Hannah Roxas
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Continuum

A care-centered platform keeping surrogates, parents, and coordinators in sync after pregnancy confirmation.

Jan 2025 (Course Project)

Project Overview

Most surrogacy tools manage paperwork. Continuum manages the human experience.

My Role

Translated highly sensitive, multi-stakeholder emotional anxieties into clear, quiet UI patterns that protect user trust.

COURSE
MGT 120: Managing and Using Information Technology
ROLE
MGT 140- Marketing for Tech-Based Enterprise
SERVICE
UX Research, Journey Mapping, Interaction Design, Design Systems

Highlights

Less chaos, more continuity.

continuum.app/timeline
Continuum shared journey timeline interface mockup

Outcome

Single shared timeline for parents, surrogates, and coordinators

Outcome

Progressive disclosure model: only the next task is ever shown

Outcome

One-tap, emoji-based emotional check-ins for surrogates

3

stakeholder groups designed for

9

months of journey mapped

Timeline

Research

Design

Refine

Handoff

Stakeholder interviews
Progressive disclosure
Timeline-first communication
Design system draft
Frictionless check-ins
Handoff
Week 1
Week 3
Week 5
Week 7
Week 9

My Role & Impact

Problem

Once a surrogacy pregnancy is confirmed, agencies drop their high-touch support. Families are left to navigate complex medical, legal, and emotional milestones using messy spreadsheets and chaotic group texts.

Solution

A shared mobile and web platform that replaces chaos with a unified, stress-free timeline, proactive coordinator tools, and lightweight wellness tracking.

Impact

Translated highly sensitive, multi-stakeholder emotional anxieties into clear, quiet UI patterns that protect user trust.

The Problem

[Onboarding: High Support] ---> [Confirmation] ---> [The Drop-Off: Chaos & Isolation]

Through stakeholder interviews, I discovered a major gap: Support fades the moment pregnancy is confirmed exactly when emotional labor and uncertainty spike.

We didn't need to build a better administration tool. We needed to build a care system that sustained trust over nine months.

3 Critical Design Decisions (And the Tradeoffs)

Instead of showing every wireframe, here are the strategic decisions that shaped the product:

1. Progressive Disclosure (Legal Tasks)

  • The Anxiety: Parents were overwhelmed by massive, complex legal checklists.
  • The UI Fix: We only display the immediate next task; future steps are hidden.
  • The Tradeoff: Parents lose the "big picture" view, but gain daily peace of mind.

2. Timeline Default (Communication)

  • The Anxiety: Group chats created pressure for instant replies, spiking stress.
  • The UI Fix: Made an auto-updating shared timeline the default homepage.
  • The Tradeoff: Communication is slower, but it eliminates conversational urgency.

3. Frictionless Check-ins (Surrogate Care)

  • The Anxiety: Surrogates wanted support but hated feeling monitored or given "homework."
  • The UI Fix: One-tap, emoji-based mood checks with optional short notes.
  • The Tradeoff: We collect less granular health data, but gain authentic participation.
View full research

Designing for Multiple Stakeholders

Intended Parents

Core need: Reassurance & Clarity

  • ·Shared access to timelines, calendars, and documents
  • ·Guided prompts to ask the right questions at the right time
  • ·Reduced need for constant messaging

Surrogates

Core need: Autonomy & Care

  • ·Emotional check-ins and wellbeing signals
  • ·Clear expectations and consent-based visibility
  • ·Reduced feeling of being monitored

Care Coordinators

Core need: Risk Detection

  • ·Live case dashboard with alerts
  • ·Tools to track readiness, alignment, and blockers
  • ·Centralized communication loops

Design System: Designing for Emotional Safety

To lower cognitive load during high-stress medical moments, the visual system prioritizes calm:

  • Warm, non-clinical tones to avoid looking like a sterile medical portal or tracker.
  • Mobile-first layouts optimized for quick, one-handed use in waiting rooms.
  • Large, readable typography and soft microcopy that feels supportive, not authoritative.

What I'd Do Next

  • Pilot with a clinic to test how the emotional check-ins hold up over months of real-world use.
  • Measure success by tracking if the platform reduces the volume of anxious, off-channel messages sent to coordinators.

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