The Challenges
We developed 'Ally', a harm reduction mobile application designed to stand as a companion of support for those affected by OUD.
It's built on the foundation of empathy, understanding, and the unwavering belief that everyone deserves access to support, care, and a path towards healing on their terms.
The Solutions
Teammates
2 UI/UX Designers
Each aspect of ‘Ally’ has been designed with the user's needs, challenges, and journey in mind. Our goal is to provide a supportive, empowering tool that not only addresses the immediate needs of those affected by OUD but also nurtures a community of care, support, and understanding.
My Role
Client
Timeline
5 weeks
FEB 2024 - MAR 2024
UX Researcher & Design Lead
Primary and UX Research
UX Design
Branding
UI Design
Videography
Overview
DR. Joudrey,
UPMC
Head of Harm Reduction Organization
Outcome
Key Features
01. Home Screen
Upon opening the application, the client is greeted by the primary values held by Ally
which are trust, safety, privacy, dignity, and agency present within the carousel on the home screen.
At the top of the home screen is also an alert banner, which if enabled by the client,
informs them about the possibility of adulteration in certain batches of drugs
during that time period.
Beneath the value banners, there are 4 main frequently searched services are presented to users as short-cuts and easy finding pathways.
Among those 4 main services, we mainly focused on,
Harm Reduction,
Treatment,
Social +Wraparound
02. Housing and Shelters
03. Treatment Centers
04. Rating and Reviews
05. Naloxone Map
06. Tips of Safe Injection
07. Quick Assist
From the home screen, users can access the housing shelter page. This shows the option of either entering the zip code or the state within which they wish to search for a shelter, or skip this state entirely.
If they enter the zip code, the screen is presented with housing shelters in their selected location.
Users can access from a range of different housing options, ranging from wet shelters to non-binary shelter options. Also there’s more refined filter options, with option to choose from duration of stay, age range, different types of support, and other additional services.
On the treatment centre page, users have the option of entering a zip code or state, or skipping the step entirely.
They can filter down their options based on their preferences of treatment type, wait time, availability, and access to support groups, presented with a detailed overview of center.
We also included the features as,
images of the treatment centre,
calendar for available treatment slots,
information for how to reach the centre,
information for the transportation, third party website for accurate location.
Both the treatment center and housing shelter pages feature an option to read and leave anonymous reviews. To ensure quality and prevent spamming, users can submit one review every 24 hours. The 'leave a review' section includes a text input, two questions on privacy and respect, and prompts focused on community, support, and additional services.
Coming to our bottom navigation bar, we designed it to have features that the client may need immediate access to.
The naloxone map for example, showcases all the locations that distribute narcan; here too, the client has the option of entering a specific location or is free to scroll through the map in search of their desired location.
Our goal was not to completely discourage or prevent users from using injections or drugs but to guide them toward safer practices.
To support this, we designed the 'Tips' section in the bottom navigation bar, providing users with immediate access to vital information. This section includes safe injection practices to help avoid overdose, infection, and disease, ensuring users are better informed about harm reduction strategies.
Our standout feature is the Quick Assist button, accessible on all pages and even outside the app, similar to Apple's AssistiveTouch.
This customizable tool allows clients to input emergency contacts, real-time or preset locations, and additional helpful information through the 'Settings' function. Users can add or remove details as needed for tailored support.
For privacy, any shared information is securely stored for a maximum of 24 hours, ensuring user trust and data protection.
Design Approach
Design System
Information Architecture
Design Iteration
