UHC

Overview

UHC is an appointment management web portal for multi-location student health and support services. We redesigned the admin experience to manage appointments and scheduling across sites — improving efficiency in community support programs and day-to-day service delivery.

Brief

Founded in 1977, UHC – Hub of Opportunities is a registered not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to supporting vulnerable individuals and families in Windsor and Essex County. Offering 26 unique programs and services, UHC focuses on four core pillars:

Basic Human Needs
Employment Services
Training and Education
Newcomer Settlement Services

As a central hub for the community, UHC is committed to empowering individuals, promoting independence, and helping them achieve personal success.

They also operate a web portal that helps manage appointments for people seeking advice and guidance from their assigned case workers—ensuring timely support and smoother communication between the organization and its users.

Our goal was to revamp UHC's web portal to create a more user-friendly and easy-to-use experience—streamlining appointment booking, role-based access, and admin tools. The redesign focused on usability, accessibility, and providing a seamless experience for users to access essential features.

Discover

To improve the UHC web portal, we started by conducting workshops and interviews with staff and community members. This helped us understand how people use the platform, what challenges they face, and what they expect from a better experience. Our goal was to simplify the system, make it more accessible, and tailor it to each user's needs.

Here are some key issues we identified:

No Role-Based AccessEveryone saw the same features, even if they didn't need them. This made the interface cluttered and confusing.
No Control Over LocationsAdmins couldn't add or update locations without asking developers, slowing down their work.
Rigid Slot SetupSlot timings were fixed and couldn't be customized per location, leading to scheduling problems.
Unclear Slot StatusThere were no labels to show if a slot was booked or available, which caused confusion.
Messy Availability ManagementAll availability actions were crowded into one screen, making it hard to manage.
No Leave TrackingThere was no way to track case worker leave, so appointments were sometimes booked when workers were unavailable.
No Message CustomizationAll users got the same default notifications. Admins couldn't edit them without developer help.
Poor UsabilityThe old design was cluttered and lacked a clear structure, making it difficult to use.

Before

Old Web Portal Snapshot

UHC old portal — counsellor availability grid

UHC old portal — schedule appointment modal

Research

User Personas

RM

Admin User

Raj Mehta

38 Years · Male · Ontario, Canada · Admin Coordinator

10+ years in operations and community program coordination at not-for-profits. Currently overseeing digital workflows at UHC – Hub of Opportunities.

Goals

Streamline scheduling, slot management, and leave coordination
Maintain full control over notifications, reports, and calendar updates
Ensure the portal supports staff productivity and reduces operational delays
Improve service delivery through efficient digital administration

Responsibilities

Dashboard — Monitor organizational activity at a glance
User Management — Add/edit/remove users and assign roles
Work Calendar — Define holidays and non-working days
Location Management — Create or update service locations
Appointment Slots — Customize availability per location
Schedule Setup — Manage shift timings and availability
Leaves — Track and update case worker leave schedules
Notification Scripts — Edit outgoing message templates
Reports — Generate usage and performance summaries

Pain Points (from old system)

All users saw all features, causing clutter and confusion
Hardcoded locations required dev support for simple edits
Fixed slot timings lacked flexibility across locations
No visual slot indicators (e.g., booked, in progress)
Leave data was disconnected from scheduling tools
No personalization for notification messages
Cluttered layout and low usability made it harder to complete key tasks efficiently

Needs

A clean, role-based interface that shows only what each user needs
Admins can manage locations without needing help from developers
Flexible slot creation to handle different schedules at different locations
Built-in leave tracking to avoid double bookings or conflicts
Customizable messages to improve how users are informed
Clear status indicators for appointments and staff availability
Modern and easy-to-navigate design for faster task completion
Mobile-friendly access for managing on the go (second phase)

Structure

User Flowchart

We designed role-based user flows to simplify the UHC portal experience. Admins manage key operations like users, slots, and notifications. Front Desk staff handle appointments, while Case Workers track their schedules and availability. This focused approach ensures clarity, ease of use, and efficiency for every user.

Wireframes

From structure to screens

After finalising the user flows, we created wireframes to validate core journeys for each persona. These evolved into high-fidelity designs focused on clarity, accessibility, and ease of use. We prioritised a smooth onboarding, role-based dashboards, and intuitive navigation to simplify key tasks like appointment scheduling and availability tracking — ensuring a seamless experience for all users.

Visual System

Color Palette & Font System

We crafted a balanced color palette and typography system to enhance visual clarity and usability. The colors support accessibility and hierarchy, while the typefaces ensure readability across all screen sizes—delivering a clean, modern, and cohesive UI experience.