Oncology MVP
Proteus Digital Health
Oncology MVP
Proteus Digital Health
Proteus was a mature unicorn digital health startup with an FDA-approved cutting-edge ingestible ‘smart pill’ sensor for medication delivery, aimed at monitoring compliance. Ten years old and in growth mode they had raised $500M and had 200 people when I joined. Proteus filed bankruptcy in 2020.
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At Proteus, I led the patient insights work for the oncology product release. The work highlighted a new user role for the product (family caregiver) produced a caregiver MVP and a vision for the future to build towards.
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Challenge
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The business pivoted to oncology with an aggressive timeline.
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Access to our target user was surprisingly difficult so multiple methodologies were used to answer questions for the team.
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The product is used in an ecosystem of actors (patients, caregivers, physicians, facilities) and value is needed across all stakeholders
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Research uncovered the complexity. Value to the Patient is dependent on other actors. The value is directional and weighted differently.
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Is there compelling user resonance and product/market fit?
What are the mental models around treatment in oncology?
What is the MVP feature set?
Key Activities
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Quickly validated market fit for patients/HCPs despite population access obstacles
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Discovered a significant new user role (family caregiver) catalyzing value to the product.
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Developed a skinny MVP for the caregiver, socialized the value, and successfully prioritized it onto the roadmap
Methodology
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Round 1
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​Cancer patient Interviews (n=8)
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Focus Group with cancer patient group (n=20)
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Evaluative study with cancer participants of current system (n=8)
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Round 2
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In-home 2 hour contextual inquiry and observations (n=8)
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Card sorting
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Journey mapping
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Prototype evalutation
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In-home contextual inquiries provided insights into the challenges patients face with their oral oncology medications. There are extreme side effects and many patients struggle without caregiver support.
Abstracted Patient journeys helped the team characterize the users and visualize the population and the wide range of experience
An internal workshop with the core team enabled a deeper understanding of the insights and led to broadly communicated impact.
Impact
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Designed and facilitated an internal workshop with 25 employees
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Synthesized findings from the workshop and socialized results broadly in the organization
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Results informed a strategic vision for the caregiver role
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Developed an MVP feature set and wireframes to demonstrate and share out the concept within the organization