Company
Aindra
Year
2024
Industry
Medical
Duration
6 Months
Team
Me, Product Head, Tech Head
What I Did
Device Interface OS Redesign
Aindra Business
Aindra Systems develops medical devices that support cancer diagnosis in pathology laboratories. Their products combine hardware, software, and AI to automate key steps in the diagnostic process, such as slide staining and digital microscopy.
These systems help laboratories standardize complex procedures and handle diagnostic workloads more efficiently.
Simplifying Usability in Cancer Diagnosis Medical Devices
How do you operate a complex cancer diagnostic device from a screen smaller than a phone?
This project explores redesigning the entire device interface to make operating the system clear and manageable within extreme display constraints.
Problem Statement
The interface was limited by Tiny Screen Constraint, reducing information visibility and interaction space. This resulted in Unclear Navigation and Ambiguous Actions, making it difficult for users to understand where to go and what actions mean.
Tasks such as configuring a new protocol—adding reagents and setting their durations—created a Complex Task Setup, increasing High Cognitive Load during operation. The lack of clear system status caused Poor System Feedback, ultimately leading to an Inefficient Workflow.
6. Wireframing
After IA approval, I started designing wireframes.
Special attention was required for critical screens such as:
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Home Screen
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Create New Protocol
These interactions were particularly challenging because they needed to handle complex tasks within a very small display.
5. Redesigning the Information Architecture
I designed a new IA in Figma Jam, comparing the old and new structures.
After multiple discussions and iterations with the team, the new structure was finalized to simplify navigation and align with how users actually operate the device.
The new IA aimed to:
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Reduce navigation confusion
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Align actions with user expectations
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Introduce a clearer and more structured system flow
4. Mapping the Existing System
To understand the current interaction flow, I created the existing Information Architecture (IA).
This helped reveal navigation issues, task complexity, and friction points in the interface.
Based on the analysis, I documented key usability problems and discussed them with the team to align on the areas that needed improvement.
3. Studying Real Usage
I analyzed how pathologists and lab technicians interact with the device and identified usability challenges during daily operation.
2. Learning the Product
Next, I learned how the IntelliStain autostainer works.
The device processes multiple glass slides using reagents (chemicals used to treat cell samples) in a specific sequence. The machine is surrounded by 20+ reagent containers, while a rotating mechanism moves the slides through each reagent step. All operations are controlled and monitored through the device display.
Understanding this workflow was essential to design the interface correctly.
Design Process
1. Understanding the Business
I first studied Aindra’s business to understand the problem they are solving in cancer diagnostics. This helped me see how their devices support pathologists in processing biological samples and generating diagnostic results.
Final Output
The redesign transformed how the device is operated through its tiny embedded display. A clearer system structure and navigation reduced confusion, while the simplified interface made complex tasks like creating and managing staining protocols easier to perform. Improved system feedback and task visibility helped pathologists and lab technicians operate the device with greater confidence and efficiency.