Blockchain PHR App
Evaluating consumer trust in decentralized personal health records
Role
UX Researcher
Timeline
3 months (Sept-Dec 2021)
Team
4 researchers
Outcome
Peer-reviewed publication (Frontiers in Big Data, 2023)
SITUATION
Researchers at UT Austin were developing Medilinker, a blockchain-based app enabling patients to manage their personal health records (PHRs) and securely share them with healthcare providers.
The app addressed critical problems in healthcare: siloed records, interoperability gaps, information security risks, and redundant paperwork. But before finalizing the design for development, the team need to answer:
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Do users understand how the app protects their information?
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Can users navigate key features (connecting clinics, sharing records, updating documents)?
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Do users trust blockchain enough to store their health data?
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Would they actually use this?
The stakes: If users didn't trust the security model or couldn't complete basic tasks, the technology's potential would never translate to adoption.
TASK
As a UX researcher on a team of 4, I helped plan and execute a usability study evaluating the MediLinker prototype with consumers.
My responsibilities:
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Heuristic evaluations and competitive research
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Study design (participant quotas, screener survey, task flows)
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Remote usability testing facilitation
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SUS questionnaire administration
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Note-taking coordination and thematic analysis
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Design of findings presentation
Constraints:
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Remote sessions only (COVID-era)
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Limited access to target users (convenience sample)
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Team members rotating moderator/notetaker roles
ACTION 1
Study Design & Execution
Conducted remote 1:1 usability testing with 12 participants using the MediLinker prototype:
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Participants: 12 consumers (convenience sample)
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Format: Remote moderated sessions via Zoom
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Tasks: 7 key tasks covering registration, clinic connection, document updates, and data sharing
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Measures: Task completion, difficulty ratings (1-5), SUS questionnaire, post-test interview
Excerpts from the usability report.
ACTION 2
Extracted key findings
Trust was the central barrier:
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5/12 participants had security concerns (worried about sharing medical info and keeping data safe)
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3/12 uncomfortable sharing driver's license (but fine sharing insurance info--sensitivity varies by data type)
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Users want transparency ("What happens to my information? What is it used for?")
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Only 1/3 understood blockchain (The technology's security benefits weren't self-evident)
Task difficulty revealed UX friction points
Disconnect from a clinic - 3.58 (hardest)
Hidden in 3-dot menu; no confirmation
Send requested info - 3.92
"Attributes" terminology unclear
Update driver's license - 4.08
Manual entry; no scan option
Add a clinic - 4.17
QR scanner not intuitive
Consent to research - 4.42
Register - 4.75
Switch users - 4.90 (easiest)
Positive signals
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Most participants understood the app concept from the screens
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Users liked the idea of not filling out paperwork repeatedly
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9/12 visit multiple clinics per year (clear use case)
Excerpts from the usability report.
ACTION 3
Recommendations
Translated findings into 6 prioritized design recommendations:
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Add visible security indicators: Security tags, VC badges, and tooltips at sharing moments to build trust
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Clarify selective sharing: Replace "attributes" with "data points" or "info fields"; show granular control
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Simplify document updates: Add scan-to-autofill for driver's license; include security FAQ
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Make QR scanner obvious: Use camera/QR icon; change "Requested" to "Connection request sent"
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Improve disconnect flow: Make clinic cards clickable; add confirmation step
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Standardized navigation: Consistent header placement; clearer tab hierarchy
RESULTS + RELEVANCE
The research de-risked development by catching trust and workflow breakdowns before the build phase, giving the team a prioritized fix list tied to real user behavior.
Participants tested: 12 consumers
Core barrier identified: Trust/security perception (5/12 had concerns)
Usability issues found: 6 prioritized recommendations with severity ratings
Academic impact: Peer-reviewed publication in Frontiers in Big Data (2023)
Product impact: Medilinker team continued UI/UX improvements based on findings
Publication
Bautista, J. R., Harrell, D. T., Hanson, L., de Oliveira, E., Abdul-Moheeth, M., Meyer, E. T., & Khurshid, A. (2023). MediLinker: a blockchain-based decentralized health information management platform for patient-centric healthcare. Frontiers in Big Data, 6. DOI: 10.3389/fdata.2023.1146023
Why This Matters:
Patient-centric health tech only works if people trust it and can actually use it. This study revealed that blockchain's security benefits aren't self-evident to users—the UI had to earn trust, not just promise "blockchain security."
EVOLUTION
What I learned
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Lead with action items. Stakeholders need the "so what" upfront--consolidated recommendations at the top of reports, not buried after methodology.
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Trust is a design problem, not a technology problem. Blockchain's security architecture meant nothing if users couldn't perceive it in the UI.
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Task difficulty rankings reveal priority. The hardest tasks (disconnect, send info) pointed directly to where the experience needed the most work.
What I'd do differently
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Expand recruitment beyond convenience sampling. Our participants skewed toward people in researchers' networks—limiting demographic diversity and potentially introducing bias.
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Include target users earlier. Ideally test with actual patients managing chronic conditions across multiple providers, not just general consumers.
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Add think-aloud protocol more consistently. Some sessions captured richer qualitative data than others based on moderation style.
What happened next
The MediLinker team explicitly continued UI/UX improvements and usability studies—including studies with patients and healthcare staff to adjust the app and identify workflow issues. The research contributed to a peer-reviewed publication validating the platform's design approach.
Tools: Figma • FigJam • Zoom • Google Docs • Google Sheets
Skills: Usability Testing • Study Design • Heuristic Evaluation • SUS Questionnaire • Thematic Analysis • Research Synthesis • Stakeholder Presentation
