• Identify usability pain points in current ultrasound machines (interface and physical design)

• Understand clinician workflows and environmental constraints in real use contexts

• Redesign the machine with improved ergonomics, accessibility, and interface logic

• Explore trade-offs between technological capability and clinical practicality

• Stakeholder Interviews: Conducted with 12+ participants across roles (nurses, sonographers, engineers). Focused on workflow, pain points, desired features, physical limitations, and safety concerns

• Contextual Inquiry / Observational Research: Observed sonographers using existing machines during live procedures. Mapped interactions and touchpoints across common use scenarios

• Brainstorming & Co-Design Workshops: Facilitated collaborative sessions to ideate interface redesigns and physical layout improvements. Used sketches, card sorting, and digital mockups to explore options and gather feedback

• Usability Heuristics Review: Evaluated current interface and design using UX heuristics and medical-specific criteria

• Low-Fidelity Sketches & Mockups (for physical layout and button placements)

• Digital UI Wireframes (Figma for interface flow testing)

• Workflow Mapping Tools (Miro, whiteboards)

• Interview Guides

• Design Constraints Matrix: to document trade-offs in design vs. capability

• Implement a tiered interface that displays only context-relevant controls for each scan mode to reduce cognitive load

• Improve touch target sizing, contrast, and UI responsiveness to accommodate gloved hands and high-pressure clinical use

• Redesign the cart with: Adjustable height for standing/seated use; Swivel screen for multi-angle visibility; Front-facing controls and intuitive probe placement

• Integrate wireless transducers to reduce cable clutter and improve mobility during bedside procedures

• Add voice typing capability for hands-free note-taking and annotation, allowing real-time documentation during scans

• Enable haptic and visual feedback for probe selection, scan mode switching, and freeze/capture actions

• Include a “Guided Mode” for new sonographers and a “Rapid Mode” for emergency or repetitive procedures

• Redesign cord management and probe holders for accessibility, quick cleaning, and ergonomic reach