Medtronic engaged IDEO to help design a next-generation pump to succeed the MiniMed 522, which combined insulin delivery with wireless continuous glucose measurement. IDEO proposed a more capable LCD screen and more buttons, among other things. Before the project was shelved in favor of a patch-pump concept I took over interaction design from IDEO.
A bolus (one-time insulin dose) status screen showing the last dose of insulin and approximately how much has been metabolized, along with the basal infusion rate. Such a view did not exist on pumps of the day, and patients longed for a way to know how much of the meal-related or correction bolus they had taken was still available in their bloodstream to continue lowering their blood sugar.The main menu with status icons and “soft labels” for the A and B buttons. The design language was an extension of the pre-existing segmented displays prevalent at the time.Navigating through pump settings to adjust audio feedback, basal rates, maximum bolus, and other pump parameters.A 3-hour glucose trend view showing recent readings and patterns over a shorter time window. The higher-resolution display allowed us to show more detail and relevant events and thresholds.Setting up a bolus dose using the pump’s bolus calculator, which helps determine insulin needed for meals or corrections.The pump actively delivering a bolus dose, showing progress and remaining time until completion.An alarm screen alerting the user to a condition requiring attention, such as low battery, low glucose, pump malfunction, or maintenance reminder.
My role: ideation, workflows, on-screen and physical mockups, usability testing, demonstrating enhanced usability to executives and the firmware and pump hardware teams
Lessons learned: it’s easy to be a bad client and fail to get your money’s worth from even the most capable firm. Industrial design and interaction design should be done at the same time so they can inform each other; no team, however excellent, can make a perfect pure vessel for another to fill.
