Lumina Health
Helping patients manage chronic conditions at home
Overview
The problem
Patients with chronic conditions were struggling to maintain daily tracking habits. Existing apps felt clinical and punitive, leading to low adherence. Clinicians lacked visibility into patient progress between appointments.
The solution
A compassionate, habit-forming mobile experience that turns daily symptom logging into a gentle routine. Patients see their progress visualized as a living garden that grows healthier with consistent input. Clinicians receive a clean weekly summary dashboard.
My role
I owned the end-to-end UX, conducting patient and clinician interviews, defining the interaction model for the garden metaphor, and designing both the patient app and clinician dashboard. I also facilitated weekly design critiques with the clinical advisory board.
Process
Research
I shadowed three outpatient clinics and interviewed 18 patients and 6 nurses. A recurring theme was guilt: patients felt judged by their own data. This led us to reframe the product away from "tracking" and toward "nurturing."
Wireframing
I explored three conceptual directions: a timeline, a dashboard, and the garden metaphor. The garden tested highest in emotional resonance during a desirability study with 24 participants. I then wireframed the full patient journey from onboarding through weekly review.
Prototyping
I created a working prototype with dynamic garden states tied to mock data. Usability testing with 10 patients revealed that weekly summary cards were too dense; I simplified them into three priority signals and moved detailed history to a secondary view.
Visuals
Outcome
Lumina launched as a pilot with two clinics. After 90 days, 72% of enrolled patients were checking in daily — more than double the rate of the previous tool. Clinicians reported faster appointment preparation and more productive conversations.