Department of Health NI
Digital health services during the COVID-19 crisis
Digital health services during the COVID-19 crisis
Digital health services during the COVID-19 crisis
Our Focus
UX Design
UX Design
Design Research
Design Research
Website Design
Website Design
Service Design
Service Design
Content Strategy
Content Strategy
Designing a response to crisis
As COVID-19 reached Northern Ireland, public health services faced unprecedented pressure, from overwhelmed helplines and rising hospital admissions to a confused public searching for reliable guidance. In response, the Department of Health asked Big Motive to co-design two critical digital tools to ease demand on frontline services and provide citizens with timely, trustworthy information.
A symptom checker delivered in 12 days
We began with COVIDCare NI, a mobile symptom checker and advice service, delivered in just 12 days in partnership with Civica. Designed to ease pressure on the 111 helpline, the app offered personalised guidance, self-isolation support, and live updates. A companion website provided symptom checking without download barriers.
Setting a benchmark in public health design
Together, the two apps were downloaded over 700,000 times, reaching more than a third of Northern Ireland’s population. They helped reduce call volumes, supported contact tracing, and put vital information into citizens’ hands. Our UX patterns have since been adopted across other UK regions, setting a new benchmark for digital public health.
The UK’s first digital contact tracing app
Next, we led the design of StopCOVID NI, the UK’s first working digital contact tracing app and the world’s first with cross-border interoperability. Working with Nearform and Expleo, we ran inclusive research with vulnerable groups and young people aged 11–17, embedding privacy, trust, and accessibility into every touchpoint.
Designing a response to crisis
As COVID-19 reached Northern Ireland, public health services faced unprecedented pressure, from overwhelmed helplines and rising hospital admissions to a confused public searching for reliable guidance. In response, the Department of Health asked Big Motive to co-design two critical digital tools to ease demand on frontline services and provide citizens with timely, trustworthy information.
A symptom checker delivered in 12 days
We began with COVIDCare NI, a mobile symptom checker and advice service, delivered in just 12 days in partnership with Civica. Designed to ease pressure on the 111 helpline, the app offered personalised guidance, self-isolation support, and live updates. A companion website provided symptom checking without download barriers.
Setting a benchmark in public health design
Together, the two apps were downloaded over 700,000 times, reaching more than a third of Northern Ireland’s population. They helped reduce call volumes, supported contact tracing, and put vital information into citizens’ hands. Our UX patterns have since been adopted across other UK regions, setting a new benchmark for digital public health.
The UK’s first digital contact tracing app
Next, we led the design of StopCOVID NI, the UK’s first working digital contact tracing app and the world’s first with cross-border interoperability. Working with Nearform and Expleo, we ran inclusive research with vulnerable groups and young people aged 11–17, embedding privacy, trust, and accessibility into every touchpoint.
Designing a response to crisis
As COVID-19 reached Northern Ireland, public health services faced unprecedented pressure, from overwhelmed helplines and rising hospital admissions to a confused public searching for reliable guidance. In response, the Department of Health asked Big Motive to co-design two critical digital tools to ease demand on frontline services and provide citizens with timely, trustworthy information.
A symptom checker delivered in 12 days
We began with COVIDCare NI, a mobile symptom checker and advice service, delivered in just 12 days in partnership with Civica. Designed to ease pressure on the 111 helpline, the app offered personalised guidance, self-isolation support, and live updates. A companion website provided symptom checking without download barriers.
Setting a benchmark in public health design
Together, the two apps were downloaded over 700,000 times, reaching more than a third of Northern Ireland’s population. They helped reduce call volumes, supported contact tracing, and put vital information into citizens’ hands. Our UX patterns have since been adopted across other UK regions, setting a new benchmark for digital public health.
The UK’s first digital contact tracing app
Next, we led the design of StopCOVID NI, the UK’s first working digital contact tracing app and the world’s first with cross-border interoperability. Working with Nearform and Expleo, we ran inclusive research with vulnerable groups and young people aged 11–17, embedding privacy, trust, and accessibility into every touchpoint.
