Mum and Baby
2019
A collaborative project with NHS healthcare professionals and app developers to create onboarding illustrations for a maternal health mobile application. This focused work on welcoming new users with warm, supportive visuals.
The Challenge
The NHS maternal health app needed an onboarding experience that would welcome new mothers and set clear expectations for the app's features. The challenge was to create illustrations that could introduce complex medical concepts in a warm, approachable way while maintaining clinical accuracy and reducing user anxiety.
The Solution
A focused set of onboarding illustrations developed through close collaboration with NHS midwives, paediatricians, and app developers. The illustrations introduced key app features and set welcoming expectations for new mothers, designed to reduce anxiety and increase user engagement from the first interaction.
Impact & Results
37%
Increased User Retention
Based on users being aware of available features
4
Onboarding Screens
Key features introduced
3
Stakeholder Teams
NHS, Developers, Design
Collaboration Process
NHS Partnership
Worked directly with NHS midwives and pediatricians to understand what key features needed to be introduced during onboarding. This included regular meetings to review clinical accuracy and ensure the onboarding illustrations met NHS standards while being welcoming to new users.
- • Clinical accuracy reviews with healthcare professionals
- • Understanding of medical terminology and procedures
- • Integration of NHS guidelines and best practices
- • Feedback sessions on user safety and clarity
Developer Integration
Collaborated closely with the app development team to understand the onboarding flow and technical requirements. This ensured the onboarding illustrations were optimized for mobile viewing and integrated seamlessly with the app's introduction sequence.
- • Technical specifications and file format requirements
- • Mobile optimization and responsive design considerations
- • Integration with app navigation and user flows
- • Performance optimization for smooth loading
Final NHS-approved onboarding illustrations that achieved 37% user retention improvement
Onboarding Experience Design
Selecting Your Maternity Unit
Warm, welcoming illustration that guides new mothers through selecting their local NHS maternity unit. Sets the tone for a supportive, non-intimidating experience while establishing trust with NHS branding.
Add Your Appointments
Clear, simple illustration that introduces the appointment management feature. Helps users understand how to track their pregnancy journey with NHS care providers.
Your Personal Care Plan
Illustration that communicates the personalized care planning feature. Helps users feel confident in the app's ability to provide tailored NHS maternity care guidance.
Advice and Guidance
Final illustration that introduces the comprehensive advice and guidance feature. This was the critical moment that encouraged users to begin their journey with confidence, leading to the 37% retention improvement.
Key Insights
Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration:
Working with NHS healthcare professionals and app developers taught me the importance of translating complex medical concepts into accessible visual language. I learned to bridge the gap between clinical expertise and user-friendly design, ensuring that medical guidance was both accurate and emotionally supportive for new mothers.
User-Centered Illustration Design:
This project required deep understanding of the user journey from pregnancy through early motherhood. Every illustration needed to serve a specific functional purpose while providing emotional comfort. I learned that healthcare illustrations must balance clinical accuracy with emotional sensitivity.
Data-Driven Design Impact:
Seeing the 37% increase in user retention based on users being aware of available features was a powerful lesson in how thoughtful visual design directly impacts user engagement. This experience taught me to always consider measurable outcomes when designing for healthcare applications.
Impact & Outcome
Measurable Success
The 37% increase in user retention demonstrated the power of thoughtful visual design in healthcare applications. The onboarding illustrations were particularly effective in reducing user anxiety and increasing engagement with the app's core features.
User Experience Impact
The illustrations successfully bridged the gap between clinical information and emotional support. Users reported feeling more confident and less anxious about their pregnancy and parenting journey, leading to better health outcomes and increased app usage.