Castor
Clinical study builder
Castor is a market leading provider of solutions for clinical data management. Their clinical data management system (CDMS) was built by the company’s founders in 2012 on the Ext JS framework, which at the time provided all that was required. Over time it was however proven that this framework dealt with limitations in the user experience, so an overhaul was due. The implementation of a React framework allowed for redesigning, improving, and extending features in CDMS.
One of the limitations in the old framework was the study builder, which allowed for an individual form to be used only once in the study. A study consists of multiple visits, each containing at least one form. For example a form for registering data during a blood pressure measurement. In a study this measurement could be performed every visit, so the form would have to be used more than once. A study admin would have to create the initial form, and duplicate it for every visit it is needed. If an edit would have to be made to the form, this was needed for every instance.
The old form builder (front) and study builder.
Role and process
I acted as the main senior UX designer for this project. I’ve worked with the Product Owner on understanding the customer needs, and with engineers on the solution using components from our design system. Through researching competitors and similar products I’ve come to the proposed solution, and by iterating solutions into rapid prototypes I’ve defined the final interactions.
Redesign of the study builder.
Solution
The new study builder contains a splitview; on the left a list of all the used and unused forms, and on the right a tree view to show the study structure. Through drag and drop forms can be added from the list to a visit, as often as needed. By hovering over a form, all of its reuses in the study are highlighted. Through showing ‘Repeating data' and ‘Surveys’ as tabs (instead of pages in the navigation on the left), the use of forms in those instances could also be demonstrated. Editing a form either in the list or in the study would update all of its instances, unless the user decides to create a copy instead.
Additionally the form builder has been updated to use React component to further progress the full migration of the whole CDMS from Ext JS.
Redesign of the form builder.
Reception
The redesign has been received well by customers, stating that it has allowed them to be more flexible with their study structures, and faster in making changes to forms that are recurring. Furthermore the use of React components allows for future scalability of the feature, and contributes to the organization’s objective of replacing the old framework with the new.
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