DoxCompass
Enabling principal investigators to more efficiently manage and facilitate collaboration in systematic review teams.
My Role
Facilitated discussions to generate and strengthen ideas. Led the progress-tracking feature.
Project Type
Team course project (3 other group members)
Timeframe
Feb-May 2024 (13 weeks)
Skills
UX research strategy, user testing
DoxCompass
Enabling principal investigators to more efficiently manage and facilitate collaboration in systematic review teams.
My Role
Facilitated discussions to generate and strengthen ideas. Led the progress-tracking feature.
Project Type
Team course project (3 other group members)
Timeframe
Feb-May 2024 (13 weeks)
Skills
UX research strategy, user testing
DoxCompass
Enabling principal investigators to more efficiently manage and facilitate collaboration in systematic review teams.
My Role
Facilitated discussions to generate and strengthen ideas. Led the progress-tracking feature.
Project Type
Team course project (3 other group members)
Timeframe
Feb-May 2024 (13 weeks)
Skills
UX research strategy, user testing
Context
WashU School of Medicine is currently developing DoxCompass, a software aimed at simplifying systematic reviews.
Context
WashU School of Medicine is currently developing DoxCompass, a software aimed at simplifying systematic reviews.
Context
WashU School of Medicine is currently developing DoxCompass, a software aimed at simplifying systematic reviews.
However, this tool doesn’t yet address the challenges of managing collaborative research teams, so the project lead, Dr. Po-Yin Yen, approached my interaction design class for our help.
However, this tool doesn’t yet address the challenges of managing collaborative research teams, so the project lead, Dr. Po-Yin Yen, approached my interaction design class for our help.
However, this tool doesn’t yet address the challenges of managing collaborative research teams, so the project lead, Dr. Po-Yin Yen, approached my interaction design class for our help.
Outcome
DoxCompass Revamp
Proposing two new features for the systematic review software.
Outcome
DoxCompass Revamp
Proposing two new features for the systematic review software.
Outcome
DoxCompass Revamp
Proposing two new features for the systematic review software.
Keep track of progress
See how the team is progressing on the review. Keep the conversation going between meetings by creating and answering discussions.
Keep track of progress
See how the team is progressing on the review. Keep the conversation going between meetings by creating and answering discussions.
Keep track of progress
See how the team is progressing on the review. Keep the conversation going between meetings by creating and answering discussions.
Improve workflows
A workspace that merges the best parts of Excel and Word! There is now a more straightforward and organized way to document rationale for why an article is included or excluded.
Improve workflows
A workspace that merges the best parts of Excel and Word! There is now a more straightforward and organized way to document rationale for why an article is included or excluded.
Improve workflows
A workspace that merges the best parts of Excel and Word! There is now a more straightforward and organized way to document rationale for why an article is included or excluded.
(Note: Since this class project, I’ve deepened my understanding of visual design systems. I later refined both concepts for better consistency, hierarchy, and alignment with WCAG and APCA guidelines—the screens you see now are the updated versions.)
(Note: Since this class project, I’ve deepened my understanding of visual design systems. I later refined both concepts for better consistency, hierarchy, and alignment with WCAG and APCA guidelines—the screens you see now are the updated versions.)
(Note: Since this class project, I’ve deepened my understanding of visual design systems. I later refined both concepts for better consistency, hierarchy, and alignment with WCAG and APCA guidelines—the screens you see now are the updated versions.)
Researching
Learning the art of tackling a (very) unfamiliar topic.
Researching
Learning the art of tackling a (very) unfamiliar topic.
Researching
Learning the art of tackling a (very) unfamiliar topic.
Most of my team, including myself, lacked a research or medical background, so we still found systematic reviews confusing even after the client presentation—a discouraging start.
To address this, I divided our research into manageable topics, enabling each of us to become a "mini expert" and enter our interviews better prepared.
Most of my team, including myself, lacked a research or medical background, so we still found systematic reviews confusing even after the client presentation—a discouraging start.
To address this, I divided our research into manageable topics, enabling each of us to become a "mini expert" and enter our interviews better prepared.
Most of my team, including myself, lacked a research or medical background, so we still found systematic reviews confusing even after the client presentation—a discouraging start.
To address this, I divided our research into manageable topics, enabling each of us to become a "mini expert" and enter our interviews better prepared.
🔍
Systematic review is a type of literature review.
It typically has a narrower scope, using specific criteria to compare and synthesize research from relevant studies in the field and address a specific question. They help keep professionals informed about current knowledge gaps and advancements in their field.
It typically has a narrower scope, using specific criteria to compare and synthesize research from relevant studies in the field and address a specific question. They help keep professionals informed about current knowledge gaps and advancements in their field.
Systematic review is a type of literature review.
🔁
Systematic review is a type of literature review.
🔍
It typically has a narrower scope, using specific criteria to compare and synthesize research from relevant studies in the field and address a specific question. They help keep professionals informed about current knowledge gaps and advancements in their field.
🪜
The typical steps include...
DEFINE your research question
DEVELOP your review protocol
CONDUCT a comprehensive search
SCREEN results for eligibility
ANALYZE the quality of the studies
EXTRACT data and synthesize
DEFINE your research question
DEVELOP your review protocol
CONDUCT a comprehensive search
SCREEN results for eligibility
ANALYZE the quality of the studies
EXTRACT data and synthesize
The typical steps include...
🪜
The typical steps include...
🪜
DEFINE your research question
DEVELOP your review protocol
CONDUCT a comprehensive search
SCREEN results for eligibility
ANALYZE the quality of the studies
EXTRACT data and synthesize
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Excel
Pros: Customizable—can set up your own templates.
Cons: Not suitable as a standalone tool as it's not designed for word-heavy content (e.g., lacks spell-check). Requires switching between other tools.
Pros: Dedicated conflict tab is helpful.
Cons: Difficult to navigate because information of the page isn’t explained, rating system isn’t intuitive.
Pros: Visually clear—makes good use of icons, buttons, etc. to communicate. Color-coded with simplified terminology to tag articles with (yes, no, maybe).
Cons: No section to add a reasoning for why an article is included/excluded.
Interview Findings
Interview Findings
Interview Findings
We spoke with researchers who had experience leading systematic review teams, and they reported:
We spoke with researchers who had experience leading systematic review teams, and they reported:
We spoke with researchers who had experience leading systematic review teams, and they reported:
🧑🤝🧑
Challenges with managing teams.
Review teams are dynamic, often working across different time zones, with many members balancing reviews alongside their classes or other research. Additionally, team composition frequently changes, with people joining or leaving midway.
Review teams are dynamic, often working across different time zones, with many members balancing reviews alongside their classes or other research. Additionally, team composition frequently changes, with people joining or leaving midway.
Challenges with managing teams.
🔁
Challenges with managing teams.
🧑🤝🧑
Review teams are dynamic, often working across different time zones, with many members balancing reviews alongside their classes or other research. Additionally, team composition frequently changes, with people joining or leaving midway.
🫥
Lack of organization & standardization.
Current tools either lack the capacity to handle the extensive content of systematic reviews or are poorly organized, making them overwhelming to navigate and increasing the switching cost. As a result, people often turn to Excel—though it's an imperfect solution, they are familiar with it.
Current tools either lack the capacity to handle the extensive content of systematic reviews or are poorly organized, making them overwhelming to navigate and increasing the switching cost. As a result, people often turn to Excel—though it's an imperfect solution, they are familiar with it.
Lack of organization & standardization.
🫥
Lack of organization & standardization.
🫥
Current tools either lack the capacity to handle the extensive content of systematic reviews or are poorly organized, making them overwhelming to navigate and increasing the switching cost. As a result, people often turn to Excel—though it's an imperfect solution, they are familiar with it.
✏️
Dr. JA (associate professor)
The issue with collaboration is mostly documenting...People often forget to communicate once they have finished their part.
✏️
Dr. JA (associate professor)
The issue with collaboration is mostly documenting...People often forget to communicate once they have finished their part.
Dr. JA (associate professor)
The issue with collaboration is mostly documenting...People often forget to communicate once they have finished their part.
⚙️
Dr. AB (clinical nurse specialist)
The challenge with Excel is that it is best used with numbers, and I’m trying to use it with words.
⚙️
Dr. AB (clinical nurse specialist)
The challenge with Excel is that it is best used with numbers, and I’m trying to use it with words.
Dr. AB (clinical nurse specialist)
The challenge with Excel is that it is best used with numbers, and I’m trying to use it with words.
I came up with a matrix to help us organize interview notes on the fly.
I came up with a matrix to help us organize interview notes on the fly.
I came up with a matrix to help us organize interview notes on the fly.
Defining the Problem
We decided to focus on how...
Defining the Problem
We decided to focus on how...
Defining the Problem
We decided to focus on how...
Systematic review leads struggle with team task coordination due to time zone differences, shifting team members, and a reliance on sub-optimal tools, making it hard to track progress and ensure organized collaboration.
Systematic review leads struggle with team task coordination due to time zone differences, shifting team members, and a reliance on sub-optimal tools, making it hard to track progress and ensure organized collaboration.
Systematic review leads struggle with team task coordination due to time zone differences, shifting team members, and a reliance on sub-optimal tools, making it hard to track progress and ensure organized collaboration.
How might we...
1. Streamline task coordination and progress tracking across team members?
2. Adapt to researchers’ existing needs and workflows to facilitate organization and communication?
Developing Concepts
We brainstormed solutions for our How Might We’s, grouping them into themes.
Developing Concepts
We brainstormed solutions for our How Might We’s, grouping them into themes.
Developing Concepts
We brainstormed solutions for our How Might We’s, grouping them into themes.
After concept testing our top themes with 12 participants we prioritized two ideas: a progress tracking dashboard and a team workspace.
We refined the progress tracking concept as we learned: Project timelines in research settings are often unclear, making a team dashboard appealing. However, strict deadlines are difficult in scientific research, especially early on, so the calendar aspect was deemed less useful and scrapped.
After concept testing our top themes with 12 participants we prioritized two ideas: a progress tracking dashboard and a team workspace.
We refined the progress tracking concept as we learned: Project timelines in research settings are often unclear, making a team dashboard appealing. However, strict deadlines are difficult in scientific research, especially early on, so the calendar aspect was deemed less useful and scrapped.
After concept testing our top themes with 12 participants we prioritized two ideas: a progress tracking dashboard and a team workspace.
We refined the progress tracking concept as we learned: Project timelines in research settings are often unclear, making a team dashboard appealing. However, strict deadlines are difficult in scientific research, especially early on, so the calendar aspect was deemed less useful and scrapped.
While it was finally feeling like our project direction was becoming clearer, our team hit a creative block translating concepts into visuals. I took the initiative to sketch simple designs based on what my teammates were sharing verbally.
While it was finally feeling like our project direction was becoming clearer, our team hit a creative block translating concepts into visuals. I took the initiative to sketch simple designs based on what my teammates were sharing verbally.
While it was finally feeling like our project direction was becoming clearer, our team hit a creative block translating concepts into visuals. I took the initiative to sketch simple designs based on what my teammates were sharing verbally.
Testing with Experts
With the help of a professional UX designer and our client, we refined our designs’ realism and accuracy.
Testing with Experts
With the help of a professional UX designer and our client, we refined our designs’ realism and accuracy.
Testing with Experts
With the help of a professional UX designer and our client, we refined our designs’ realism and accuracy.
In our first check-in, the client was enthusiastic about our sketches, but by the second, misalignment emerged—likely due to differences between our high-fidelity designs and her vision or an incomplete understanding of her needs.
With limited time left, our group felt uncertain about next steps. I outlined a to-do list of the most urgent, achievable changes to keep us on track.
In our first check-in, the client was enthusiastic about our sketches, but by the second, misalignment emerged—likely due to differences between our high-fidelity designs and her vision or an incomplete understanding of her needs.
With limited time left, our group felt uncertain about next steps. I outlined a to-do list of the most urgent, achievable changes to keep us on track.
In our first check-in, the client was enthusiastic about our sketches, but by the second, misalignment emerged—likely due to differences between our high-fidelity designs and her vision or an incomplete understanding of her needs.
With limited time left, our group felt uncertain about next steps. I outlined a to-do list of the most urgent, achievable changes to keep us on track.
Feedback: Progress Tracking Dashboard
Feedback: Progress Tracking Dashboard
Feedback: Progress Tracking Dashboard
✅
What is currently working?
Team progress and to-do section helps keep everyone aligned.
Team progress and to-do section helps keep everyone aligned.
What is currently working?
✅
What is currently working?
✅
Team progress and to-do section helps keep everyone aligned.
📈
What are areas to improve?
Mechanics of the team to-do section need clarification, and a simple to-do list may be too limiting.
Individual to-do list feels redundant since the same papers are listed in the workspace view.
Mechanics of the team to-do section need clarification, and a simple to-do list may be too limiting.
Individual to-do list feels redundant since the same papers are listed in the workspace view.
What are areas to improve?
📈
What are areas to improve?
📈
Mechanics of the team to-do section need clarification, and a simple to-do list may be too limiting.
Individual to-do list feels redundant since the same papers are listed in the workspace view.
Feedback: Team Workspace
Feedback: Team Workspace
Feedback: Team Workspace
✅
What is currently working?
Likes how intuitive the workspace is—feels familiar to existing tools but is better optimized.
Side-by-side display of articles and criteria is helpful for referencing—other tools don’t currently do this.
Highlighting sections that match the criteria builds confidence in inclusion or exclusion decisions.
Likes how intuitive the workspace is—feels familiar to existing tools but is better optimized.
Side-by-side display of articles and criteria is helpful for referencing—other tools don’t currently do this.
Highlighting sections that match the criteria builds confidence in inclusion or exclusion decisions.
What is currently working?
✅
What is currently working?
✅
Likes how intuitive the workspace is—feels familiar to existing tools but is better optimized.
Side-by-side display of articles and criteria is helpful for referencing—other tools don’t currently do this.
Highlighting sections that match the criteria builds confidence in inclusion or exclusion decisions.
📈
What are areas to improve?
Criteria should be differentiated as inclusion or exclusion.
Sharing team highlights introduce bias; reviews should be independent.
Criteria should be differentiated as inclusion or exclusion.
Sharing team highlights introduce bias; reviews should be independent.
What are areas to improve?
📈
What are areas to improve?
📈
Criteria should be differentiated as inclusion or exclusion.
Sharing team highlights introduce bias; reviews should be independent.
Solution
The key design choices
Solution
The key design choices
Solution
The key design choices
Progress Tracking Dashboard
Progress Tracking Dashboard
Progress Tracking Dashboard
📊
Why use progress bars?
Team members often forget to update their progress, making it challenging for the lead to track completed tasks. Automatically updating progress bars reduce the need for constant follow-ups.
These bars are customizable based on the team's current phase in the review process and can track the most relevant metrics.
Team members often forget to update their progress, making it challenging for the lead to track completed tasks. Automatically updating progress bars reduce the need for constant follow-ups.
These bars are customizable based on the team's current phase in the review process and can track the most relevant metrics.
Why use progress bars?
📊
Why use progress bars?
📊
Team members often forget to update their progress, making it challenging for the lead to track completed tasks. Automatically updating progress bars reduce the need for constant follow-ups.
These bars are customizable based on the team's current phase in the review process and can track the most relevant metrics.
🖍️
Why include highlights section?
While team cohesion is essential in systematic reviews, much of the process is individualized—team members work at their own pace or complete certain sections independently to avoid bias. This can make it easy to lose sight of broader goals and deadlines. This section helps address that challenge.
While team cohesion is essential in systematic reviews, much of the process is individualized—team members work at their own pace or complete certain sections independently to avoid bias. This can make it easy to lose sight of broader goals and deadlines. This section helps address that challenge.
Why include highlights section?
🖍️
Why include highlights section?
🖍️
While team cohesion is essential in systematic reviews, much of the process is individualized—team members work at their own pace or complete certain sections independently to avoid bias. This can make it easy to lose sight of broader goals and deadlines. This section helps address that challenge.
Team Workspace
Team Workspace
Team Workspace
👁️
Why have different workspace views?
Team leads can view members' progress, while regular members have limited access to avoid bias, as multiple people often screen the same article. This also helps team leads assess workload distribution.
Team leads can view members' progress, while regular members have limited access to avoid bias, as multiple people often screen the same article. This also helps team leads assess workload distribution.
Why have different workspace views?
👁️
Why have different workspace views?
👁️
Team leads can view members' progress, while regular members have limited access to avoid bias, as multiple people often screen the same article. This also helps team leads assess workload distribution.
🗂️
How we chose what to add in the table.
Systematic reviews involve a vast amount of information, which can easily become overwhelming. To keep the workspace focused, we prioritized information that interviewees said they valued most for quick reference.
Systematic reviews involve a vast amount of information, which can easily become overwhelming. To keep the workspace focused, we prioritized information that interviewees said they valued most for quick reference.
How we chose what to add in the table.
🗂️
How we chose what to add in the table.
🗂️
Systematic reviews involve a vast amount of information, which can easily become overwhelming. To keep the workspace focused, we prioritized information that interviewees said they valued most for quick reference.
✍️
Why have paper status & rationale?
It makes reviewing conflicts easier. When reasoning is explicitly documented, leads don’t have to spend time reaching out to screeners to understand why a paper was assigned a specific status. This makes the review process more efficient and transparent.
It makes reviewing conflicts easier. When reasoning is explicitly documented, leads don’t have to spend time reaching out to screeners to understand why a paper was assigned a specific status. This makes the review process more efficient and transparent.
Why have paper status & rationale?
✍️
Why have paper status & rationale?
✍️
It makes reviewing conflicts easier. When reasoning is explicitly documented, leads don’t have to spend time reaching out to screeners to understand why a paper was assigned a specific status. This makes the review process more efficient and transparent.
📋
Why are the criteria organized like this?
Once the corresponding criteria are identified and highlighted in the paper, the criteria box turns green for inclusion and red for exclusion, providing a quick visual summary of progress. The boxes are also collapsible to prevent information overwhelm.
Once the corresponding criteria are identified and highlighted in the paper, the criteria box turns green for inclusion and red for exclusion, providing a quick visual summary of progress. The boxes are also collapsible to prevent information overwhelm.
Why are the criteria organized like this?
📋
Why are the criteria organized like this?
📋
Once the corresponding criteria are identified and highlighted in the paper, the criteria box turns green for inclusion and red for exclusion, providing a quick visual summary of progress. The boxes are also collapsible to prevent information overwhelm.
Conclusion
So what now?
Conclusion
So what now?
Conclusion
So what now?
Future Direction
Future Direction
Future Direction
1.
Explore different ways to most efficiently divide up the workload amongst team members (randomly, based on paper topic, etc.).
1.
Explore different ways to most efficiently divide up the workload amongst team members (randomly, based on paper topic, etc.).
1.
Explore different ways to most efficiently divide up the workload amongst team members (randomly, based on paper topic, etc.).
2.
More testing to include users of different familiarity levels/roles within a systematic review.
2.
More testing to include users of different familiarity levels/roles within a systematic review.
2.
More testing to include users of different familiarity levels/roles within a systematic review.
Reflection
Reflection
Reflection
1.
Because I talked to many different stakeholders, I got a chance to practice my design communication. I learned how to understand my audience and tailor questions based off their expertise or the part of the process we were talking to them about.
1.
Because I talked to many different stakeholders, I got a chance to practice my design communication. I learned how to understand my audience and tailor questions based off their expertise or the part of the process we were talking to them about.
1.
Because I talked to many different stakeholders, I got a chance to practice my design communication. I learned how to understand my audience and tailor questions based off their expertise or the part of the process we were talking to them about.
2.
I learned how to tackle and find interest in a topic that I knew nothing about at the start of the project. There was lots of technical knowledge required to understand what is going on, so that was hard at first. However, coming up with a strategic plan on how to overcome these knowledge gaps and persevering through the more challenging aspects was rewarding!
2.
I learned how to tackle and find interest in a topic that I knew nothing about at the start of the project. There was lots of technical knowledge required to understand what is going on, so that was hard at first. However, coming up with a strategic plan on how to overcome these knowledge gaps and persevering through the more challenging aspects was rewarding!
2.
I learned how to tackle and find interest in a topic that I knew nothing about at the start of the project. There was lots of technical knowledge required to understand what is going on, so that was hard at first. However, coming up with a strategic plan on how to overcome these knowledge gaps and persevering through the more challenging aspects was rewarding!