Dr. O, DPT

Designing a website for a pelvic health physical therapist and childbirth educator.

Role

UX/UI Designer

Industry

Health

Year

2025

Client name withheld by request, and visual elements including colors, branding, and identifying details have been modified. Design solutions and process remain true to the original project.

Overview

Background

Dr. O came to me with a growing side business, but no web presence. Her work had expanded past 1:1 consultations into workshops, speaking engagements, and merchandise, but she had no way to communicate that range online, and no system for managing bookings beyond manual emails or social media messages.

Problem

She needed a site that could speak to three distinct audiences: expecting mothers seeking childbirth education, women needing pelvic health support, and professional organizations booking her for speaking events.

Solution

A website with audience-first navigation, an integrated booking system, and a resources hub that was built with room to expand into digital products later. The site is currently in development with the client; the work shown here covers research through high-fidelity design and prototype validation.

Client name withheld by request, and visual elements including colors, branding, and identifying details have been modified. Design solutions and process remain true to the original project.

Overview

Background

Problem

Solution

The Process

Research

Research findings showed that users choose services they trust fast, want flexible learning options, and judge credibility instantly through clean design, clear booking, and human language.

Initiated the project with performing a competitive analysis and conducting user research interviews with recent or expecting mothers. The goal of the research phase was to understand the target audience better, and learn how similar professionals portray their services online.

After conducting interviews, I created an affinity map to synthesize findings. Key insights and design opportunities emerged, guiding the transition into the define phase.

Competitive Analysis

User Interviews Affinity Map

Key Insights

Users weren't hesitant about online booking or digital content broadly, but more so about trusting a provider they couldn't easily verify or reach. Every desired feature (testimonials, credentials, call/email fallback, no account walls) traced back to wanting reassurance before committing.

Users prioritize easy booking, credibility, flexible learning, and intuitive design.

Problem Statements

Users need confident booking experiences and organized course access.

Research revealed two pain points: booking uncertainty and course material overwhelm. I translated these into problem statements focusing on users' needs for confidence and organization, then reframed them as "How Might We" questions to guide ideation toward solutions that build trust and reduce stress.

Stakeholder Alignment

Balancing stakeholder goals, user needs, and project scope.

Before ideation, I aligned with Dr. O on must-haves: a modern site with service listings, booking functionality, resource downloads.

Aligned Project Goals:

Create a responsive website showcasing services.
Build an online learning platform for purchasing and booking courses.
Add a centralized 'Resources; hub for downloadable materials.

Wireframes

From initial concept to high-fidelity.

Low Fidelity

I started with low-fidelity wireframes to establish navigation structure and user flows, then ran usability testing to validate before moving into visual design. Moving into the high-fidelity designs, I utilized AI tools to help generate layout variations and test visual hierarchy decisions before finalizing.

High Fidelity

Discovering Services

Research showed visitors scanned for "is this for me?" before reading further. Services are organized by service type, so a visitor can self-identify immediately. Each offering leads with a plain-language description rather than clinical terminology, responding to a trust insight from research: approachable language lowered perceived barrier to reaching out.

Browsing Courses

Booking was the clearest pain point in research: people wanted to book online but didn't fully trust an online-only flow without a way to reach a real person. The booking flow keeps self-serve scheduling as the primary path, but keeps contact persistently accessible via the navigation bar. With Dr. O planning to offer self-paced online courses in the future, a toggle between live and on-demand course formats was included, keeping the architecture scalable without overcomplicating the current view.

Resources Hub

Research flagged access friction as a recurring frustration. Users expected to find materials without navigating multiple steps or committing before understanding what was available. The hub separates free and paid resources into clearly labeled sections, so visitors can access what's immediately available and understand what requires purchase before committing. Pricing is surfaced up front rather than revealed at checkout.

Usability Testing and Prototyping

Usability testing on the high-fidelity prototype showed 100% task completion with no critical errors and users described the site as "simple" and "easy to navigate." Since the site hadn't yet launched, I also used Claude Design to generate a more realistic prototype as a way to pressure-test my own choices and for sharing with the client.

Next Steps

Design Implementation

Development and launch.

The next phase involves future collaboration with Dr. O and a developer and oversee the implementation of the designs into a fully functional website. This includes ensuring design fidelity, addressing technical constraints, and maintaining the user experience throughout development.

Reflections

Key Takeaways

Balancing user needs with business strategy.

This project deepened my ability to balance user advocacy with business strategy. Beyond honing research and design skills, I learned to navigate client relationships, manage timelines, and communicate insights that bridge user needs with stakeholder goals. The most valuable growth came from making strategic tradeoffs and determining not just what users need, but what to prioritize within real-world constraints. This experience reinforced that effective design requires both empathy and pragmatic decision-making.