The document provides examples of successful user experience design in both digital and non-digital products and services. It summarizes four case studies: 1) A single-point highway interchange that improved traffic flow with a centralized traffic light system. 2) An ergonomic potato peeler designed for people with arthritis. 3) A mobile banking app that streamlined the user experience of online banking. 4) A medical records app that gives patients easy access and navigation of their health information and appointments. In each case, user research, prototyping, and usability testing were key to fulfilling user needs simply and intuitively.

1. USER EXPERIENCE
DESIGN
case studies in
by JOY MARCUS

2. IF A PRODUCT FULFILLS A NEED AND IS SIMPLE,
intuitive and easy to use, it is because many hours of research,
prototyping and testing were involved in making it that way. Although
we tend to think of user experience design as something specific to
the field of websites and application development, the principles of
user experience design are behind every well-designed product. To
illustrate, let’s look at two non-digital examples of a successful user
experience, as well as two digital examples.

3. Single Point Interchange
Traffic Lights
North
Reference:
1 https://www.modot.org/single-point-urban-interchanges
2 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6891727/
3 https://www.creve-coeur.org/220/History
Built-in planters, ample trees and a fountain feature make the interchange aesthetically pleasing
Traffic flows freely in
all directions governed
by the single point
interchange traffic lights.
Centrally located
traffic signals keep
traffic moving safely
from Olive Blvd.
onto all directions of
Interstate 270.
REDESIGNED HIGHWAY INTERCHANGE
Single Point Interchange at I-270 at Olive Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri US.
Creve Coeur is a township located in west St. Louis County, Missouri. It’s main
thoroughfare is Olive Boulevard, a centuries-old road that was a Native American
trail leading from the Mississippi to the Missouri River3
. Modern traffic along
Olive Blvd. is heavy, and the interchange from Olive Blvd. and Highway 270 sees
thousands of vehicles daily.
The rebuilt highway interchange has made life considerably better for travelers with
its implementation of a single-point interchange, named for the elegant design
that uses one bank of lights and allows traffic from all directions to flow smoothly
and safely, with minimum traffic backups, even during rush hour.

4. Reference:
1 https://www.fastcompany.com/90239156/the-untold-story-of-the-vegetable-peeler-that-changed-the-world
2 https://atissuejournal.com/print-archive/ Volume 2 Number 1, pp 16-24.
(The link is currently non-functional; I have the printed copy.)
POTATO PEELER
Kitchen tool magnate Sam Farber’s wife had arthritis. The rest is history.
Sam Farber founded and retired from a successful cookware company. He and his wife
loved to cook, and later in life, Mrs. Farber found standard kitchen tools painful to use
with her arthritic fingers. Sam entered into a period of discovery to explore solutions for
his wife and the 20 million Americans for whom arthritis and mobility issues were
a daily challenge.
User experience design was born in part from product design, so its no mistake that
Farber’s product designers followed the formula for ux success:
1.
Research: the designers talked with consumers, examined and used competitive
products, interviewed chefs, and spent hours with volunteers from an arthritis group to
learn the problems of hand movement.
2.
Design and protoyping: The designers worked through many prototypes to find the
form that was comfortable and pleasurable to use for the various audiences. They also
researched to find a material that would be both affordable and dishwasher safe, and
was durable and comfortable in the hands of many types of users with many different
types of mobility challenges. OXO pioneered the use of rubber in kitchen gadgets.
3.
Implementation: The OXO brand was successfully launched in 1990 with the
redesigned potato peeler, as well as a line of related kitchen gadgets. Sam Farber
acknowledges that “user-centered design is our main competitive advantage.”1
The potato peeler was introduced in the early 1900s. It was
a big improvement over the previous version, a knife.
Many prototype shapes and various materials were tested.1
The OXO Good Grips Santoprene-handled peelers
incorporate ergonomic comfort and beauty.2

5. Reference:
1 https://www.commercebank.com/-/media/
cb/150/150-years-of-building-commerce.
pdf?la=enhash=F2864F97657ADB0CFD5FF7EEEB7BEE91F5446F22
2 commercebank.com
COMMERCE BANK MOBILE APP
Online banking goes from frustrating to pleasureable.
Commerce Bank is an American regional bank owned and
operated by the Kemper family, who acquired it in 19251
.
It is one of the only banks in the St. Louis area that has
not been acquired by an endless series of larger banks.
As an account holder since the late 1990s, I’ve watched
the bank go through many changes. The latest, and most
exciting change, is the vast improvement of the online
banking experience.
Many bank service and product offerings are provided
by third party vendors who customize their product with
the bank’s branding. Regardless of whether Commerce
authored this app or if it’s from a vendor, it provides a
great user experience of frictionless mobile banking.
The splash screen appears only
momentarily, returning this sign in
screen within a fraction of a second.
Facial recognition software enables
fast use and provides security.
After sign-in, the user lands on a
summary of accounts with current
balances.
Clicking on any account brings the
user to an up-to-the-minute list of
all transactions, as well as instant
access to montly statements.
Clicking on the green hamburger
menu in the lower right returns the
dark green “How can we help?”
screen, with easy navigation to all
banking functions.
The ability to make a mobile
deposit, monitor pending deposits
and access deposit history is
empowering and helpful.
The user experience of making a
mobile deposit is a huge timesaver
and is very satifying. You simply
press either “check front” or
“check back,” hover your phone
over the check, and the app takes
the photo and makes a pleasant
camera shutter sound. As soon as
both images are taken, a reassuring
screen lets you know your deposit is
pending.
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6. Reference:
1 https://www.epic.com/
2 https://www.mypatientchart.org/
MY CHART
Patients now have access to their medical information
and a better way to communicate with their healthcare
providers.
MyPatientChart is a responsive website and mobile app
from Epic.com, a world-wide technology company in the
healthcare space. The app began life as a clunky interface,
but has slowly introduced improved functionality. That,
combined with greater provider adoption, has enabled a
much improved user experience for patients.
One of the features I appreciate most as a user is the ability
to see all appointments on one central page. I can also
address any administrative functions before I visit, such as
confirming the appointment, confirming or correcting the list
of current medications, uploading images of the insurance
card, and providing any copay funds due.
Clicking on the card also
enables the user to confirm their
appointment, upload their insurance
ID card (if not yet uploaded), and
confirm current medications.
Driving directions and visit
instructions are also provided.
The user is also directed to fund
any copays. A link to the payment
portal is provided from this screen
when applicable.
Upcoming and past appointments
are clearly arranged as separate
cards. By clicking on each card, the
user can view details and save all
appointment information to their
calendar of choice.

7. THANKS FOR VIEWING.
About/Contact:
linkedin.com/in/joymarcus1