Traveler's Remedy
A mobile application that allows international travelers to easily search for and access relevant information about over-the-counter medications while navigating foreign countries.
Product Experience
Problem Space
Problem Statement
How might we make it easier for international travelers to navigate the selection of over-the-counter medications in foreign countries to treat minor illnesses/injury.
Problem Background
Traveling can be an exciting and enriching experience, offering the opportunity to explore new cultures, landscapes, and cuisines. However, unforeseen circumstances such as falling ill can disrupt the joy of travel, especially when it occurs in a foreign country. Minor illnesses or injuries, though not life-threatening, can still impact the overall travel experience and necessitate attention and care.
Dealing with a minor illness abroad adds complexity due to language barriers, unfamiliar healthcare systems, differing cultural practices, and limited access to familiar medications or treatments. Managing these challenges can be daunting without a support system in an unfamiliar environment.
Research Insights
User Pain Points
Conducted a comprehensive survey to assess user pain points during international travel, including instances of minor illness or injury, comfort levels in navigating international pharmacies, and understanding medication terminology.
Supporting Data
Only 11% of travelers speak the native (primary) language in the country they travel to.
70% of travelers suffered from a minor illness/injury while traveling.
100% had a moderate or mild impact to their travels (57% experienced a mild impact but were able to enjoy the trip/43% experienced a moderate impact which required adjustment to plans) .
90% of travelers visited a pharmacy abroad.
70% of travelers self-medicated with OTC medications and an additional 20% also sought out local pharmacy assistance.
67% of travelers have encountered challenges understanding or communicating medical terms or instructions related to their minor illness/injury.
44% Had difficulty with communication due to language barriers.
Only 20% of travelers are very comfortable with medical jargon.
Landing on the Solution
Based on our target users’ pain points, we knew what we want to:
- Provide an intuitive and user-friendly mobile application to help international travelers identify and select appropriate OTC medications.
- Educate users about potential interactions with any prescription medications they may be taking.
- Offer accurate and up-to-date information on OTC medications available in different countries.
- Improve overall safety and confidence in self-medication and self-treatment during travel.
Provide:
- Comprehensive Medication Information: provides accurate and up-to-date information about over-the-counter medications, including dosages, side effects, and precautions.
- Multilingual Support: The app's built-in translation feature allows users to understand medication names, instructions, and warnings in multiple languages.
- User-Friendly Interface: With an easy-to-navigate interface, offers clear guidance on selecting the right over-the-counter medications for common ailments.
- Medication Interaction Checker: interaction checker ensures the safe combination of prescribed medications with over-the-counter drugs.
Future Steps
Overall, I have an idea of how this solution will be enacted and I’m looking forward to working with a team of engineers and designers to establish a thorough solution and prototype.
Learnings
Product Manager Learnings:
Nicole Lewis
Co.Lab was an amazing experience for me. I’ve learned so much in the 4 week sprint. My main lessons revolved around remaining focused on problem space and operating within its scope.
As a results-driven individual, I have always been inclined to continuously improve and assess root cause analysis procedures to find effective solutions. However, my role as a product manager during this Sprint has highlighted the vital importance of understanding the "Job To Be Done" within the context of the problem space defined by our users. This involves identifying their needs and challenges in a profound manner.
Instead of simply pitching ideas, my focus has shifted to centering the Customer by gaining a deep understanding of their motivations, behaviors, needs, and pain points through user surveys. This level of understanding is critical for determining the true value of the product in the market and ensuring it genuinely fulfils an actual customer need.
I've learned that concentrating solely on the solutions may result in incremental improvements to existing features, but by prioritizing the core problem (the actual job), I can unlock creativity and intentionality in devising innovative and highly effective solutions. This approach ensures that the product aligns perfectly with the customers' requirements and makes a meaningful impact in their lives. Ultimately, focusing on the problem space and customer needs is key to delivering successful and customer-centric products.
Designer Learnings:
Designer Learnings:
Jo Sturdivant
- Adapting to an Established Team: Joining the team in week 6 of 8 was challenging, as I had to quickly adapt to existing workflows, dynamics, and goals. This mirrors real-world situations where you often integrate into teams mid-project, and flexibility is essential.
- Work-Blocking for Efficiency: With only two weeks to complete the project, I learned the importance of a structured work-blocking system. This approach allowed me to manage my time effectively and meet deadlines under pressure.
- Making Data-Driven Design Decisions: Unlike my past projects, I had to rely on research conducted by others. This was a valuable experience in using pre-existing data to guide design decisions, helping me focus on the core insights without starting from scratch.
Developer Learnings:
Developer Learnings:
Vanady Beard
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As the back-end developer, I learned how important it is to create efficient and reliable systems that support the entire application. This experience also taught me the importance of optimising the database and ensuring the backend is scalable and easy to maintain.
Developer Learnings:
Stephen Asiedu
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As a back-end developer, I've come to understand the importance of being familiar with various database systems and modules. This knowledge enables me to build diverse applications and maintain versatility in my work. I've also learned that the responsibility for making the right choices rests on my shoulders, guided by my best judgement.
Developer Learnings:
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Developer Learnings:
Maurquise Williams
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- Process of Creating an MVP: Developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) taught me how to focus on delivering core functionalities balancing between essential features and avoiding scope creep.
- Collaboration in a Real-World Tech Setting: This experience taught me how to collaborate efficiently in a fast-paced tech environment, keeping the team aligned and productive, even while working remotely across time zones.
- Sharpening Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills: This experience honed my ability to think critically and solve problems efficiently. By tackling challenges and finding quick solutions, I sharpened my decision-making and troubleshooting skills in a dynamic, real-world setting.
Developer Learnings:
Jeremiah Williams
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All in all this experience was very awesome I learned that in coding with others being transparent is key
Developers Learnings:
Justin Farley
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I learned how important communication is when working with a team. Communication provides understanding, advice, ideas, and much more. While working with the product team, I’ve found that communication keeps everything flowing smoothly. Working with a team also showed me that every member brings something different to the table and we all have to work together in order to align and meet our end goal.