Project Overview

Project Name: Northeastern COVID-19 Contact Tracing

Role: UX Researcher

Timeline: October – December 2020

Tools Used: Balsamiq, Axure RP, Qualtrics, Zoom

Project Report: COVID-19 Contact Tracer Application

Interactive High-Fidelity Prototype

AXURE (MAIN): https://ae0hnf.axshare.com

To log in the prototype, please use:

AXURE(RECEIVE NOTIFICATION FOR USE CASE 3): https://8p0phw.axshare.com

AXURE(RECEIVE NOTIFICATION FOR USE CASE 4): https://eh4q25.axshare.com

The Problem

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Northeastern University deployed systems to manage COVID-related activities like wellness checks, test scheduling, and exposure tracking. However, student feedback revealed major usability issues:

• Confusing navigation between two separate systems.
• Overloaded screens with unnecessary information.
• Inefficient workflows for scheduling, reporting, and notifications.
• Accessibility and design inconsistencies.

To address these, we aimed to redesign the interface for improved efficiency, usability, and accessibility.

Research Process

User Research + Interview

We interviewed Northeastern students who used the current COVID-19 platform to gather pain points and expectations for an improved system.

Key Findings:

• Users struggled to find critical COVID-19 resources quickly.
• Navigation between different features was unclear.
• The system lacked intuitive feedback mechanisms.

Work Activity Affinity Diagram (WAAD)

Using the interview data, we created a WAAD to categorize common behaviors, frustrations and needs.

Work Activity Affinity Diagram (WAAD) for COVID-19 Tracing App

1. User Goals

• Schedule COVID-19 Test
• View Test Results
• Receive Exposure Alerts
• Complete Daily Wellness Check

2. Pain Points

• Confusing Navigation
• Lack of Feedback
• Too Much Information
• Limited Mobile Optimization

3. User Behaviors

• Checks for test availability
• Misses notifications
• Prefers mobile access
• Forgets daily check-in

4. Suggested Improvements

• Clear Navigation
• Better Alerts
• Simplified UI
• Mobile-Friendly Design

Personas + Use Cases

We built user personas for the tracing application research representing typical Northeastern students using the system. These personas guided design decisions, ensuring we addressed real user needs.

Persona I:

Ruby (Grad Student – MSCS Align, 23 years old)

• Needs a quick + simple way to schedule tests.
• Prefers a mobile-first design.
• Finds excessive information overwhelming.