Helix
Optimising Lab Operations
Role: Core Product Designer
About Helix
A digital platform designed for lab technicians & lab managers to streamline the entire journey of blood and other test samples.
By digitizing the process, Helix ensures seamless tracking, allowing patients to stay informed about their sample’s status without any hassle.
The Problem Statement
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Lab processes today lack standardised tracking and optimisation.
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TAT is tracked, but task-level gaps are still unknown
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No breakdown of tasks to identify delays
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Heavy reliance on physical registers and documents
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Lack of a system to track task ownership, accountability, and efficiency at both task and user levels.
The Target Users
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Lab Technicians
Users within the lab who interact with the samples first-hand -
Lab Managers
Users who keep track of all activities within the lab
The Project Goal
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Transitioning from legacy registers to fully digitised lab processes.
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Enabling end-to-end tracking of each sample, from collection to report generation.
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Ensuring quick and easy adaptation of the portal by the users.
How We Did It
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The platform was built from the ground up, with no existing references to guide development.
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Our primary goal was to enhance efficiency for lab technicians without adding complexity. However, we observed that while certain tasks took a few extra minutes, errors were significantly reduced.
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Some design decisions, initially made to simplify workflows, often didn’t work as expected. This led us to prioritize user testing after every new flow, ensuring that keeping the user at the center of our process made design decisions more effective.
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Acknowledging Imperfections: Recognizing the challenges of working in a less-than-ideal world, maintaining a positive outlook despite constraints. 🌟
Research Workshop
To better understand lab workflows, our team conducted multiple workshops with lab managers across India, with the aim of standardising processes nationwide.
The Information Architecture
The Wireframes
Our Lab Technician using the tool
The Visuals
The Impact
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Increased Efficiency:
Reduces errors, optimizes turnaround time, and eliminates manual registers.
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Improved Productivity:
Clear task assignments, minimal complexity, and faster task completion.
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Better Monitoring:
Real-time tracking, performance insights, and early issue detection.
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Enhanced Patient Experience:
Transparent sample tracking, faster reports, and automated updates.
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Scalability & Growth:
Digitized workflows, data-driven improvements, and future AI integration.