Interview & Further Research

Below is the recorded interview I had with Arina:

INTERVIEW WITH ARINA (YEAR 2 NURSING STUDENT)

Hi Arina, thanks for taking the time off from your busy schedule to talk to me. I only have a few questions, so this will be really quick.

A: -laughs- No problem, Janine. I’ll try to answer as best as I can.

What are some of the issues that you think could potentially worsen a pandemic?

A: Overcrowding. People are most like going to rush to hospitals to get vaccinated. They might not go to clinics because they might think that oh only hospitals will have etc. Also right, if there were some serious pandemic or whatever, people may come to the hospital at the slightest symptoms like flu.

So essentially people that are just sick with common illnesses like cough will be mixing with those who have contracted something more serious

A: Yeah. We could try to separate those who have contracted the disease and those who are sick with other common illnesses, but sometimes it can’t be help you know? Sometimes serious illnesses show symptoms that seem like just a normal cough that kind.

So what would you suggest to counter this?

A: I think it’s quite hard to solve this issue. The ideal situation is for people to book their appointments online and only show up when it’s their turn, but the most common way people make their appointment is still in person.

But doesn’t that take a long time? From experience, I waited at a polyclinic for almost an hour before.

A: Yes. Because the queue system takes into account both online and in-person bookings, you see. So maybe the waiting room looks not crowded but actually there may be a lot of people ahead of you.

What do you think of the current app, Doctor Anywhere?

A: I think conceptually, it’s a good idea. But those video calls conducted doesn’t really allow you to do basic procedure like taking vital signs and what not. I guess it’s good if you already know what illness you have? But sometimes things could be more serious than it seems, so really a real-life consultation would be better.

Ok this may seem a bit random, but I’m also the one working on the design for my team, so I have to ask: What do you think of the interface of the current polyclinic website?

A: I think it’s okay? Tends to seem a bit cluttered at times.

Do you think in times of chaos during a pandemic, the “cluttered design” will be an issue?

A: I guess? I mean it would be better if the website was cleaner and more simplistic? Like you know if the website looks cluttered it gives off this very messy, disorganized vibe? It may make people feel unease and more panicked I don’t know -laughs-

So do you have any suggestions to revamp the website? Or just in general?

A: I think just make sure the website is clear on it’s purpose ah. Don’t need to add extra stuff inside. Like for example if there was a pandemic or crisis, I think the polyclinic should really just keep it to appointment bookings and urgent news updates.

Ok, thank you for your time. Will it be ok if I contact you again in the near future for feedback on the design of our product?

A: Yeah sure. And you’re welcome!

**End of Interview**

From this, I decided to review the existing polyclinic one more time to help me in creating a design for my group's website. My group also brainstormed and decided to rethink our functions to see what we would stick with and what we should get rid of.