Improving Clinical Trial Flow Usability
SHARE Cancer Support

In my User Research Methods course at Brandeis University, I led UX research and content strategy to improve SHARE Cancer Support’s mobile experience for users seeking clinical trial information. Our findings informed design solutions that made complex health content easier to understand and navigate.

Problem

User research and usability testing revealed major challenges in how clinical trial information was structured and written. Participants described the content as dense, confusing, and filled with jargon. They weren’t sure where to begin, how to determine eligibility, or what to do after finding a trial.

Key issues included:

  • Long blocks of text that made it difficult to skim or identify next steps

  • Complex terminology that alienated non-medical readers

  • A lack of clear hierarchy or visual cues to guide navigation

  • Inconsistent use of colors, fonts, and images that created visual noise and made pages hard to read

  • Links that opened in new windows without warning, interrupting user flow and creating confusion

  • Limited guidance to help users understand where to start or what to do next.

Context

This project was part of my User Research Methods course in Brandeis University’s User-Centered Design graduate program. My team selected SHARE Cancer Support, a nonprofit organization that provides education and resources for women with cancer, as the focus for our redesign. Our goal was to improve the mobile user experience for people seeking clinical trial information. While SHARE’s website offered valuable resources, users struggled to find what they needed or understand the complex medical language. Many described feeling overwhelmed, uncertain, and intimidated by the process.

My Work

As the lead content strategist and UX researcher, I focused on simplifying the experience while maintaining medical accuracy and empathy for users under stress.

My contributions to the project included the following:

  • User Research and Analysis:

    • Conducted remote interviews via Zoom with three participants who had searched for clinical trial information before.

    • Used Miro to organize insights through affinity mapping, identifying recurring themes like “information overload”, “emotional fatigue”, and “fear of misunderstanding”.

    • Collaborated with teammates to define user needs and goals, establishing clarity and reassurance as core design priorities.

  • Prototyping and Content Redesign:

    • Applied Crazy 8s sketching to explore potential layouts before creating low-fidelity wireframes in Figma

    • Rewrote clinical trial content using plain-language microcopy that guided users through each step (for example, changing Eligibility Criteria to Who Can Join This Trial? )

    • Introduced visual hierarchy, icons, and contextual tooltips to make complex details easier to scan and comprehend

  • Testing and Iteration:

    • Conducted usability testing comparing the existing site to the redesigned prototype

    • Analyzed participant feedback and iterated on structure, tone, and hierarchy until users consistently completed key tasks with ease

Impact

Post-test findings showed measurable improvement in usability and engagement:

  • Task completion for finding a relevant clinical trial increased from 60% to 90%.

  • Users spent more time exploring clinical trial pages and were less likely to leave after viewing only one screen.

  • Participants expressed higher confidence and satisfaction using the redesigned site.

This project reinforced my approach to content design rooted in clarity, empathy, and usability, showing how thoughtful structure and plain language can help users navigate complex topics with confidence.

Link to Full Project

Outcome

The redesigned prototype introduced:

  • Simplified, plain-language content that made complex information accessible

  • A guided, user-friendly flow that reduced cognitive load and built confidence

  • Improved visual hierarchy and layout consistency that made information easier to scan and understand

Participants described the new version as “less intimidating”, “easier to read”, and “more straightforward”.

  • Screenshot of a persona board.

    User Persona Board

    This persona represents women navigating triple-negative breast cancer who rely on trustworthy, easy-to-understand information to make treatment decisions. I created it using insights from participant interviews and secondary research that included medical data, peer-reviewed journals, and publications on non-profits and UX design. Grounding the persona in both lived experience and credible evidence helped the team empathize with users’ emotional and informational needs, and guided design decisions that prioritized clarity, trust, and accessibility.

  • Screenshot of Crazy 8s Sketches.

    Crazy 8s Sketches

    This Crazy 8s exercise helped me quickly explore layout and content hierarchy ideas for the SHARE Cancer Support homepage. I focused on making key actions such as finding clinical trials, joining support groups, and subscribing for updates more visible and intuitive. By sketching multiple variations, I was able to test different ways to simplify navigation and organize high-value content.

  • Screenshot of process flow sketches.

    Four-Panel Process Flow Sketches

    I sketched this four-panel flow to show how users could move through finding and requesting support for clinical trials. Each panel highlights a key step: starting on the homepage, entering details, viewing results, and requesting a call for help. My goal was to simplify a complex process so users could take action with clarity and confidence.

  • Screenshot of low-fidelity mobile site prototype..

    Low-Fidelity Prototype

    I built this prototype in Figma to visualize the new clinical trial experience before testing. It focused on helping users find relevant trials and connect with SHARE staff for guidance. The simple layout and clear calls-to-action made it easy to evaluate how well users could move through each step of the process during usability testing.

View Next Case Study >