Intro
FISWeek App
FISWeek App is the official app for FISWeek, the largest healthcare event in Latin America – bringing together over 7,000 participants and 300 lectures, mentoring sessions and presentations. It arose from the need to better organize the event experience, after the previous year demonstrated that participants had difficulty accessing the program, locating the spaces and taking full advantage of the event’s potential. In the healthcare sector, which is traditionally resistant to innovation, the FISWeek App stands out for introducing a complete technological solution, connecting people and facilitating both networking and interaction with the event’s program .
Role
Discovery & Research.
Usability and Product Management Supervisor.
Duration
Start: January 2023
Delivery: End of October 2023 (for the event held in November)
Total Period: 10 to 11 months
Team
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Product:
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6 Developers
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3 Designers
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Others Involved:
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Sales Team
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Stakeholders
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Sponsors
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Tools
Design and Planning: Figma, FigJam, Miro, Notion
Project Management: ClickUp, Trello
Development: React Native
Summary
The challenge
Develop, from scratch, a robust, intuitive and scalable application for the largest healthcare event in Latin America, ensuring a simple and straightforward user experience for an audience that, historically, is not used to advanced technologies. The technical challenge consisted of creating a solution that would run smoothly on Android and iOS using React Native – despite its limitations – and, at the same time, develop complex features, such as an internal chat for networking, which was the module that required the most effort. On the organizational side, the complexity lay in coordinating a large team, where the delivery of one team directly impacted the work of the others.
My role
Initially, I worked intensively in the discovery phase – conducting user research, benchmarking, card sorting and defining the information architecture, in addition to creating wireframes and concepts. During development, I transitioned to a usability supervision role and, in parallel, worked as a Product Manager, closely monitoring the development and integration of essential functionalities, always aligning decisions with the impact on the business and the user experience.
My impact
01
Research-Based Strategic Decisions
I conducted research to map out the audience's pain points and ensure that the features developed met the real needs of participants and sponsors. The app was structured to optimize navigation, networking, and engagement, facilitating access to relevant content.
02
User Experience Optimization
I designed intuitive workflows for a diverse audience, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience. Features such as scheduling and chat were continually validated to deliver high perceived value.
03
Facilitating Networking and Lead Generation
I improved the networking experience by integrating features that allowed for quick contact exchange and direct interaction via chat. In addition, simplified lead capture via QR Code boosted sponsors' efficiency in generating business opportunities.
04
Scalability and Continuous Evolution
I developed scalable solutions aligned with a robust design system, enabling sustainable growth and future improvements. The project opened space for new monetization fronts, such as a benefits marketplace and a job portal.
Overview
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Research
Context
Research was essential to understanding the needs of users and sponsors.
The following demands were identified:
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Simplification and Intuitiveness: The target audience, made up of healthcare professionals, needed a clean and intuitive interface, similar to the experience offered by banking and fintech apps.
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Personalization of the Experience: Participants had to create their own schedule – being able to choose specific lectures, mentoring sessions and sessions – in addition to interacting via chat and networking during the event.
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Business Features: Sponsoring companies wanted an effective way to capture leads (names, emails, etc.) directly through the app, integrating this functionality into use during the booths.
Methods used
1. Contextual Inquire
Constant contact and alignment with stakeholders, leaders and customers.
3 Stakeholders
4. Personas
Profiling based on collected data to guide user-centered design.
2 User profiles
7. Card Sorting
Organization of features and content to structure the app's navigation.
3 Main groupings
2. Benchmarks
Analysis of applications known for their usability, focusing on solutions for audiences with less technological affinity.
6 Apps analyzed
5. Journey Map
Mapping user experiences through their interactions with the product.
2 Main Journeys
8. Information Architecture
Proposal for structuring and organizing content in a logical and intuitive way.
2 Profiles
3. Interviews
Interviews and tests with participants of previous events to map pain points and expectations.
10 Interviewees
6. How Might We're
Formulating questions to stimulate innovation and define design challenges based on user needs.
2 Profiles
Some
Highlights
01. The Programming Problem:
The complexity of the event's schedule meant that participants missed opportunities because they didn't know exactly what to watch and when.
Proposed solution: Create an intuitive interface that would allow users to set up their own schedule with notifications and favorites, making it easier to view panels and lectures of interest, with simple and clear filters.
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From left to right: Schedule, Filters, Favorites and Notifications.
02. The problem of Leads:
Previously, sponsors struggled to collect qualified leads from attendees, often relying on manual methods or ineffective forms.
Proposed solution: The app allowed for the capture of leads quickly and in an organized manner by scanning participants' QR codes, ensuring, with consent, access to information such as name, email, company and position, optimizing the conversion of strategic contacts for sponsors.
From left to right: Participant QR Code, Sponsors Scanner and Leads List.
03. The Networking problem:
During previous events, many participants knew each other but often forgot to exchange contact details, making it difficult to continue professional connections.
Proposed solution: The app introduced connections and internal chat functionality, allowing attendees to add contacts directly to the platform and start conversations within the event, facilitating the building of lasting networks.
From left to right: Connections, Profile and Chat.
Architecture
During development, the application architecture was designed to be scalable and modular, allowing for the future inclusion of new features, such as a job portal, a benefits portal with coupons, and personalized notifications. This structure enabled the unification of information and intuitive navigation, clearly separating the areas aimed at participants and sponsors.
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Process
Context
Since the beginning of the project, we have adopted a parallel approach between discovery and development.
This integration allowed:
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Iterative Design: Continuous creation and validation of wireframes and prototypes.
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Direct Handoff: The fluid transition between design and development, with frequent deliveries and constant alignment.
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Agile Monitoring: Use of tools such as ClickUp and Trello to monitor sprints, facilitating communication and meeting deadlines, even with the complexity of a large team.
Design
01. Agile :
Several versions of the main layout were tested and refined in rapid cycles, with continuous validations with stakeholders to ensure strategic alignment and efficiency in implementation.
Wireframes of the home screen next to the developed version.
02. Coherent :
The visual identity was carefully developed following the brand's brand book, balancing clarity and trust. The design considered the needs of an audience with little technological familiarity, ensuring accessibility and immediate recognition.
Visual elements used in the project.
03. Scalable :
The design followed design system principles, including color and text tokens for accessibility and dark mode, as well as modular componentization to facilitate future platform expansions.
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Overview of some of the project's Tokens.
Handoffs and
Management
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The handoff process was carried out directly with the developers, using detailed documentation and flowcharts that described each functionality.
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The project was managed using agile methodologies, allowing for quick adjustments and resolution of unforeseen issues without compromising the final delivery.
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Constant supervision – both of usability and development progress – was crucial to maintaining product quality and consistency.
Setbacks
and Solutions
Processes are never all roses. During the Research, Design and Development phases, surprises constantly arise. In these situations, it is essential to be assertive , confident in your decisions and maintain agile thinking to make the best decisions, always with the aim of ensuring the quality of delivery to customers.
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Here are three examples of unforeseen events we had to deal with:
1. Technical Challenge – Multiplatform:
a) Problem: Develop an application that works smoothly on both Android and iOS.
b) Proposed solution: We opted for React Native, which, despite presenting some limitations, guaranteed stable performance and allowed the unification of code for both platforms.
c) Result: The app ran without any critical issues throughout the event, with loading times within the average of native apps. Around 90% of participants downloaded and used the app, demonstrating acceptance of the solution.
2. Functional Challenge – Chat Module:
a) Problem: The internal chat, vital for networking, was the module that required the most effort, but it had to be delivered on time.
b) Proposed solution: Through rapid iterations and focus on essential functionality, the module was successfully developed, meeting user expectations.
c) Result: The chat module was delivered on time and withstood peak usage without significant failures. More than 2,500 messages were exchanged between participants throughout the event, confirming its value for networking.
3. Organizational Challenge – Team Coordination:
a) Problem: One team's delivery directly impacted the progress of the others, creating bottlenecks when a module was delayed.
b) Proposed solution: With mature discussions and constant alignment between product leader, designers and developers, we were able to maintain an integrated and efficient workflow.
c) Result: The app was delivered two weeks before the event, allowing for final adjustments based on real feedback. This planning ensured a smooth launch, and the solution was validated by organizers and sponsors.
Results
Deliveries
The FISWeek App launched a new experience for the event, ensuring intuitive navigation, high engagement and new business opportunities for the company. Three relevant results stand out:
The App at the Event: Reception and performance
Post-Event Feedback: Mapping and Iteration
New Business Fronts: Opportunities and Expansion
1st Result
Launch of the application in a stable version with essential features – personalized programming, event map, chat module and lead capture for sponsors – approved and used by almost 90% of participants.
In addition, the app had peaks of up to 3,000 simultaneous users at FISWeek, contributing to the growth of the event and increased revenue for sponsors.
The App at the
Event
2nd Result
We’ve received a lot of feedback about the app. Overall, it’s been very positive, with ratings close to 5 stars on both the App Store and Play Store.
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Now, our focus is on improving performance to support more simultaneous accesses in future events, in addition to improving usability and adding new features.
Post-Event
Feedback
3rd Result
The success of the FISWeek App has opened the door for the technology to be sold to other events, expanding the scope of the business.
New Fronts
Business
Version developed for the Firjan SESI Health Talks event.
Part of the team on the day of the event!
Lessons