Bowel Cancer Screening

National Bowel Cancer Screening Kit Redesign

UX, Information, Packaging & Communication Design Project
Aug-Oct 2023
Group Project

The Problem

Bowel cancer is a significant health issue in Australia, ranking as the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The Australian government distributes at-home bowel cancer screening kits to individuals aged 50 to 74 every two years. However, only 44% of these kits are returned. The ACMD joined hands with the 2023 Swinburne UX Design Capstone cohort, all seeking to answer the question of "How might we enhance the user experience of the NBCSP Home Test kit to boost participation rates?"

The Solution

In response to the project's challenge, our interdisciplinary team of seven devised a comprehensive solution combining both physical and digital solution rooted in the following elements:

Research & Analysis

We initiated a literature review to delve into existing research while studying case studies to gauge the effectiveness of prior systems. In addition, we conducted insightful focus groups with individuals aged 50 to 74 to obtain real-world data and insights on the subject.

Design

With the information in hand, we set out to create an interactive design prototype for a website. This digital platform showcases potential enhancements to the screening process, emphasizing an improved and streamlined approach for participants to gather information about bowel cancer and the screening procedure. Simultaneously, we revamped and restructured various physical components, addressing the pain points identified by our participants. This encompassed redesigning the kit itself, refining instructions, and enhancing the information booklet.

Documentation & Presentation

A comprehensive report detailing our UX research and design journey was meticulously crafted, catering to a non-design-trained client. The final report contains our findings, suggested improvements, and recommendations. These insights were presented to our clients through a conference presentation at the end of the semester.

Our approach integrated diverse research methods, including literature review, focus groups, case studies, card sorting, and affinity mapping. These methods culminated in evidence-based solutions, culminating in a redesigned kit (including the consent form, contents, booklet, and instructions) and a digital prototype for easier access to overall information.

Research (Current Process & Competitor Analysis)

Upon our extensive research and conduction of target aged focus groups, we were able to gather enough data and create creation an affinity map. From our findings, we identified procrastination as a substantial barrier, affecting 61% of users who expressed the intention but did not complete the kit. Furthermore, our research highlighted that procrastination was frequently compounded by other inhibiting factors. The "Ick Factor" emerged as the second most significant reason for reduced participation.

Consequently, our focus shifted towards devising methods to instill users with a heightened sense of trust in the overall hygiene of the process. Additionally, we observed that a lack of informed knowledge among users contributed to their reluctance to engage with the testing while in some other cases, users believed that they did not require testing due to perceived good health or the absence of symptoms.

Focus Group Findings

Service Map

Individual Outcome (Participant Consent Form)

Prior to commencing, our group conducted a collaborative session during which we colour-coded sections in the existing form to distinguish between essential elements and those that could potentially be omitted.
This collaborative effort provided us with a more informed perspective, ultimately enhancing our understanding of the form's content and its potential for improvement.