by leila.orynbayeva -

WebExpo Conference 2: Design Patterns for Search UX in 2025

There were several interesting talks on the second day of WebExpo, but I chose “Design Patterns for Search UX in 2025.” As a UX/UI designer, I often design websites across various fields, and most of them include a search function.

At the very beginning of my career, I used to carefully research the usability of each feature a website might offer, starting with search. But over time, I shifted focus to other components and gradually overlooked search. So I was pleasantly surprised when Vitaly brought attention back to this seemingly ordinary but incredibly important topic.

He began by showing the different types of search, and there are 22 of them, to be exact! Honestly, I didn’t even realize there were so many. Also he shared insights about reading behavior:

“A person can read 250 words per minute in their native language, but very few actually choose to do so online. On average, reading 150 words takes about 30 seconds. That’s a realistic time budget.”

According to Vitaly, the most effective approach on both mobile and desktop is to keep the search box visible on the main page, not hidden behind an icon. This alone can lead to a major boost in engagement. In fact, his team improved search usage by 40% simply by doing that. Impressive!

However, it’s not just about visuals. Preparing solid metadata is just as critical. Metadata should be clean, organized, and free from duplicates. If users spend too much time trying to find what they need, engagement drops and on top of that, every unnecessary search adds to digital carbon emissions, so making a bad search is harmful for climate

Another smart tip: show suggestions after a user clicks into the search bar, not while they’re still typing. Most people look at their keyboard when typing, so early suggestions often go unnoticed. A great example is Flying Tiger. Their search bar immediately displays popular searches and relevant products right after being clicked.

Galaxus is another strong example, they provide an extensive set of filters, from basic categories to specific product features like “Gaming capabilities.” Adding product reviews into suggestions is another enhancement worth considering.

I found this topic so engaging that I looked up a video of Vitaly presenting the same theme two years ago. Much of the content was similar, but this time he wrapped up with a comprehensive Search UX Checklist with 20 things to keep in mind when designing search and a list of 75 questions (!) for UX designers to discuss with developers. I’m pretty sure developers won’t love that part, but I bet it will spark some much-needed conversations.


Overall, I was genuinely impressed by the depth and practicality of the information shared. I’ll definitely keep these principles in mind when designing the next search experience in my upcoming projects.

by leila.orynbayeva -

WebExpo Conference: Data Visualisation

One of my favorite sessions on the first day was the workshop “Creating an Effective & Beautiful Data Visualisation from Scratch” by Nadie Bremer. She’s well-known profesionall, that created data visualizations for organizations like Google News Lab, UNICEF, and The New York Times

What really surprised me about this workshop was how hands-on it was, Nadie started with a completely blank screen and gradually built a stunning chart using d3.js (a JavaScript library for data visualization). Watching her go from scratch to a fully developed visual step by step was really engaging.

To be honest, I didn’t understand every part of the code she used, especially when she went into more technical things like indexes, cosine, and sine functions. But I could follow the general concept and the logic behind how she built the structure and visual elements. Even without knowing all the technical details, it was exciting to see how math and design came together in such a creative way.

What made this especially interesting to me was how relevant it felt to what I want to do. I’ve been thinking a lot about how to make dashboards more appealing. Most of them use the same types of basic charts, which get the job done but aren’t very exciting. Nadie’s approach showed how much more engaging and beautiful charts can be, without losing clarity.

She also shared some helpful tips about design decisions, like choosing the right color palette, how to simplify complex data, and how to guide the viewer’s attention with layout and motion. These small things make a big difference when it comes to making information easy to understand.

Even though I don’t remember coding very well, I’ve always been interested in it, and this workshop really made me want to dive back in and learn more. It made coding feel less intimidating and reminded me that there’s a creative side to it, especially when it’s used to tell a story through data.

Overall, I left the session feeling inspired. It was a great example of how technical skills and artistic thinking can come together. I’d definitely recommend checking out Nadie Bremer’s work if you’re curious about creative data visualization.

by leila.orynbayeva -

12. “Sprechen Sie Deutsch?” The Hidden Barrier to Booking Appointments

When I arrived in Austria as an international student, I expected that most of my challenges would come from my still-developing German skills (aber ich lerne es!). And ofc as it always happens after a few months of my arrival, I needed to see a doctor.

But to my surprise, the real problem wasn’t finding a doctor.It was booking the appointment.

Most clinics required a phone call. And most receptionists spoke only German. After four failed calls, I finally found a local doctor who could help and book an appointment. Lucky me!

But when I spoke to other international students, I realized this wasn’t just my problem:

“After a few calls, I gave up and asked my Austrian friend to call.” – Orlaith, 22, Ireland
“I accidentally booked a vaccination instead of a check-up.” – Younes, 23, Algeria
“Yes, I booked the appointment… but it took 40 minutes!” – Elske, 30, Netherlands

This process is frustrating for everyone involved: patients feel confused and helpless, and clinics lose time (and possibly clients) and money

So I started wondering:

  • What if booking an appointment didn’t require fluent German?
  • How could this process be simpler and less stressful?
  • Could we implement ideas from other countries’ systems?

Most websites in my country offer virtual assistance or a chatbot on messengers. So, what if I develop a chatbot that works in both German and English? It would guide international patients step by step, collect necessary details, and ease the burden on receptionists without requiring extra staff or app downloads.

More in the next post…

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#NIME 🦕 Dinosaur Choir: Designing for Scientific Exploration, Outreach, and Experimental Music

The Dinosaur Choir is a project that focuses on lambeosaurine hadrosaurs—duck-billed dinosaurs known for their distinctive hollow cranial crests, which likely functioned as resonating chambers for vocal communication. By utilizing CT scans of hadrosaur skulls and integrating paleontological research, the team reconstructs these crests and nasal passages with a 3D printer to emulate the sounds these dinosaurs might produced.

How it works: Users give voice to the dinosaur by blowing into a mouthpiece, exciting a larynx mechanism, and resonating the sound through the hadrosaur’s full-scale nasal cavities and skull. This action allows an embodied glimpse into an ancient past.

Firstly it was presented in 2011 by Courtney Brown:

However, concerns about hygiene, especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompted a redesign. The team transitioned to a computational model, allowing users to produce sounds by blowing into a microphone, with the system simulating the vocalizations digitally.

The latest prototype got 3rd place at the 2025 Guthman Musical Instrument Competition at Georgia Tech

There are a few limitations to consider in this research.

First, even with sophisticated modeling techniques, the simulations may simplify the way sound would have realistically traveled through and been shaped by a dinosaur’s skull. Second, expanding the project to include other species would be both time-consuming and costly, with each new model still relying on a significant degree of speculation.

I think the idea behind the project is amazing. I’ve always wondered how people came up with the sounds of dinosaurs in movies and cartoons—I wasn’t sure if any of them were based on real research or just made up. But producing sound from even one real dinosaur skull is really impressive. I like that they brought it to the public through museums and exhibitions because it gives people a chance to immerse themselves in the world of the distant past.

by leila.orynbayeva -

11. Reflection of the Speed-Dating

Since my Master’s thesis is connected to medicine, I’ve been exploring how to make traditionally “boring” content more engaging using gamification. In previous blog posts, I shared some early ideas, and now I’ve taken it a step further by sketching out what kind of information should be shown on the platform’s main page—for both patients and doctors.

It only took me about 10 minutes to create a rough sketch, but I focused on highlighting what I think are the most important data points: things like “Number of Procedures” “Number of Visits” “Medications Prescribed” “Appointment Calendar” and vital stats like “Heart Rate” “Blood Pressure” “Oxygen Levels” “Temperature” and etc.

User Feedback:

  • All participants understood the layout quickly and found the dashboard structure clear.
  • Everyone liked the overall concept and said they’d actually use it.
  • Some asked if the platform was just for doctors or also for patients—and if it would be available on Apple Watches in addition to phones and desktops.
  • One person even said the idea was TED Talk-worthy and suggested I reach out to medical startups to pitch it.

Final Thoughts & What’s Next:

This session was both fun and super productive. It really helped confirm that the idea has potential—especially from the patient’s perspective. The exciting news is, I already found a startup here in Graz that’s working on something very similar, and I’d love to explore the possibility of collaborating with them. Of course, that kind of process takes time.

In the meantime, I’ve decided to focus on another area of the project: making it easier for non-German speakers to book doctor appointments. In my next blog post, I’ll share more about this idea and how I plan to move forward with it.

by leila.orynbayeva -

10. Summary and Conclusion

Preventing health problems before they happen is one of the best ways to stay healthy. However, many people don’t know much about preventive healthcare, which can help avoid serious diseases like heart attacks and strokes. The good news is that technology and design can help make preventive healthcare easier and more interesting for everyone.

In my blog posts, I explored how adding fun and engaging features, like gamification, can encourage people to take better care of their health. Gamification uses things like rewards, challenges, and progress tracking to keep people motivated. For example, fitness apps that give points for daily steps or health platforms that offer badges for completing check-ups.

One of the most important things we need to consider is how to make sure people’s personal health information stays safe. If we want people to trust and use healthcare apps, we must protect their data with strong security measures and clear privacy policies.

We also need to find the best ways to use gamification to promote healthy habits. Simple features like goal tracking and reminders can be very effective, while more complex systems might include personalized health challenges and rewards that fit each person’s lifestyle.

Building a healthcare platform that works for both doctors and patients can be challenging. It requires a balance between providing useful medical advice and keeping users engaged without overwhelming them. Some of the benefits of such a system include better communication with doctors, improved health tracking, and easier access to preventive care information. However, challenges include making the system easy to use and ensuring that it meets medical standards.

Key Research Questions and Answers

  1. What gamification strategies can make preventive healthcare more popular?

Strategies like setting achievable goals, offering rewards, using progress tracking, and providing social support can make preventive healthcare more engaging and encourage long-term commitment.

2. How can we ensure that people’s health data stays private and secure?

By implementing strong encryption methods, secure user authentication, clear privacy policies, and regular security audits, we can protect user data and build trust.

3. What are the benefits and challenges of creating a healthcare system that works for both patients and doctors?

The benefits include better communication, personalized health recommendations, and improved health monitoring. However, challenges involve ensuring ease of use, maintaining data security, and aligning with healthcare regulations.

Conclusion

Preventive healthcare has the power to save lives and improve well-being, but it needs to be more accessible and engaging for people. By using gamification and smart design, we can encourage healthy habits and make healthcare more enjoyable. The journey towards better preventive healthcare is ongoing, and with the right tools and strategies, we can create a healthier future for everyone.

by leila.orynbayeva -

09. Scalability in Preventive Healthcare: Building Platforms for the Future

In this post, I will wear the hat of the CEO and try to observe this project in terms of scalability to bring it to masses efficiently. A scalable platform ensures that healthcare solutions can grow efficiently, reaching larger audiences without compromising performance, accessibility, or quality. Well my initiative thought was a collaboration with the government, but since government structures are famous for the bureaucracy and slow implementation I found the new ways:

  1. Partnering with Private Healthcare Providers

One of the most effective ways to scale preventive healthcare platforms is through partnerships with private healthcare providers, insurance companies, and wellness organizations. These stakeholders have the infrastructure and resources to integrate preventive measures into their existing services, offering users a seamless experience.

Benefits:

  • Faster implementation compared to government programs.
  • Access to established healthcare infrastructure and patient databases.
  • Potential funding from private investors.

Challenges:

  • Alignment with business goals may prioritize profitability over public health impact.
  • Regulatory hurdles and compliance with privacy laws.
  • Limited accessibility for low-income populations without private insurance

For example, preventive healthcare platforms can be offered as an added benefit to private health insurance plans, encouraging users to engage with their health proactively while reducing long-term costs for insurers

2. Leveraging Corporate Wellness Programs

Many companies are investing in employee wellness programs to boost productivity and reduce healthcare costs. Offering preventive healthcare solutions as part of corporate wellness initiatives can drive adoption while creating a healthier workforce.

Benefits:

  • Direct access to large groups of users.
  • Incentives for employees to actively participate in preventive care.
  • Potential for recurring revenue through corporate subscriptions.

Challenges:

  • Employee participation may be low without strong incentives.
  • Privacy concerns about health data shared with employers.
  • Potential exclusion of freelancers, part-time workers, and small businesses.

For instance, a platform could provide tailored health insights, fitness challenges, and mental well-being support, with incentives such as rewards or discounts for achieving health goals.

3. Community-Based Implementation

Collaborating with local community centers, fitness organizations, and non-profits can help introduce preventive healthcare initiatives at the grassroots level.

Benefits:

  • Strong community engagement and trust.
  • Tailored solutions for local populations with specific health needs.
  • Opportunities for pilot testing before scaling further.

Challenges:

  • Limited funding and resources for long-term sustainability.
  • Scaling beyond local communities may be challenging.
  • Difficulty in measuring impact and collecting data efficiently

For example, hosting community health workshops that introduce digital health tools can serve as an entry point for people to adopt preventive healthcare platforms.

4. Direct-to-Consumer (B2C) Approach

Taking a direct-to-consumer approach through mobile apps or web platforms allows individuals to engage with preventive healthcare solutions on their own terms. Using digital marketing, influencer partnerships, and engaging content can help attract and retain users effectively.

Benefits:

  • Full control over branding, messaging, and user experience.
  • Scalable revenue models such as freemium subscriptions.
  • Continuous feedback and improvement through user insights.

Challenges:

  • High marketing costs to attract and retain users in a competitive market.
  • Digital literacy and accessibility issues for certain demographics.
  • Trust barriers, as users may be skeptical of self-managed health solutions.

An example of this approach is a health-tracking app that offers free basic features, with optional premium services such as personalized coaching and advanced analytics.

5. Collaborating with HealthTech Startups

Partnering with emerging HealthTech startups can help preventive healthcare platforms leverage cutting-edge technology and innovation without starting from scratch. By integrating with existing solutions, scalability can be achieved more efficiently.

Benefits:

  • Access to new technology such as AI-driven analytics and wearable integrations.
  • Faster development and deployment through shared resources.
  • Potential for investment and growth through startup ecosystems.

Challenges:

  • Dependence on startup stability and funding cycles.
  • Potential technology compatibility issues.
  • Balancing innovation with regulatory compliance.

For instance, integrating preventive health features into fitness wearables or telehealth platforms could enhance user engagement and expand market reach.

6. Academic and Research Collaborations

Collaborating with universities and research institutions provides scientific validation for preventive healthcare platforms while leveraging academic networks to drive adoption. These partnerships can also help attract funding and credibility.

Benefits:

  • Strong scientific backing to enhance trust and effectiveness.
  • Access to grants and funding for innovation.
  • Opportunities to influence public health policies in the future.

Challenges:

  • Slow bureaucratic processes and lengthy approval timelines.
  • Limited commercial scalability without strong industry partnerships.
  • Focus may shift towards research rather than practical implementation.

For example, a platform co-developed with a university can provide data-driven preventive recommendations based on ongoing research studies.

Conclusion

Scalability is a key factor in ensuring that preventive healthcare platforms can reach and benefit as many people as possible. While government support may offer certain advantages, exploring alternative approaches such as corporate partnerships, community engagement, and direct-to-consumer models provides greater flexibility and faster implementation.

By embracing diverse strategies, preventive healthcare platforms can continue to evolve, improve accessibility, and empower individuals to take control of their health on a larger scale.

by leila.orynbayeva -

08. Safeguarding Health Data: Challenges and Solutions

In my previous blog post, I discussed my idea of creating a platform that forecasts potential illnesses based on a patient’s health history. In this post, I will explore the challenges involved and examine possible solutions for implementing an AI-driven forecasting system.

Potential Risks of Storing Patient Health Data:

  1. Data Breaches: Unauthorized access to sensitive information could lead to personal health data being exposed or sold.
  2. Identity Theft: If personally identifiable information is leaked, it could be misused for fraud.
  3. Regulatory Compliance Risks: Failure to meet GDPR or other compliance standards may result in legal penalties and loss of trust.
  4. Insider Threats: Employees or authorized personnel might misuse their access rights.
  5. Third-Party Vulnerabilities: If third-party services are involved, they could become weak links in security.

Solutions to Ensure Data Security:

One of the most effective approaches is end-to-end encryption (E2EE), which ensures that data remains protected both during storage and transmission. By encrypting sensitive user data with algorithms such as AES-256, unauthorized access can be prevented. Additionally, employing secure communication protocols like TLS (Transport Layer Security) guarantees that data exchanged between users and the platform remains confidential.

Another crucial measure is role-based access control (RBAC), which restricts user permissions based on their roles within the system. This approach ensures that only authorized individuals, such as administrators and educators, have access to specific areas of the platform, minimizing the risk of data exposure. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) can further strengthen this security by requiring additional verification steps.

To protect user privacy, privacy-preserving techniques such as anonymization and tokenization can be utilized. Instead of storing personal identifiers, data can be pseudonymized or replaced with tokens to ensure compliance with privacy regulations like GDPR. This reduces the potential impact of data breaches and enhances user trust.

Choosing a secure cloud provider is another critical step in safeguarding data. Opting for reputable providers that offer built-in security features, such as encryption, firewall protection, and compliance with international standards, can significantly reduce security risks. Providers such as Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure offer comprehensive security frameworks that align with industry best practices.

Adopting a zero-trust architecture (ZTA) model is an effective way to enhance security by assuming that no entity, whether inside or outside the organization, should be trusted by default. This approach requires continuous verification of users, devices, and applications, ensuring that only authenticated and authorized actions take place.

Finally, conducting regular security audits and monitoring is essential to identify potential vulnerabilities and address them proactively. Utilizing tools that monitor system activity, detect anomalies, and provide real-time alerts can help prevent security incidents before they escalate.

Conclusion

By implementing these security measures, an educational healthcare platform can remain secure, privacy-focused, and compliant without storing sensitive health data. Applying solutions such as encryption, role-based access, secure cloud services, and regular audits ensures user trust and data protection without overcomplicating the system.

Links to articles about solutions:

  1. End-to-end encryption (E2EE)
  2. Role-based access control (RBAC)
  3. Privacy-preserving techniques
  4. Zero-trust architecture (ZTA)
  5. Regular security audits and monitoring
by leila.orynbayeva -

07. The Importance of Preventive Healthcare Education

In today’s fast-paced world, healthcare often revolves around treating illnesses rather than preventing them. However, with rising healthcare costs and an increasing burden on medical professionals, preventive healthcare is becoming more critical than ever. Despite the benefits, many individuals still struggle to adopt preventive measures. Education plays a crucial role in empowering individuals to take charge of their health and well-being while simultaneously reducing the workload for doctors, patients, and healthcare providers.

How Health Education Reduces Workload for Stakeholders:

  1. Patients:
  • Empowered with knowledge, patients can take proactive steps to manage their health, leading to fewer hospitalizations and improved self-care.
  • Access to credible information reduces confusion and misinformation, helping patients make informed decisions without unnecessary stress.

2. Doctors:

  • Informed patients require fewer emergency visits and interventions, allowing doctors to focus on more critical cases.
  • Preventive education can reduce consultation time as patients come prepared with a better understanding of their health conditions.

3. Healthcare Providers:

  • Reduced strain on resources as fewer patients require intensive treatments or prolonged care.
  • Preventive strategies improve public health outcomes, leading to cost savings in healthcare infrastructure.
  • According to WHO, countries with strong preventive programs have seen a 30% reduction in healthcare expenditures related to preventable conditions.

The Role of Education in Empowering Individuals

Education serves as a powerful tool to drive behavioral change and promote a culture of prevention. Through easily accessible and digestible information, individuals can:

  • Understand the importance of regular health check-ups and screenings.
  • Learn how lifestyle choices impact their long-term health.
  • Identify early warning signs of potential health issues.
  • Gain confidence in making informed healthcare decisions.

Educational initiatives can take various forms, including online platforms, workshops, social media campaigns, and community outreach programs. By leveraging technology, healthcare education can reach a broader audience and provide personalized learning experiences.

Conclusion

Preventive healthcare education is a crucial step towards building a healthier future. It empowers individuals, reduces healthcare costs, and alleviates the burden on medical professionals. With the right educational tools and initiatives, individuals can take proactive steps towards their well-being.

by leila.orynbayeva -

06. Navigating Challenges and Considerations in Preventive Healthcare Design

In previous posts, we’ve explored the potential of preventive healthcare and how interactive design can play a role in making health habits more engaging. However, designing solutions in healthcare isn’t just about innovation and creativity. It’s also about addressing real-world challenges and ensuring ethical responsibility. In this post, we’ll dive into the key challenges and ethical considerations designers face in the field of preventive healthcare.

Common Challenges in Preventive Healthcare Design

Accessibility

Preventive healthcare tools must cater to diverse demographics, including those with disabilities or limited technical proficiency. Accessibility involves more than just adding screen readers or large fonts; it means designing interfaces that are intuitive and user-friendly for people of all abilities. Testing apps with diverse user groups helps identify accessibility barriers early in the design process.

Data Privacy

Preventive healthcare apps handle not only user habits but also sensitive data, imagine if this sensitive data were compromised. The consequences would be devastating, from identity theft to financial fraud.

Equity and Inclusion

Equity in preventive healthcare design faces significant challenges that often stem from socio-economic, geographic, and cultural disparities. Limited access to devices remains a prominent issue, with studies showing that over 2.6 billion people worldwide still lack access to the internet (https://www.edisonalliance.org/home). For example, rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa face significant barriers to accessing internet and mobile technologies, limiting their ability to benefit from digital health tools. Similarly, internet connectivity issues create a significant gap in underserved regions, where infrastructure remains insufficient for reliable access.

Another key intersection between challenges and ethics lies in behavioral design. Techniques like gamification and habit loops can be powerful motivators, but they must be applied ethically. Over-reliance on addictive design patterns or fear-based nudges might drive short-term compliance but can lead to long-term psychological harm.

By understanding how these challenges intertwine with ethical considerations, designers can approach their work with a more holistic mindset. Ethical design isn’t an afterthought—it’s an ongoing commitment that starts from addressing the root causes of these challenges.

Possible solutions to address challenges

While the challenges are significant, several strategies can help address these barriers effectively:

1. Offline Functionality

Many users in underserved areas lack reliable internet access. Designing apps with offline functionality ensures that users can still track their health data, access educational content, and receive essential reminders even without an internet connection. For example, local data storage allows users to input and save health information, which can later sync with cloud servers when a connection becomes available.

2. Simplified User Interfaces

Digital literacy varies significantly across user demographics. Simplified user interfaces prioritize clarity and usability, with clean layouts, intuitive navigation, and recognizable icons. Features like step-by-step tutorials, voice guidance, and error prevention tools make these apps more accessible to first-time users and older adults.

3. Community Health Programs

Digital tools alone might not be enough to drive change, especially in regions with limited technology adoption. Community health programs can bridge this gap by pairing digital solutions with in-person support. Health ambassadors or trained volunteers can educate users, assist with app navigation, and answer questions, fostering greater trust and adoption.

4. Partnerships with Governments and business

Collaboration with governments and non-governmental organizations can address structural barriers to equity. Partnerships can lead to initiatives like subsidized internet plans, distribution of affordable devices, and region-specific health campaigns. For example, partnerships in sub-Saharan Africa have successfully introduced SMS-based healthcare reminders to improve vaccination rates.

5. Multilingual Support

Language barriers can prevent effective communication and reduce app adoption rates. Offering app content in multiple languages, along with regional dialect support, ensures inclusivity. Additionally, voice commands and audio instructions can further break down linguistic barriers for users with limited reading skills.

Conclusion

Designing for preventive healthcare isn’t just about creating visually appealing interfaces or engaging gamification techniques. It’s about understanding the real-world challenges users face, addressing inequities, and maintaining ethical responsibility. As designers, developers, and innovators, we must ensure that our solutions are inclusive, transparent, and genuinely beneficial for all.

Link to articles:

The EDISON Alliance connecting billions of people globally

SMS-reminder for vaccination in Africa: research from published, unpublished and grey literature