My Hope Lodge
My Hope Lodge is a concierge app that supports cancer treatment patients during their stay at a Hope Lodge. It offers lodge information, details about community activities, nearby grocery stores and restaurants, and helpful articles on cancer.
Services
UX Strategy
App Design
Research
Style Guide
Client
HLK Agency
Healthcare mobile app
Duration
4 months
View app
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Crafting a next level experience
TrueUX Design was responsible for creating an app to help Hope Lodge guests and their caregivers during their stay at a facility, serving as a concierge tool that provides valuable information and resources in one convenient location.
The American Cancer Society (ACS) wanted to gather various sources of information and add new content to this app. We needed to concentrate on what guests wanted to know, what they needed to know, and information they didn't realize they needed.
Existing Data
• General Cancer Information
• Healthy Living Articles
• Insurance Portal
• Connect with NCIC
New Features
• Local Directory
• Lodge Events
• Detailed Lodge Information
• Community Recognition
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Visiting a local Hope Lodge
Our team split up and conducted site visits at three unique locations: New York City, Honolulu, and St. Louis. The purpose was to gain a better understanding of the product we would be building and the target audience. The Assistant Manager guided us on a facility tour, answered questions, and provided insight into recent guest and staff feedback.
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Hearing from the users
After our site visits, we collected all the user feedback and carefully synthesized the data. I identified commonalities from the input and pain points to prioritize features in the app.
User Pain Points
• Pre-arrival mindset: very nervous about the unknown, uncertain of the quality of accommodations, and not sure what to bring.
• Most common guests' questions are about food and transportation.
• The staff struggles to communicate announcements promptly to all lodge guests.
• Lodge activities and general information are displayed on TV monitors in the kitchen and not always seen by guests.
Key Takeaways
• The average age of our target user skews a bit older (50+).
• Stay lengths vary from one night to several months, depending on the treatment.
• A high percentage of guests donate after their stay (via $$, merch, or wishlists).
• Caregivers were interested in more learning and resources focused on caring for someone with cancer .
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© 2024 by TrueUX Design LLC. All rights reserved.
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American Cancer Society Gene & Jerry Jones Family Hope Lodge in Dallas, TX
Providing free accommodations for cancer patients who are undergoing treatment away from home.
The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge provides free accommodations for cancer patients and their caregivers receiving treatment far from home. With over 30 locations across the country, Hope Lodge communities offer comfortable guest suites, communal kitchens, dining areas, laundry facilities, and common areas for relaxation, allowing individuals to focus on their recovery without worrying about lodging expenses.
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© 2024 by TrueUX Design LLC. All rights reserved.
Listening, learning, and iterating
After several rounds of meeting with the client and establishing a solid foundation for the app, we focused on building out more of the features in the wireframes. We brought in the existing requirements while adding the new approved features. Our goal for this round was to incorporate high-level copy, CTA logic, content, and flow.
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Version 1
Version 2
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Version 1
Version 2
Version 1
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Version 2
Helping patients and caregivers when they need it most
After multiple design iterations and feedback rounds, we finalized a sleek new app design for Hope Lodges nationwide. This was the first of its kind for the organization and it’s only the beginning of innovative digital products that will offer assistance to people during one of the most challenging times.
Guests at the Hope Lodge frequently ask about food options and transportation. This information is now readily available at the top of the homepage, where they can find nearby dining and schedule transportation. The 'Quick Help' section also provides essential details like building codes, parking gate codes, and Wi-Fi passwords.
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Brainstorming and visualizing
We began the foundational app structure by defining the user flow and identifying the key actions and information users needed at each step.
During this stage, factors such as visual hierarchy, navigation, and accessibility were considered in the wireframes.
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A streamlined communication experience
In the past, the lodges used slideshow mode on display monitors to communicate with guests. However, important information was frequently overlooked. To solve this issue, we added events and messages pages to the app for easier access to notifications, event details, and sign-ups.
Communication Before
Communication After
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Building a stronger community
A fun yet impactful feature is the Community Kudos Board. This is a place where staff and guests can submit kudos or support to have them displayed on a communal board. The posts are monitored by staff and are posted after approval. By providing an area to commend and support your fellow community, it brings a sense of home to Hope Lodge.
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Consistent style across the brand
We made sure that the Hope Lodge app’s style adhered to the existing brand guidelines for the American Cancer Society. However, we did implement a number of new components like navigation menus, iconography, and cards.
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Ready to collaborate?
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© 2025 by TrueUX Design LLC. All rights reserved.