Redesigning Bioinformatics Workflows
BioDepot is a notable bioinformatics start-up based at the UW Tacoma. The company focuses on developing cloud-based bioinformatics tools designed to simplify the analysis of complex biological data. Nanopore Mobile App is a Long-read Fusion Finder App is a bioinformatics tool designed to analyze Nanopore sequencing data for detecting DNA fusions. This project involved enhancing the user experience by improving interface clarity and workflow efficiency.
This was a sponsored project by University of Washington, Design for Passion.
I worked on refining the Nanopore Mobile App (Long-read Fusion Finder App) to enhance usability for researchers analysing Nanopore sequencing data. I streamlined workflows for DNA fusion detection, ensuring an intuitive experience for users without extensive computational backgrounds. My work improved efficiency, making complex bioinformatics analysis more user-friendly and shareable.
The app was in a low-fidelity prototype stage, designed based on initial user requirements. The client asked us to iterate on the design by incorporating direct feedback from end-users, leading to the development of an improved version.
Image of key challenges for Asha, highlighting time constraints, environmental impact, limited culinary variety, and insufficient food management as core issues to address in the project.
I took an iterative, user-centered approach, starting with problem definition and scoping through usability interviews, which led us to create high-fidelity prototypes.
The highlighted areas below specifically showcase my contributions to this project.
Image of the design thinking approach for Asha, outlining the process from empathising through research, defining insights, ideating solutions, prototyping, testing, and finally evolving through algorithmic solutions.
Enable users to discover nearby group runs, tailored to their preferences with customizable filters.
Highlighted that runs are displayed within a 5-mile radius, refined filter designs based on insights from A/B testing.
Conversation levels are defined clearly and socialization opportunities available during and before/after runs.
Designed to be welcoming, intuitive, and mission-driven, guiding users toward sustainable food choices effortlessly.
Seamlessly connects users with personalised recipes, pantry tracking, and meal planning for a more sustainable approach to food management.
The recipe generator empowers users to create personalised meals based on their cravings, dietary needs and on-hand pantry ingredients.
The page provides an interactive cooking experience, integrating sustainability insights and ingredient flexibility.
Enable users to upload FASTQ files (DNA sequencing text based files) to initiate fusion detection directly from the home screen.
Users can filter and sort through files and create folders to organize the data for more streamlines upload-to-results pipeline with realtime updates and clear progress.
Allow users to customize key analysis parameters prior to running the pipeline.
Parameters are clearly labeled with helpful default values to support novice users, while advanced users can fine-tune settings to fit specific research needs.
Provide users with real-time visibility into each stage of the fusion detection pipeline through a clearly segmented progress tracker.
Each module, from read alignment to fusion calling, is labeled and dynamically updated as steps complete.
Display fusion detection results in a concise, user-friendly table immediately after analysis completion.
Designed to support quick interpretation and downstream decision-making, with the ability to scroll, review, and export data for further analysis.
Enable users to configure essential app settings such as file storage location, cache management, and update preferences.
Users can change default settings of parameters in the settings to personalize the fusion detections settings based on their needs.
Allow users to personalize their profiles to share content on profile based on privacy preferences.
Agency to expand their network by connecting with compatible runners through friend requests.
Empower users to design runs by setting location, pace, and distance while fostering community through nearby runner participation.
Enhanced customisation options for greater control, including socialisation preferences and granular interest matching. Added seamless run-sharing across social media.
Keep a track of all runs—upcoming, hosted, and saved for later—organised in one place, along with related notifications like join requests, their statuses, and friend requests.
Updates were informed by user insights to align seamlessly with the overall experience and ensure consistency throughout the app.
Enable users to set running and social preferences like pace, experience, and interests.
Added a product overview with engaging wording and playful icons.
Introduced onboarding questions for personalisation and an app walkthrough for seamless navigation.
Through user research, we identified key pain points and established four core design goals: streamline navigation, clarify workflows, improve result interpretation, and build a cohesive, reusable design system.
Infographic showing how expert interviews, feedback sessions, and usability tests led to four design goals: improved navigation, clearer workflow, better result interpretation, and a cohesive design system.
Redesigned the Nanopore App’s current linear flow into an expert-informed structure that improves navigation, clarifies workflows, and enhances result interpretation.
A comparison of the current (first image) and revised (second image) Nanopore App flows, showing a shift from linear navigation to a more organized, expert-informed layout with improved sorting, navigation, and tab structure.
Mapped key stakeholders around the BioDepot Workflow Builder (Bwb), identifying end users, direct collaborators, and broader industry and academic stakeholders to ensure inclusive and impact-driven design decisions.
A stakeholder map for BioDepot Workflow Builder (Bwb) showing concentric layers of end users, direct and indirect stakeholders.
A journey map outlining user steps, pain points, and design opportunities in the Nanopore app workflow. Starting from launching the app to editing workflows.
Image of usability testing and prototypes for Nanopore, showcasing home, parameters, progress and results screens, focusing on usability of legacy and revised versions.
Creating this design system ensured consistency and efficiency by defining typography, colours, icons, and components. This streamlined framework enables faster iteration, better accessibility, and a cohesive user experience, making the interface intuitive and polished.
Image of a design system, including logotypes, colours, typography, icons, UI components, and customised elements, ensuring consistency and scalability of Nanopore.
Images of usability testing findings for a recipe app, highlighting user feedback on meal selection, onboarding, pantry organization, and home screen improvements.
The image shows Python code for constructing a CNN model using TensorFlow and Keras, featuring convolutional, max pooling, flatten, and dense layers, compiled with the Adam optimiser and categorical crossentropy loss.
Working on the Asha project provided valuable insights into understanding and designing sustainable solutions. Here are the key takeaways:
