Susmita Biswas
Medical
Design System
Redesign
Device Compatibility
Philips undertook a comprehensive redesign of their vital sign UI components for patient monitoring systems across multiple platforms including PIC iX, Synergy, and CareAssist. The project focused on creating a harmonized design system for numerics, compound numerics, waveforms, and other vital sign displays while accommodating specific platform requirements.
Client:
Philips
My Role:
User Experience, User Interface, Prototyping, Interaction
Tools:
Framer, Figma, Sketch, Miro, Agile Method, Confluence
Timeline:
52 Weeks
Awards:
Reddot Design Award
The KPI
Our redesign was measured against the following KPIs:
Business Outcomes
The redesign delivered significant business value:
$4.2M annual reduction in development costs through shared component architecture
18% increase in new client acquisition in the first year post-implementation
27% reduction in support tickets related to UI confusion or interpretation errors
Successful 508 compliance certification, opening access to additional government contracts valued at approximately $12M
Reduced time-to-market for new features by 35% through reusable component architecture
Actual Outcome
Reduction in training time for new clinicians
30% reduction
42% reduction
Improvement in data recognition accuracy
25% improvement
38% improvement
Reduction in alarm fatigue (false alarms)
20% reduction
31% reduction
Time to identify critical values
<3 seconds
1.8 seconds
Cross-platform consistency
95% consistency achieved
40% reduction in code duplication
User satisfaction
30% improvement in SUS score
47% improvement
The Ask
Cross Platform Devices
Provides a unified view of patient data from various devices, enhancing quick decision-making.
Real-Time Monitoring
Enables continuous monitoring of critical vital signs, allowing immediate response to patient changes.
Data Analysis & Visualisation
Utilises advanced tools to analyse and visualise data trends, alarms, and events for better clinical decisions.
System Integration
Seamlessly integrates with other hospital systems like EMR, LIS, and RIS for a holistic patient overview.
Alarm Management
Features advanced alarm management to reduce clinician fatigue, customisable to patient needs.
Clinical Protocol Support
Assists in adhering to clinical protocols with timely reminders and alerts to take quick decisions.
Who
Doctors, Nurses, Medical stuffs
What
Bedside emergency Monitor and alarm
Why
2 decade old UI accessibility issues
How
Research, Iteration and develop
The Challanges
Design Process
Extensive online competitive research was conducted, involving the testing of two dozen market competitors across categories such as content management, time management, productivity, habit-tracking, and accessibility testing based on WCAG 2.2 standards.
During the sketching stage of the design process including requirement gathering, information architecture, user flow, user journey, task flow, mood board, extended Design System, and the best idea emerged.
Several rounds of sketching and over 50+ wireframes were completed, leading to the development of the best concept for this cross-platform app.
Flows
Output
The Philips vital sign UI component redesign transformed critical clinical monitoring interfaces across multiple platforms. By applying a systematic, research-driven approach, we created a design system that improved clinical efficiency, enhanced patient safety, and delivered significant business value.
The project established new standards for medical interface design at Philips, creating a foundation for future innovations in clinical monitoring. The component-based architecture and comprehensive design system continue to deliver value, enabling faster development of new features and supporting the evolution of Philips' patient monitoring ecosystem.
Impact
Learnings
Clinical context must guide design: Working closely with clinicians and using simulation testing taught me that real workflows—not generic UX patterns—have to drive every decision.
Progressive disclosure truly reduces cognitive load: Layering information by urgency made interfaces clearer and contributed to the 43% drop in mental effort clinicians reported.
Consistency needs to adapt to clinical realities: I learned that rigid visual rules can hinder usability; thoughtful, context-driven adjustments often work better.
Performance is part of usability: Optimizing rendering, memory use, and platform behavior showed me how much technical details shape the overall experience.
Iterative, collaborative validation works best: Frequent clinical reviews caught issues early, reduced rework, and even helped cut training time by 35%.
Good documentation pays off: Clear component and rationale documentation kept teams aligned and streamlined regulatory work.
