Let’s talk about breast cancer!
CLIENT
Rethink Breast Cancer
MEDIA
Mobile Application
PUBLISHED
Fall, 2011 (WPP)
ROLE
Product Manager
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Breast self-exam (BSE) can be an important way to find a breast cancer and get treated early. Although it is a critical step women in all ages should take, many young women in North America are not aware of the importance of BSE.
From 2010 September to December, I worked with Rethink Breast Cancer to develop a provocative and fun campaign to encourage young women, who usually do not consider themselves to be at risk, to conduct regular BSE.
My role as a Product Manager involved with;
Designing and conducting user research
Creating the concept with key users and other stakeholders;
Designing overall user experience and the product roadmap; and
Leading a cross-functional team of talents, programers, and designers
Discovery
What we knew about our users.
As a man, directing this pro bono project was challenging in many levels. How can i design an insightful experience for young women? We first looked at their daily schedule.
Key User Insights
Although most young women in the US and Canada value mental and physical health, many feel they do not have access to the resources or the life structures that can increase their ability to live a healthy lifestyle. Nevertheless, they had a strong motivation to learn and adopt health conscious behaviour – where there's a will there's a way!
Living in micro-scheduled daily structures
Body-mind health conscious
Eager to learn new ideas and knowledge
Mobile Mobile Mobile
Solution
MOBILE – the most personal everyday tool
Based on our study on the target user group, we decided to create the world’s first personalized man 💪 reminder to help you check your breast health – Your Man Reminder.
This mobile app enables users to regularly reminded and learn more about breast self-exam (BSE) in a quite genuine and engaging way. Users can choose “the right man,” from the superstar athlete to the boy-next-door, who will remind and teach them about b-health and 'TLC' (touch, look, and check) on a regular basis. We designed to provide users with the appropriate backstory and preparation to get the most out of their BSE, increasing the likelihood of turning them into breast-health expert.
WHAT’S ON THEIR PHONES?
Messaging, networking, taking pictures, emails, keeping up with the world, and social grooming. It is not a surprise that regardless of the recent development on smartphone technology, our target user group uses their phones to connect with people.
What is more intriguing is that when I spoke to our target demographics (n=27), all indicated that they get their daily news and information from their contacts. People play a key role in keeping young women’s daily news consumption, keeping up with the world and even getting necessarily help they need throughout the day.
Time for a little fun
Reminders, whether on your phone, tablet, or computer, can become a nagging irritation that you'd rather avoid than embrace. Based on our research about the young women's experience with smartphone notification and their physical breast exam experience, we wanted to make sure this app would not make users annoyed with the notification function or feel overwhelmed withthe 'c' word, cancer.
When I interviewed the target users, many indicated that they are prone to have a more enjoyable experience if the messages are more "human" and "entertaining." Flirty messages from user's chosen man is an interaction solution that creates more positive interaction with users. The reminder messages are designed to be updated by writers at Rethink and sent out randomly to encourage the users more individual and real-like and Tinder-Like interaction.
Result
ONE
We broke the taboo! The campaign attracted more than 150,000 views a day in the first week and 2 Million views in the first month.
TWO
Overwhelming attention from International media such as CNN, NPR, CBC, ABC, Good Morning America, The Globe and Mail, and TED Initiatives.
THREE
We have more than 100,000 app downloads in the first 10 days. It was second most popular app after Angry Birds in both Android and iOS app store.