Pharmacy Coverage Heurisitc Review[1]

8/8/2019 Pharmacy Coverage Heurisitc Review[1]

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Pharmacy Coverage

Heuristic ReviewSep 17, 2010


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2Blue Cross Blue Shieldof Massachusetts

A heuristic reviewwas conductedon the Pharmacy Content area on the Member Centralwebsite. The aim was to understandnavigation, layout anddesign issues along with

generalusability concerns.

The evaluation focusedon the experience oflocating the page, finding relevantinformation, checking the functionality of interaction andquality andconsistency of

content. A competitive analysis was also conductedwith HarvardPilgrims Pharmacy Content on

their website to get some usefulinsights andpossible opportunity areas for improvement.

This report covers some of the issues that emergedfrom the heuristic review.

Executive Summary


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High LevelFindings

The information needs to be organizedin a more visually appealing andeffective

structure.

The writing needs to be cateredto a more web basedformatas opposedto text heavy

print basedformat.

There are severalkey pages within this website anddecisions needto be made about

hierarchy of information andtitles of these pages. Strongerinformation categorization andlayout treatmentis requiredso that there is

appropriate feedback andorientation for the user regarding where they are in the

interaction flow among these pages.


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Location of Pharmacy Landing Page

Issues The process of finding Pharmacy

Coverage is not intuitive.

The path to access Pharmacy Content is

Member Central> Using My Plan >

Pharmacy. The user needs to click 3

times andlook under all the options to

arrive at the landing page.

This is an issue since it is a long

process and can be cumbersome. The

user has to look through a lot of

information before arriving at the

landing page andmay needto know that

this option is available on Member

Centralto access the Pharmacy

Content.

.

.

1

2

3

Pharmacy

Coverage

option


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Pharmacy Landing Page

Content Areas

2

3

41

1

2

3

4

Left Navigation

Pharmacy Coverage

Introduction Content

What You Can Do Content

Quick Links.


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Left Navigation : ExpandandCollapse

Some links in the left navigation have sublinks under them which

are accessible upon clicking the + icon next to these links

Issues

In a typicalscenario, the users first step is to click upon one +icon to access the sublinks. Users next step is to click upon the

next +icon placednext to anotherlink in the navigation.

The generaluser expectation is to see only the sublinks underthe link that the user selects.The +icons that were previously

selectedby the user shouldautomatically collapsedto their

unselectedstate.

However in this case, once the + icon has been clickednext to alink, it remains visible in its open state with its sub links visible

even if the userdoes not wish to see them. This can be againstthe user expectation andcan be confusing for the user.

1


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Left Navigation : ExpandandCollapse

State 1

UnselectedLinks The expansion

icon is highlightedin green

State 2

Single selectedlink

State 3

Two selectedlinks

State 4

Allselectedlinks previous

andcurrent in visible state

Upon clicking the + icon

next to Medication Look

Up

Upon clicking the + icon

next to Value of Generic

medications

Upon clicking the + icon next to

Pharmacy Management Program

1


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Issues

The sub links under the left navlinks are not verydistinct

unless hoveredupon.

The sublinks in the left nav are

stacked

very close together. They almostlooklike a

paragraph andnot two separate

distinct content areas.

The color of the sublinksalmost blends with the

backgroundgray. The language andterminology

of these sublinks is very

complicated.

The orange pointer next to the

active/selectedlink is

overlapping with the text.

Left Navigation Continued: Sublinks

Sublinks in left navigation

Orange pointer marked


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Recommendations: Left navigation

Considerclarifying the language of the links into a simpler, more user friendly speak

which consists of more generalterms.

Considerdistinguishing the sub links within the left navigation with a clearer visual

treatment so that theydont blendwith the backgroundcolor.

Consider providing a clear visualtreatmenton the sublink when hoveredandselected

like highlight, color change ordepth etc. so the user is clearly aware that they areselecting the link.

Consider using this area more judiciously anddifferentiate the sub links in the

unselectedstate so that they are clearer entities.


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The information in the introductorysection runs across the most visible

section of the page. There is little

visualfeedback for the reader on what

is extremely relevant andmust be

readandwhat part is additional

information. This area is thus verytext heavy andhardto read.

There is a lot of text overloadand

severaldistinct content areas are hard

to find.

There is no evident organizing

principles like a gridstructure , a

table or columns which can ease the

users experience.

Pharmacy Coverage

Content Area : Issues

2


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Considerrestructuring the contentinto smaller sections. These sections can be linked

with keywords which are hyperlinks on the page.

Considerclarifying the contentby adding rollovers on these links. These rollovers open

up as the user is scanning through the page.

Considerplacing the content in columns or tables which run consistently through the

pages of the website. Use organization principles like a gridstructure with dedicatedspaces to specific

content areas, for eg. The left space can be for static content andthe right space with

dynamic content, updates or an actionable widget/ rollover etc.

Consider providing appropriate feedbackfor the user regarding where they are in the

interaction flow among these pages.

Consider a more engaging visuallayoutusing colordifferentiation, informational

graphics etc.

Recommendations

b3


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Slide 11

b3 not sure of this point !!! the method to do this ?bcbsma, 9/20/2010


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Issues

The information is very text heavy andconsists of some complex terms for eg. formularywhich is not generalterminology.

The efficacy of the title What Can You Dodepends on what the goals of what mostusers are

Recommendations

Categorize the information into more actionable items like Read, Learn etc. to reduce the

text overloa

dan

dengage the user.

3


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Read UseLearn

Suggested Tabular Representation for


Read

Use

Learn

Option 1 Addition within

Left Navigation

Option2

Main Content Area _

What You Can Do


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Quick Links

.

GeneralComments Quick Links are generic which are

standardthroughout the Member

Centralwebsite

Issues

These Quick Links are going to be a

very visible area

Upon clicking on them the user is

guidedto the generalQuick Links

section that has no relation to

Pharmacy Coverage

Recommend

ation Make the Quick Links more pertinent

to the subject of Pharmacy

Coverage

This area can have the FAQs section

or some important updates that the

usedneeds to know about

4


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Issue There is inconsistency in

the placement of the

Quick Links

Upon clicking

Medications that are not

Covered in the leftnavigation, Quick Links

suddenly shifts out of

the frame, this can be a

little disorienting for the

user.

Recommendation

Fix the abrupt placement

of Quick Links

Quick Links : Abrupt Placement


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Issue The term Pharmacy Networks

appears consecutively severaltimes

in a very close space

There are terminology andhierarchyissues aroundthis page andseveral

other pages Pharmacy Coverage which is the

main website is visually treatedthe

same way as otherlinks in the left

navigation.

Pharmacy Networks:

Redundancy of Titles


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Issue Express Scripts is an important

subject but merges with the rest

of the text.

The PDF Link is followedby along line of text which is rather

unnecessary

Recommendation

The Pharmacy Networks titlecan be centralizedto create

visualdistinction andorientation.

The subtitles (Tra

ditiona

l,Se

lectetc.) can be differentiatedwith a

visualtreatment to reduce

redundancy

Analysis: Pharmacy Networks :

VisualLayout


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Recommendation The severalnetworks can be

arrangedthrough rollovers or tab

menu items under a clear hierarchy

of networks which has been

mentioned earlier

Structuring titles according tolevels can be helpful

Level1- Pharmacy Coverage

Level2- Pharmacy Networks

Level3- Select Network, Select

Choice Network etc. This structuring willenable the

user to be clearly orientedandalso

provide feedback in terms of

progressing through levels of

information.

Analysis: Pharmacy Networks


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Hierarchy of Area Titles

Within the left navigation PharmacyCoverage and Pharmacy Networks

show at the same level

The user navigates from the UsingMy Plan tab on Member Central to

Pharmacy Coverage . Pharmacy

Coverage is thus the is the main

content area.

1 2 Issue The hierarchy is very

confusing

While the user thinks that

they are in the Pharmacy

Coverage area, the visual

treatmentdoes not providethe same feedback

In the example on the left-

the user is under the

assumption that they are

under the main area of

Pharmacy Coverage,however, Pharmacy

Networks is under the

exact same layout andtitle

heading as Pharmacy

Coverage.


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Suggestion

All our Pharmacy Networks, managed by Express Scripts, offer you access to high quality, affordable

medications.


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Analysis: Medication Look Up Page

Issues This is a very text heavy pagerequiring the user to scrollthe

length of the window.

Recommendations

The information can be

presentedthroughdownloadable PDFs which the

user can save andrefer to when

they need.

The information can also bebucketedinto larger categories

andlinks can be made for thosecategories.


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Consistency of Information Layout

GeneralComments

The layout is is consistentfor the most part

When the user clicks on thehyperlinks within the content

on the main PharmacyCoverage page, the

transition is notdisturbing.

Its a standardlayout withdifferent content, so there is

no abrupt change for the

user in the layout.Similar

Layout and

Formatting


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Hierarchy of Area Titles

Recommendations Develop a clear hierarchy with Pharmacy Coverage as the top levelheading

Give the other sub titles a different color in the left navigation.

This willlead to stronger orientation for the user while navigating between

content areas.


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BCBS

Since Pharmacy Coverage is not a

main menu itdoes not show in the

Google search.

If it is one of most accessedareas,

then it may be a goodidea to put it

under the Google search.

HarvardPilgrim

The Pharmacy Program clearlyshows in the Google search.

This makes it every easy forthe user to navigate to it.

The users are more likely toengage with this since it is

directly accessible.

Comp Analysis :

HarvardPilgrim : Google Search

Pharmacy program shows directly

in the Google search for Harvard

Pilgrim

Pharmacy Coverage does not

show anywhere in the Google

search forBCBS,MA


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Comp Analysis- Access through Homepage

Pharmacy topic sits as a main content areaaccessible from the homepage of HarvardPilgrim

On BCBS , Pharmacy does not figure as amain content area


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Upon a cursory glance, it seems that

HarvardPilgrim is more structuredand

more clearly organized. It also uses more

visuals andcolor scheme to create user

interest.

The main content area is very

visible/emphatic because of the blue links

in HarvardPilgrim.

In BCBS also it is clearlydemarcatedbut

not as impactfulsince the contentdoes

not seem concise.

On comparison, the text in the BCBS

website almost merges with the title,

since font size, title andtext color and

placement are not verydistinct.

Comp Analysis

HarvardPilgrim :

Overview

HarvardPilgrims Pharmacy Program page


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Comp Analysis :Left Navigation

BCBS

The left navigation in BCBS has

links andsub links

User needs to click on the links

to view the sublinks

Harvard Pilgrim

The left nav in HarvardPilgrim ismore straightforward

Pharmacy Links are allvisible at

once , when the user is in this

page. The user only needs to

click once to see all the

links/options within this subject Terminology is simplifiedwith

clear Callto Actions

In BCBS it rather complicated

andmore referring to internal

speak as opposedto

member/userlanguage In BCBS it


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Comp Analysis : Left Nav

All sub menu items/ links visible at once ,upon one click on Pharmacy Program

Sub Links within main links , the userneeds to click several times to se whatoptions there are.

Harvard Pilgrim BCBS


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Comp Analysis : Main Content Area

BCBSThe content is very

widespread across

This requires the user to

read a lot and creates

visual load.

Harvard PilgrimContent is concise and centered

Content is bucketed into clear

categories


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Comp Analysis :Terminology

Most terminology is consistentthroughout HarvardPilgrim.

Many of the items that appear in themain content area repeat themselves

in the left nav

They are given a distinction by theuse of color andtypography which

doesnt create redundancy.

BCBS may also restructure theircontent with more concise writing

andbucketing the information into

the highestlevelof CallTo Actions /

Functions that the user can perfrom This willcreate more relevance ofthe information for the user. Right

now there is a lot of information but

not allof it essentially translates into

relevance andmeaningfulitems-i.e.

Create the writing keeping in mind

-howdoes the user benefit from it ?


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Comp Analysis :Recognition andRecall:

HarvardPilgrim

Standardizedwords that repeat creating recognition andrecall

Left Navigation Main Content Area


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Comp Analysis :Recognition andRecall:

HarvardPilgrim


Double headedarrows are showing the common wordusage in twokey areas of the page

The words Look Up andFindare very clear as they instantly prodthe

user to take an action.


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BCBS : Lack of Terminology Consistency in

Key Areas

Almost no common key terms are usedwithin these two key areas exceptPharmacy Coverage

Recommendation: Minimizing complex terminology by recognizing the top actionwords andthen strategically repeating them through key areas to provide

feedback, orientation andprogress through the interactions.



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In BCBS Quick Links are generic whichare standardthroughout the Member

Centralwebsite.

HarvardPilgrim has localQuick Linksfor Pharmacy program which is more

helpfulfrom the users perspective.

In HarvardPilgrim the Quick Linkscontains a section for Questions and

Answers which is helpfulfor the user t

solve problems aroundmedications.

Comp Analysis : Quick Links


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Comp Analysis :BCBS :Content

Issues Highlighted action

words are followed

by rather long text

This affects the

efficiency of these

action words rather

negatively

Documents

Pharmacy Coverage Heurisitc Review[1]