Summer 2024 Internship

Epic

Epic

Epic

Epic, also known as Epic Systems, is the leading Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) software company in the United States, based in Madison, Wisconsin. In the previous summer, I had owned the design of a patient-facing application, but in Summer 2024, I had the opportunity to spearhead a provider-facing interface on the Research Informatics application.

Epic, also known as Epic Systems, is the leading Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) software company in the United States, based in Madison, Wisconsin. In the previous summer, I had owned the design of a patient-facing application, but in Summer 2024, I had the opportunity to spearhead a provider-facing interface on the Research Informatics application.

Epic, also known as Epic Systems, is the leading Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) software company in the United States, based in Madison, Wisconsin. In the previous summer, I had owned the design of a patient-facing application, but in Summer 2024, I had the opportunity to spearhead a provider-facing interface on the Research Informatics application.

Project

Summer Internship

Epic Systems

Project

Summer Internship

Epic Systems

Project

Summer Internship

Epic Systems

Skills

User research, prototyping, information architecture, design systems

Skills

User research, prototyping, information architecture, design systems

Skills

User research, prototyping, information architecture, design systems

Timeline

May 20234- Aug 2024

Timeline

May 20234- Aug 2024

Timeline

May 20234- Aug 2024

Note: My designs relied heavily on the design system of Epic’s provider-facing interfaces, so NDA prevents me from being able to share direct visuals, but I can share high-level information on my process!

Note: My designs relied heavily on the design system of Epic’s provider-facing interfaces, so NDA prevents me from being able to share direct visuals, but I can share high-level information on my process!

Note: My designs relied heavily on the design system of Epic’s provider-facing interfaces, so NDA prevents me from being able to share direct visuals, but I can share high-level information on my process!

Premise

Premise

Premise

What is Research Informatics?
Research Informatics is one way Epic helps bridge medical research with care delivery — a key area of this is clinical trials.

When researching new drugs, devices, or processes, clinical trials help us see how treatments interact with real people, and Epic's tools can help to support customers who are running these trials.

What is Research Informatics?
Research Informatics is one way Epic helps bridge medical research with care delivery — a key area of this is clinical trials.

When researching new drugs, devices, or processes, clinical trials help us see how treatments interact with real people, and Epic's tools can help to support customers who are running these trials.

What is Research Informatics?
Research Informatics is one way Epic helps bridge medical research with care delivery — a key area of this is clinical trials.

When researching new drugs, devices, or processes, clinical trials help us see how treatments interact with real people, and Epic's tools can help to support customers who are running these trials.

Institution sponsors clinical trial and creates study protocol.

Sent to possible study sites.

As study begins, need to document trial event completion and update patient’s record.

In this process, a lead investigator or institution, such as a pharmaceutical company or an academic organization, will sponsor a clinical trial and create a protocol document that outlines everything that needs to take place across the trial.

Institution sponsors clinical trial and creates study protocol.

Sent to possible study sites.

As study begins, need to document trial event completion and update patient’s record.

In this process, a lead investigator or institution, such as a pharmaceutical company or an academic organization, will sponsor a clinical trial and create a protocol document that outlines everything that needs to take place across the trial.

Institution sponsors clinical trial and creates study protocol.

Sent to possible study sites.

As study begins, need to document trial event completion and update patient’s record.

In this process, a lead investigator or institution, such as a pharmaceutical company or an academic organization, will sponsor a clinical trial and create a protocol document that outlines everything that needs to take place across the trial.

Institution sponsors clinical trial and creates study protocol.

Sent to possible study sites.

As study begins, need to document trial event completion and update patient’s record.

In this process, a lead investigator or institution, such as a pharmaceutical company or an academic organization, will sponsor a clinical trial and create a protocol document that outlines everything that needs to take place across the trial.

Institution sponsors clinical trial and creates study protocol.

Sent to possible study sites.

As study begins, need to document trial event completion and update patient’s record.

In this process, a lead investigator or institution, such as a pharmaceutical company or an academic organization, will sponsor a clinical trial and create a protocol document that outlines everything that needs to take place across the trial.

Preliminary Research

discover

Current Workflow

Today, there isn’t a great way to support documentation of research tasks in Epic.

Current Workflow

Today, there isn’t a great way to support documentation of research tasks in Epic.

Current Workflow

Today, there isn’t a great way to support documentation of research tasks in Epic.

Ayla the Analyst

Responsibilities

Install and update Epic’s software for customers

The workflow relies on analysts to use a builder to outline the main tasks from the protocol document. This builder was originally created for a different type of trial, so it's not purpose-built for our end-users.

Connor the Coordinator

Responsibilities

Support the administration and documentation of a clinical trial’s activities

Once the study begins, a study coordinator assigns the built Epic protocol to a specific patient’s record, and links research tasks that took place to be billed to the sponsor. 

Overview of Journey Map

When performing tasks, deal with a lot of back and forth between outside management systems (paper, Excel) and documentation in Epic
“Okay, I checked the PDF for my task, now I’m going to go do it, check it off, and then input it in Epic.”

Sponsor creates a clinical trial + writes corresponding protocol

↓ 

Send protocol to possible study sites

Principal investigator overseeing study site proposes to review board

Eligible patients recruited for the study site

Build protocol document into a research study in Epic

Enroll patient into research study + set dates for visits

Prepare for visit: Schedule appointment, check in with PI, place orders and set up lab

Conduct a visit (repeated, multiple visits in treatment plan)

During visit:

Office portion: Collect documentation, take vitals

↓ 

Treatment portion: PI signs off on an order, a clinical user administers


After the visit:

Office portion: Collect documentation (questionnaires, adverse effects), take vitals

*Amendments to research study 

Finish and analyze study

Emotional Satisfaction with Managing
Clinical Trial Progress

Any necessary changes to the research study have to be reconfigured by the analyst in Epic
“I need this changed so that I can proceed with my tasks, but submitting a ticket might take weeks.”

“I don’t have time to get to this ticket.”

Shortage of analysts in Research

“There’s pressure on me to get the protocols done and often with wording I’m unfamiliar with.”

Analyst

Study Coordinator

“My protocol is being put to use!”

Pain Points

The key issues with the existing interface that we pinpointed were...

Build: Dependency on analysts

Shortage of research analysts + knowledge insecurity → Requires communication with more support, more lag time

With the build, we depend on analysts to translate this protocol document into Epic, but there’s a shortage of – or sometimes no – dedicated research analysts to build out the protocol. The lack of people and knowledge then requires communication and support from many stakeholders, which lags the progress of the study.

Bottleneck workflow

Any edits from coordinators or sponsors have to go back through analysts, which causes further delays. 

This also more generally emphasizes a need to reduce analyst burden across applications.

Usage: Fragmented and duplicative coordinator workflow

Oriented towards different end-users → Not all information is in Epic + format is not actionable for coordinators

Once the protocol is built into Epic by analysts, coordinators still are reluctant to use it. There are research tasks that can be configured, but current protocols in Epic are mainly used for billing in specialized trials, and not for task documentation, and so the format doesn’t really support what coordinators need, which is to check off what they’ve done.

Alternative Mitigations

Because there isn’t a streamlined platform to manage both research protocol tasks and patient records, some groups will alternatively use some combination of Epic with either a third-party Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) or just makeshift Excel sheets and Word docs to keep track and instruct them on what and how to perform actions.

Alternative Mitigations

Because there isn’t a streamlined platform to manage both research protocol tasks and patient records, some groups will alternatively use some combination of Epic with either a third-party Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) or just makeshift Excel sheets and Word docs to keep track and instruct them on what and how to perform actions.

Alternative Mitigations

Because there isn’t a streamlined platform to manage both research protocol tasks and patient records, some groups will alternatively use some combination of Epic with either a third-party Clinical Trial Management System (CTMS) or just makeshift Excel sheets and Word docs to keep track and instruct them on what and how to perform actions.

Overview of Journey Map

scroll→

I would probably die without my Excel sheets.

- Customer Coordinator

Preliminary Research

Preliminary Research

discover

discover

Ayla the Analyst

Responsibilities

Install and update Epic’s software for customers

The workflow relies on analysts to use a Protocol Builder to outline the main tasks from the protocol document. This Protocol Builder is specifically for oncology protocols (not necessarily research) so it’s not purpose-built for our end-users.

Connor the Coordinator

Responsibilities

Support the administration and documentation of a clinical trial’s activities

Once the study begins, a study coordinator assigns the built Epic protocol to a specific patient’s record, and links tasks that took place to be billed to the sponsor. 

Overview of Journey Map

When performing tasks, deal with a lot of back and forth between outside management systems (paper, Excel) and documentation in Epic
“Okay, I checked the PDF for my task, now I’m going to go do it, check it off, and then input it in Epic.”

Sponsor creates a clinical trial + writes corresponding protocol

↓ 

Send protocol to possible study sites

Principal investigator overseeing study site proposes to review board

Eligible patients recruited for the study site

Build protocol document into a research study in Epic

Enroll patient into research study + set dates for visits

Prepare for visit: Schedule appointment, check in with PI, place orders and set up lab

Conduct a visit (repeated, multiple visits in treatment plan)

During visit:

Office portion: Collect documentation, take vitals

↓ 

Treatment portion: PI signs off on an order, a clinical user administers


After the visit:

Office portion: Collect documentation (questionnaires, adverse effects), take vitals

*Amendments to research study 

Finish and analyze study

Emotional Satisfaction with Managing
Clinical Trial Progress

Any necessary changes to the research study have to be reconfigured by the analyst in Epic
“I need this changed so that I can proceed with my tasks, but submitting a ticket might take weeks.”

“I don’t have time to get to this ticket.”

Shortage of analysts in Research

“There’s pressure on me to get the protocols done and often with wording I’m unfamiliar with.”

Analyst

Study Coordinator

“My protocol is being put to use!”

Pain Points

The key issues with the existing interface that we pinpointed were...

Build: Dependency on analysts

Shortage of research analysts + knowledge insecurity → Requires communication with more support, more lag time

With the build, we depend on analysts to translate this protocol document into Epic, but there’s a shortage of – or sometimes no – dedicated research analysts to build out the protocol. The lack of people and knowledge then requires communication and support from many stakeholders, which lags the progress of the study.

Bottleneck workflow

Any edits from coordinators or sponsors have to go back through analysts, which causes further delays. 

This also more generally emphasizes Epic’s company-wide initiative to reduce analyst burden across applications.

Usage: Fragmented and duplicative coordinator workflow

Oriented towards different end-users → Not all information is in Epic + format is not actionable for coordinators

Once the protocol is built into Epic by analysts, coordinators don’t even really like using it. There are research tasks that can be configured, but current protocols in Epic are mainly used for billing in oncology, and not for task documentation, and so the format doesn’t really support what coordinators need, which is to check off what they’ve done.

Ayla the Analyst

Responsibilities

Install and update Epic’s software for customers

The workflow relies on analysts to use a Protocol Builder to outline the main tasks from the protocol document. This Protocol Builder is specifically for oncology protocols (not necessarily research) so it’s not purpose-built for our end-users.

Connor the Coordinator

Responsibilities

Support the administration and documentation of a clinical trial’s activities

Once the study begins, a study coordinator assigns the built Epic protocol to a specific patient’s record, and links tasks that took place to be billed to the sponsor. 

Pain Points

The key issues with the existing interface that we pinpointed were...

Build: Dependency on analysts

Shortage of research analysts + knowledge insecurity → Requires communication with more support, more lag time

With the build, we depend on analysts to translate this protocol document into Epic, but there’s a shortage of – or sometimes no – dedicated research analysts to build out the protocol. The lack of people and knowledge then requires communication and support from many stakeholders, which lags the progress of the study.

Bottleneck workflow

Any edits from coordinators or sponsors have to go back through analysts, which causes further delays. 

This also more generally emphasizes Epic’s company-wide initiative to reduce analyst burden across applications.

Usage: Fragmented and duplicative coordinator workflow

Oriented towards different end-users → Not all information is in Epic + format is not actionable for coordinators

Once the protocol is built into Epic by analysts, coordinators don’t even really like using it. There are research tasks that can be configured, but current protocols in Epic are mainly used for billing in oncology, and not for task documentation, and so the format doesn’t really support what coordinators need, which is to check off what they’ve done.

I would probably die without my Excel sheets.

- Customer Coordinator

define

Scope

Parent Project: Need for a Study Calendar 

There’s a need for the Research Informatics team to create a Study Calendar that tracks everything for a study within Epic.

↳ Intern Project: Builder for the Schedule of Events

Part of this Study Calendar is a Schedule of Events, and our intern portion is creating a builder that coordinators themselves — not analysts — can use.

Scope

Parent Project: Need for a Study Calendar 

There’s a need for the Research Informatics team to create a Study Calendar that tracks everything for a study within Epic.

↳ Intern Project: Builder for the Schedule of Events

Part of this Study Calendar is a Schedule of Events, and our intern portion is creating a builder that coordinators themselves — not analysts — can use.

Scope

Parent Project: Need for a Study Calendar 

There’s a need for the Research Informatics team to create a Study Calendar that tracks everything for a study within Epic.

↳ Intern Project: Builder for the Schedule of Events

Part of this Study Calendar is a Schedule of Events, and our intern portion is creating a builder that coordinators themselves — not analysts — can use.

define

define

Problem Statement

Problem Statement

Problem Statement

Study coordinators need to organize the tasks that will take place during each visit of a research study in Epic, based on a study protocol. 

↳ This is in order to later keep track of completed activities and uphold patient documentation as visits progress.

↳ This is in order to later keep track of completed activities and uphold patient documentation as visits progress.

↳ This is in order to later keep track of completed activities and uphold patient documentation as visits progress.

Study coordinators need to organize the tasks that will take place during each visit of a research study in Epic, based on a study protocol.

Study coordinators need to organize the tasks that will take place during each visit of a research study in Epic, based on a study protocol.

Persona

Building upon our existing user, we determined our target persona to be….

Persona

Building upon our existing user, we determined our target persona to be….

Persona

Building upon our existing user, we determined our target persona to be….

Connor the Coordinator

Responsibilities

Support the administration and documentation of a clinical trial’s activities

Experience

Recent college graduate on his gap year while applying to medical school

Has general knowledge, but unable to make clinical decisions

Limited experience with Epic, but high enough tech literacy to pick it up

The builder should therefore be learnable.

Use Case

• Ideally, builder only used once at beginning of study

• After study approved at site, coordinator copies information from paper SoE into Epic

The builder should be compatible.

What do we mean by compatible?

Coordinators are going to be given the left format in the protocol, where tasks are laid out in a Schedule of Events, and task details are listed glossary-style underneath.


But a coordinator can’t search, reference, and match the task during every visit, so the builder should be able to rearrange the data, into the list format on the right that directly states all relevant tasks and details for a given visit.

Connor the Coordinator

Responsibilities

Support the administration and documentation of a clinical trial’s activities

Experience

Recent college graduate on his gap year while applying to medical school

Has general knowledge, but unable to make clinical decisions

Limited experience with Epic, but high enough tech literacy to pick it up

The builder should therefore be learnable.

Use Case

• Ideally, builder only used once at beginning of study

• After study approved at site, coordinator copies information from paper SoE into Epic

The builder should be compatible.

What do we mean by compatible?

Coordinators are going to be given the left format in the protocol, where tasks are laid out in a Schedule of Events, and task details are listed glossary-style underneath.


But a coordinator can’t search, reference, and match the task during every visit, so the builder should be able to rearrange the data, into the list format on the right that directly states all relevant tasks and details for a given visit.

Connor the Coordinator

Responsibilities

Support the administration and documentation of a clinical trial’s activities

Experience

Recent college graduate on his gap year while applying to medical school

Has general knowledge, but unable to make clinical decisions

Limited experience with Epic, but high enough tech literacy to pick it up

The builder should therefore be learnable.

Use Case

• Ideally, builder only used once at beginning of study

• After study approved at site, coordinator copies information from paper SoE into Epic

The builder should be compatible.

What do we mean by compatible?

Coordinators are going to be given the left format in the protocol, where tasks are laid out in a Schedule of Events, and task details are listed glossary-style underneath.


But a coordinator can’t search, reference, and match the task during every visit, so the builder should be able to rearrange the data, into the list format on the right that directly states all relevant tasks and details for a given visit.

Iteration

design

Existing Material

Because a parent project already existed, when I started my internship, some thought had already gone into how this builder might look. The jumping off point, designed by the lead developer, given to me heavily emphasized a grid of checkboxes.

Existing Material

Because a parent project already existed, when I started my internship, some thought had already gone into how this builder might look. The jumping off point, designed by the lead developer, given to me heavily emphasized a grid of checkboxes.

Existing Material

Because a parent project already existed, when I started my internship, some thought had already gone into how this builder might look. The jumping off point, designed by the lead developer, given to me heavily emphasized a grid of checkboxes.

Cognitive Behaviors in Data Literacy

When presented with this though, I took a step back, and walked through the cognitive loads required of study coordinators with a more abstract approach. Grids are really neat to use, but can be difficult to actually build out. I wanted to look at the workflow through a lens of behaviors in data literacy, and broke it down into three main processes.

Cognitive Behaviors in Data Literacy

When presented with this though, I took a step back, and walked through the cognitive loads required of study coordinators with a more abstract approach. Grids are really neat to use, but can be difficult to actually build out. I wanted to look at the workflow through a lens of behaviors in data literacy, and broke it down into three main processes.

Cognitive Behaviors in Data Literacy

When presented with this though, I took a step back, and walked through the cognitive loads required of study coordinators with a more abstract approach. Grids are really neat to use, but can be difficult to actually build out. I wanted to look at the workflow through a lens of behaviors in data literacy, and broke it down into three main processes.

Interpreting

What information do users takeaway from a grid, and how do they come to cognitive understandings from visual input?

Complexity of data presentation, quality of visual cues, amount of context information

When people are first handed the protocol grid

Interpreting

What information do users takeaway from a grid, and how do they come to cognitive understandings from visual input?

Complexity of data presentation, quality of visual cues, amount of context information

When people are first handed the protocol grid

Interpreting

What information do users takeaway from a grid, and how do they come to cognitive understandings from visual input?

Complexity of data presentation, quality of visual cues, amount of context information

When people are first handed the protocol grid

Interpreting

What information do users takeaway from a grid, and how do they come to cognitive understandings from visual input?

Complexity of data presentation, quality of visual cues, amount of context information

When people are first handed the protocol grid

Interpreting

What information do users takeaway from a grid, and how do they come to cognitive understandings from visual input?

Complexity of data presentation, quality of visual cues, amount of context information

When people are first handed the protocol grid

Lo-fi

Lo-fi

Lo-fi

With this understanding, my early lo-fis were really about nailing down the structure of the builder to balance tradeoffs between input and use.

With this understanding, my early lo-fis were really about nailing down the structure of the builder to balance tradeoffs between input and use.

With this understanding, my early lo-fis were really about nailing down the structure of the builder to balance tradeoffs between input and use.

Grids

Grids

Input: (+) Maps one-to-one
Usage: (-) Overview of tasks isn’t helpful

Input: (+) Maps one-to-one
Usage: (-) Overview of tasks isn’t helpful

Grids that don’t require too much precision could map input one-to-one with the paper Schedule of Events, but would be difficult to actually use during visits, since the visits don’t directly list out the tasks.


If a coordinator inputs information by thinking “Task X is done in Visits 1, 2, 3,” grids could easily support multi-select to mass assign to visits.

Grids that don’t require too much precision could map input one-to-one with the paper Schedule of Events, but would be difficult to actually use during visits, since the visits don’t directly list out the tasks.


If a coordinator inputs information by thinking “Task X is done in Visits 1, 2, 3,” grids could easily support multi-select to mass assign to visits.

Kanban Board

Kanban Board

Input: (-) Repetitive and tedious
Usage: (+) Tasks directly assigned to visits

Input: (-) Repetitive and tedious
Usage: (+) Tasks directly assigned to visits

Alternatively, I looked at a lot of productivity and task management platforms, and kanban boards were a really popular way of organization. This layout of assigning the necessary tasks to each visit with drag and drop would be effective to tailoring tasks to visit, but would be extremely tedious to input.


If a coordinator inputs information by thinking “For Visit 1, I need to do X, Y, Z” these boards help individualize visits.

Alternatively, I looked at a lot of productivity and task management platforms, and kanban boards were a really popular way of organization. This layout of assigning the necessary tasks to each visit with drag and drop would be effective to tailoring tasks to visit, but would be extremely tedious to input.


If a coordinator inputs information by thinking “For Visit 1, I need to do X, Y, Z” these boards help individualize visits.

Grids

Input: (+) Maps one-to-one
Usage: (-) Overview of tasks isn’t helpful

Grids that don’t require too much precision could map input one-to-one with the paper Schedule of Events, but would be difficult to actually use during visits, since the visits don’t directly list out the tasks.


If a coordinator inputs information by thinking “Task X is done in Visits 1, 2, 3,” grids could easily support multi-select to mass assign to visits.

Kanban Board

Input: (-) Repetitive and tedious
Usage: (+) Tasks directly assigned to visits

Alternatively, I looked at a lot of productivity and task management platforms, and kanban boards were a really popular way of organization. This layout of assigning the necessary tasks to each visit with drag and drop would be effective to tailoring tasks to visit, but would be extremely tedious to input.


If a coordinator inputs information by thinking “For Visit 1, I need to do X, Y, Z” these boards help individualize visits.

Validation

To aid our design choices, we conducted customer calls to gauge how current customers are conceptualizing this process.

Validation

To aid our design choices, we conducted customer calls to gauge how current customers are conceptualizing this process.

Validation

To aid our design choices, we conducted customer calls to gauge how current customers are conceptualizing this process.

Grids

Grids

Grids

Kanban Board

Kanban Board

Kanban Board

Without something one-to-one, one customer struggled with the manual labor of transferring the grid to a checklist.

Without something one-to-one, one customer struggled with the manual labor of transferring the grid to a checklist.

Without something one-to-one, one customer struggled with the manual labor of transferring the grid to a checklist.

Before study begins, coordinators from another customer create “dummy-proof” checklists per visit.

Before study begins, coordinators from another customer create “dummy-proof” checklists per visit.

Before study begins, coordinators from another customer create “dummy-proof” checklists per visit.

As anticipated, organizations wanted the input process to be seamlessly matched to the grid-structure, but usage to be tailored to each visit.

As anticipated, organizations wanted the input process to be seamlessly matched to the grid-structure, but usage to be tailored to each visit.

As anticipated, organizations wanted the input process to be seamlessly matched to the grid-structure, but usage to be tailored to each visit.

Decision

What we landed on combines tidbits from both of those.

Decision

What we landed on combines tidbits from both of those.

Decision

What we landed on combines tidbits from both of those.

Tasks

A

B

C

D

E

1

Visits

2

3

Visit 3

I need to do…

B: [Information and instructions on task]

C: [Information and instructions on task]

E: [Information and instructions on task]

Tasks

A

B

C

D

E

1

x

x

Visits

2

x

3

x

x

x

Grid acts as a visualizer.

Input from the grid is generated/condensed into a list of details for each visit.

Iteration

Iteration

design

design

Tasks

A

B

C

D

E

1

Visits

2

3

Visit 3

I need to do…

B: [Information and instructions on task]

C: [Information and instructions on task]

E: [Information and instructions on task]

Tasks

A

B

C

D

E

1

x

x

Visits

2

x

3

x

x

x

Grid acts as a visualizer.

Input from the grid is generated/condensed into a list of details for each visit.

Tasks

A

B

C

D

E

1

Visits

2

3

Visit 3

I need to do…

B: [Information and instructions on task]

C: [Information and instructions on task]

E: [Information and instructions on task]

Tasks

A

B

C

D

E

1

x

x

Visits

2

x

3

x

x

x

Grid acts as a visualizer.

Input from the grid is generated/condensed into a list of details for each visit.

Final

Final

Final

Development

Because my software developer was also an intern, I made multiple versions to accommodate her timeline, ranging from minimum viable product that narrowed functionality to the most critical features, to a future vision that was later presented by the product lead in front of an audience of hundreds during Epic’s User’s Group Meeting!

Development

Because my software developer was also an intern, I made multiple versions to accommodate her timeline, ranging from minimum viable product that narrowed functionality to the most critical features, to a future vision that was later presented by the product lead in front of an audience of hundreds during Epic’s User’s Group Meeting!

Development

Because my software developer was also an intern, I made multiple versions to accommodate her timeline, ranging from minimum viable product that narrowed functionality to the most critical features, to a future vision that was later presented by the product lead in front of an audience of hundreds during Epic’s User’s Group Meeting!

My mentor and me after
final presentations at Demo Days!

My mentor and me after final presentations at Demo Days!

My mentor and me after final presentations at Demo Days!

Product lead presenting my work!

Product lead presenting my work!

Product lead presenting my work!

Reflections

Reflections

Reflections

Main Takeaways

Finding my place: The biggest difference from academic settings when working in industry is being able to jump directly into a project. Because we had a parent project, I admittedly struggled for a while until I was able to get a footing on the scope of my portion. I found that it really helped to work backwards; taking the time to outline what the downstream screens might look like and act like gave me foresight on how to approach the builder. Additionally, I also made sure to give myself the grace of spending time on developing specificity, and I wrote out so many Word documents outlining "What exactly do I need to take care of for this portion?" to remind myself of the project goals.


Development constraints: Scoping an internship timeline is never easy, so I really needed to prioritize the most important features. I really dedicated time to learn more about the logic of the code and why certain things were unsupported, which helped me gain empathy for developers and experience with iterating quickly to accomodate. I ultimately walked away with a stronger sense of how to create designs with strong foundations that are resilient even with the removal of some bells and whistles.

Main Takeaways

Finding my place: The biggest difference from academic settings when working in industry is being able to jump directly into a project. Because we had a parent project, I admittedly struggled for a while until I was able to get a footing on the scope of my portion. I found that it really helped to work backwards; taking the time to outline what the downstream screens might look like and act like gave me foresight on how to approach the builder. Additionally, I also made sure to give myself the grace of spending time on developing specificity, and I wrote out so many Word documents outlining "What exactly do I need to take care of for this portion?" to remind myself of the project goals.


Development constraints: Scoping an internship timeline is never easy, so I really needed to prioritize the most important features. I really dedicated time to learn more about the logic of the code and why certain things were unsupported, which helped me gain empathy for developers and experience with iterating quickly to accomodate. I ultimately walked away with a stronger sense of how to create designs with strong foundations that are resilient even with the removal of some bells and whistles.

Main Takeaways

Finding my place: The biggest difference from academic settings when working in industry is being able to jump directly into a project. Because we had a parent project, I admittedly struggled for a while until I was able to get a footing on the scope of my portion. I found that it really helped to work backwards; taking the time to outline what the downstream screens might look like and act like gave me foresight on how to approach the builder. Additionally, I also made sure to give myself the grace of spending time on developing specificity, and I wrote out so many Word documents outlining "What exactly do I need to take care of for this portion?" to remind myself of the project goals.


Development constraints: Scoping an internship timeline is never easy, so I really needed to prioritize the most important features. I really dedicated time to learn more about the logic of the code and why certain things were unsupported, which helped me gain empathy for developers and experience with iterating quickly to accomodate. I ultimately walked away with a stronger sense of how to create designs with strong foundations that are resilient even with the removal of some bells and whistles.

Made by Fiona with the help of lots of kombucha!

Summer 2024 Internship

Made by Fiona with the help of lots of kombucha!

Made by Fiona with the help of lots of kombucha!

Summer 2024 Internship

Made by Fiona with the help of lots of kombucha!

Made by Fiona with the help of lots of kombucha!