Chemo Symptom Tracker
LiveDesigned, built & shipped solo · live app
Overview
- Role
- Everything
- Period
- 2025 Q1 - 2025 Q2
- Platform
- Mobile
What I did
- Synthesized needs from personal experience and peers undergoing chemotherapy
- Designed calendar-based infusion scheduling with symptom tracking
- Built question log to prepare for oncologist visits
- Developed MVP leveraging AI tools and iterated with patient feedback
Problem
Chemo side effects often follow a cycle tied to infusion dates, but patients lack simple tools to anticipate and manage these patterns. Important details and questions can be forgotten between visits, adding stress to an already difficult process.
What I designed & built
Designed a lightweight app to track daily symptoms against each infusion cycle, visualize recurring patterns, manage infusion dates, and keep a running list of questions for care visits, helping patients feel more prepared and in control.
Process
Discovery & Empathy Mapping
Captured core needs from lived experience and peers, identifying cyclical symptom patterns and visit-prep pain points (remembering questions, conveying trends).
Information Architecture & Data Model
Modeled treatments as repeating cycles anchored to infusion dates with configurable day offsets. Structured symptom categories (fatigue, nausea, neuropathy, etc.) and severities for trend analysis.
Symptom Tracking UI
Created a daily check-in with fast severity inputs and notes. Surfaced prior-cycle comparisons to help anticipate tough days and plan mitigation (rest, meds).
Infusion Scheduling & Reminders
Calendar view of upcoming infusions with automatic cycle day labeling and configurable reminders.
Questions Log & Visit Prep
Persistent list to capture questions as they arise, grouped by cycle; quick export to review during appointments.
Testing & Iteration
Ran informal tests with chemo patients; simplified daily flow, reduced taps, and clarified cycle-day context.
Shipped outcome
Patients reported feeling more prepared for appointments and better able to anticipate challenging days. The app reduced anxiety by making cyclical patterns visible and improving communication with care teams.
Learnings
- Designing for repeating, regimen-specific cycles is key to usable oncology tools
- Privacy and sensitive defaults matter: store minimally, make sharing explicit
- Progressive disclosure keeps daily tracking lightweight while enabling depth when needed
Next steps
- Add trend insights to forecast peak symptom days per regimen
- Export summaries tailored for oncologist visits
- Optional medication tracking and hydration goals