Language(s): Javascript/Typescript, HTML, CSS
Frameworks/Libraries: React.js, Meteor.js/Next.js, React Bootstrap, TailwindCSS, TestCafe
Database: MongoDB
Problem:
Medical readiness is critical for maintaining membership in the Hawaii Air National Guard (HIANG). The 154th Medical Group (154 MDG) manages readiness for over 2,300 members, guided by complex medical standards and procedures. However, many members avoid disclosing health issues due to fear of career repercussions, such as restrictions or separation from service.
To address this, the unit launched an anonymous “Ask a Doc” question dropbox in the dining facility, yet not a single question was submitted in three months. This revealed a deeper issue: a lack of trust in the existing systems, even when anonymity was promised.
Key Findings:
Through 70+ interviews and 2 site visits, we uncovered several recurring pain points that prevented members from engaging with existing medical readiness solutions:
- Long wait times: Information often took too long to be returned, leaving members frustrated.
- “Suck it up” culture: A strong cultural mindset discouraged members from seeking help unless absolutely necessary.
- Lack of awareness & education: Many members were unfamiliar with medical standards or the purpose of the existing “Ask a Doc” dropbox.
- Lack of trust: Even with anonymity promised, members feared that reporting conditions would negatively impact their career, benefits, or current role.
- Poor communication: Members didn’t always disclose health conditions due to stigma or fear of repercussions.
- Staffing shortages: The medical group was stretched thin, slowing down processing and responses.
- Slow processing of questions: Even when questions were submitted, answers could take a long time to be provided.
Bottom line: Members wanted accessible, trustworthy, and timely information — but the current system failed to meet those expectations.
Our Solution:
Noble is an anonymous health information platform that provides anonymous, reliable, and acessible health information. Noble includes three main features:
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ): A searchable and sortable database of straightforward answers to common medical questions.
- Question Compass: An AI chatbot trained on Air Force Medical Standards and procedures to provide personalized guidance.
- Ask A Doc: An anonymous platform for users to submit medical questions when they cannot find answers elsewhere.
Noble addresses the critical need for a secure and private platform that fosters trust, encourages transparency, and empowers service members to manage their medical readiness confidently.
Contributions:
Acting as the Subject Matter Expert and project lead, I worked with the Hawaii Air National Guard (HIANG) to develop solutions and features for Noble. As a team, I assisted in user research and testing, conducting over 60+ in-depth interviews and 2 site visits, to gain a deeper understanding of members' needs and pain points.
As a key contributor to the development of Noble, my responsibilities included refining the application based on user feedback, ensuring seamless integration with existing systems, and collaborating with the 154th Medcial Group to address any concerns or issues that arose during the project.
I worked on the front and back end, creating new features and managing their progress. Back-end development involved creating collections, methods, and the backend for our Question Compass AI Chatbot using a flask app. On the front end, I immersed myself in user interface design that works great on both desktop and mobile devices.
What Went Well:
Effective integration of user pains and gains through feedback and interviews ensured that Noble addressed the unique needs of the HIANG Service Members. The end result shows a more user-centered and empathetic application. This is critical since trust was the largest concern based on our interviews.
Given our limited timeframe, about 2 months of development, the team worked tirelessly to produce a high-quality solution despite the challenges. Strong teamwork and collaboration enabled us to overcome obstacles and deliver a successful project that meets the needs of HIANG Service Members.
One of the standout features of Noble is the Question Compass, our AI-powered chatbot that provides personalized guidance and support to Service Members navigating complex medical needs. Trained on Air Force Medical Standards and procedures, this innovative solution addresses a critical pain point identified in our user research, enabling members to confidently manage their medical readiness with peace of mind.
What Was Challenging:
Given the sensitive nature of medical information, ensuring data privacy and security was a significant challenge. We had to implement robust encryption and secure data handling practices to protect user anonymity and build trust in the platform. Furthermore, the psychology of trust proved to be difficult to overcome, requiring us to create a visually appealing and intuitive interface that would convey confidence and reliability.
Additionally, integrating the AI chatbot with accurate and up-to-date medical standards required extensive collaboration with medical professionals and continuous updates to the chatbot's knowledge base. With no prior experience in implementing AI chatbots, this was a steep learning curve, requiring significant time and effort to acquire the necessary skills and expertise.
Improvements:
Future improvements could include expanding the AI chatbot's capabilities to cover more specific medical scenarios and integrating with other health information systems for a more comprehensive solution. Enhancing the user interface based on ongoing feedback and adding more interactive features could further improve user engagement and satisfaction.
Team:
- Subject Matter Expert: Thomas Rivera
- Subject Matter Expert: Lauren Clayton
- Project Manager: Rina Ogino
- Project Manager: Ryne Stagen
- Business Lead: Brandon Underwood
Links:
To see more about Noble, please visit the following links:
Live Site: Noble
Source Code: GitHub Repo