagent. Reagents are counted and used by viles. There are multiple viles in a lot.

App Prototyping and Wireframing

Usertest Findings

1. Some users overlooked an explanation point as a signifier of an expiring reagent. Stronger visual distinction was made by using a light pink highlight.
2.Users didn't find the expiration date to be useful in telling how many days are left until the reagent expires. Instead, the amount of days left was more useful.
3. Users found that displaying the list of reagents in an alphobetical order by vendor makes it easier to locate the reagent vs having the list sorted by the frequency of the reagent use.
4. Information is taking too much space and needs to be consolidated.