Project Overview
The Product
Queue Clinic is a human-centered mobile app created to address long waiting times at public clinics in South Africa. The project aims to give patients real-time queue updates, digital ticketing, and appointment planning tools so they can receive care without the stress and uncertainty of physical waiting lines.
Duration
Role
Tools
3 months
UX/UI Designer
Responsibility
Figma, Google Forms, Chatgpt, Adobe Illustrator
- Visual Design
- Interaction Designer
The problem:
South African clinic patients often wait hours in long queues without visibility into wait times, causing stress, lost work hours, and missed opportunities for timely care.
The goal:
The goal of this project is to design a mobile app that helps South African patients reduce long clinic waiting times by allowing them to join queues remotely, track their progress, and receive real-time updates.
The Process
User Research:
For this project, I conducted quick interviews and observations with frequent public clinic users. I initially assumed long waiting times were the main issue, but users also struggled with unclear queue order, unpredictable service times, and difficulty planning around work or childcare. This made me realize the problem wasn’t only the wait itself, but the lack of transparency and control.
Initial Key Insights
Initial Key Insights
1. The long duration of the physical wait (often 3-5+ hours) requires Gogo to sit or stand uncomfortably for prolonged periods.
2. Waiting in overcrowded, poorly ventilated areas alongside many sick individuals.
3. The necessity of traveling very early in the morning (before sunrise) to secure a good spot in the physical queue.
User Persona
User Journey Map
Digital Wireframe
The registration screen was designed to minimize friction during onboarding. Understanding that the primary users may not utilize email or social media for authentication, I established the Phone Number and ID Number as the sole, accessible keys to entry.
Full text field description to help user on what to type
A "Guest" button to allow users who might be in a emergency situation
Digital Wireframe
I wanted to make sure a user can Identify a nearest clinic and be able to book their spot prior their arrival to avoid waiting a lot time
Description that helps users identify their clinic of choice and the location of that clinic
This button helps user to book or select a queue on that clinic
Usability study: findings
Round 1 findings
Users were unsure which action to take first on the home screen, leading to hesitation and slower task completion.
The confirmation stage lacked clear reassurance, causing users to question whether their booking was successful.
Round 2 findings
Users wanted real-time updates and timestamps, because static queue numbers felt unreliable.
Users requested automatic notifications, so they wouldn’t have to constantly check the app for updates.
Mockups
Presenting the users with the necessary information from the location to the number of people in a queue. Clear CTA button to easily book their appointment or if they need assistant they can call.
Before Usability Testing
After Usability Testing
Before Usability Testing
After Usability Testing
I had to present users with different clinics to choose from , considering my core users I opted for a vertical scroll making it easy to navigate
Final Designs
Accessibility considerations
I used large, high-contrast text for important information like queue times and buttons so older users and people with low vision can easily read and understand key actions. This helps improve visibility regardless of lighting or screen quality.
Clear headings and structured screen layouts were added so screen readers can navigate the app in a logical order. This makes it easier for users with visual impairments to move through the flow without confusion.
I designed larger tap targets for buttons and key actions to reduce accidental clicks and improve usability for people with limited dexterity. This ensures that users can comfortably interact with the app on smaller screens.
Takeaways
Impact:
After testing, users reported feeling more confident about when to go to the clinic and what to expect when they arrived.
What I learned:
As designers our design are beyond just marketing and aesthetics but also how impactful they can be to those who are in need of help and make their lives easy
Next Steps
I would run another round of usability testing with a larger group of users, especially elderly clinic visitors and caregivers, to gather more feedback. This would help validate whether the new flow is truly easy to use and understandable for people with different tech skills.
A future improvement would be to connect the app to real clinic queue data. This would allow users to see live waiting times instead of estimates, which would make the feature more accurate and helpful in real situations.
I would explore adding voice assistance and larger text options so that older users, or users with low vision, can easily navigate the app. This would support inclusivity and make sure the design works for everyone.