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Case study:
Entre-Nou Group

Mobile App & Web Platform for Pharmacy Replacement Management in Quebec

 

Roles: UX Researcher · UX/UI Designer · Functional Analyst · PO

Duration: 6 months

Tools: Miro · Indigo Studio · Microsoft Teams · Jira

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I was the lead UX designer and product owner for Entre-Nou, a mobile and web platform that simplifies pharmacy shift replacements in Quebec. I led the project from discovery to delivery, conducting user research, defining product logic, and designing the full user experience. I collaborated closely with pharmacy owners, administrators, and developers to translate a manual process into a scalable, mobile-first solution. I also managed the product backlog and facilitated alignment across stakeholders to ensure that the platform met real-world needs.

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Introduction

Research & Discovery

Definition & Design

Launch & Outcomes

Introduction

Context

In Quebec, pharmacy owners often struggle to quickly find trusted replacements. Until recently, the "Entre-Nou" group relied on a Facebook page and an email inbox to post replacement needs, manage applications, confirm shifts, and process reimbursements. This manual system was informal and heavily dependent on an overwhelmed human administrator.

 

The founders wanted to build a professional platform, both web and mobile, that would:

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  • Simplify matchmaking between pharmacies and professionals

  • Ensure salary transparency

  • Offer an equitable and intuitive experience for all stakeholders (owners, pharmacists, and technicians)

  • Make their model scalable and ready for wider deployment

Project Team

The project took a highly collaborative approach, bringing together field professionals and a compact technical team:

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  • 3 founders: pharmacy owners, visionaries, and key users

  • 1 administrator: former task manager and power user

  • Uzinakod team: lead developer + tech support

  • My role: lead UX & PO, responsible for user experience, product logic, and functional consistency

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Introduction

Research & Discovery

Definition & Design

Launch & Outcomes

Research & Discovery

Phase 1 : UX Research

Right from the start, I focused on understanding the real-life workflows: pain points, needs, but also existing habits. Due to privacy restrictions, I couldn’t speak with final users directly, so I concentrated on key internal stakeholder

Methods

  • ​Semi-structured interviews with 3 founders and the administrator

  • Journey mapping of the current process (shift creation and assignment)

  • UX benchmark of competitors (especially Belocum)

  • Co-design workshops to envision ideal journeys

Key Insights

  • The Belocum bidding model is seen as impersonal and unfair

  • The administrator was spending up to 3 hours a day managing requests manually

  • Professional ID validation is critical for pharmacy owners

  • Strong demand for a mobile-first experience: quick, secure, and simple

"We want a tool that reflects who we are, but without reinventing the wheel every time." — Founder

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Introduction

Research & Discovery

Definition & Design

Launch & Outcomes

Definition & Design

Phase 2 : Defining Needs & Product Logic

From the research, I synthesized the essential MVP features that would deliver strong value while allowing room to evolve:

For Pharmacy Owners:

  • Create a shift in 3 steps (details – schedule – salary)

  • Assign a replacement manually with full control

  • View a calendar overview of upcoming coverage

  • Set custom reimbursement ceilings (lodging, travel)

  • Manage a single pharmacy profile

For Replacements (Pharmacists & Technicians):

  • Browse available shifts (filtered by distance, date…)

  • Apply to one or more shifts

  • View history of past assignments

  • Submit expense proofs for reimbursements

Shared features:

  • Manual validation of user profiles by the administrator

  • Smart notifications (cancellations, schedule conflicts, inactive accounts)

  • Automatic per diem calculator based on travel distance

  • Security and accessibility built into every screen

Phase 3 : App Logic & Wireframing

I structured the mobile app experience around a clear action-based model: “Find / Post / Confirm.”

Steps:

  • Created a full information architecture (web & mobile)

  • Designed low-fidelity wireframes in Indigo Studio

  • Validated all key journeys with founders early on

  • Designed all business rules and edge cases:

    • Per diem logic (based on distance thresholds)

    • Special cases: shift cancellations, inactive users, capped reimbursements

Phase 4 : Prototyping & Iterations

Using an agile workflow, every screen and user flow went through multiple rounds of testing with the founders and administrator.

Method:

  • 2 to 3 tests per major feature

  • Approximately 10 global wireframe iterations

  • Weekly updates in a shared development environment

  • Continuous alignment with tech team to check feasibility (especially with ABP.io framework)

Key adjustments:

  • The sign-up flow was split into 2 paths: replacement / owner

  • The per diem logic, initially manual, was integrated as a dynamic module

  • Added pre-written quick messages to reduce email back-and-forth

Phase 5 : UI Design & Experience

Visual identity was provided by an external designer.

 

I took charge of the experience design, ensuring consistency across:

  • Mobile app (iOS & Android)

  • Pharmacy owner web dashboard

  • Admin interface

UI Priorities:

  • Clean, accessible design (WCAG AA)

  • Intuitive iconography

  • Always-visible filters

  • Clear feedback states (loading, success, error)

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Introduction

Research & Discovery

Definition & Design

Launch & Outcomes

Launch & Outcomes

Constraints Encountered

1. Technical:

  • The ABP.io framework imposed a rigid architecture, limiting navigation structure and some UX flows (e.g., multi-pharmacy accounts)

  • Database constraints impacted filtering and data hierarchy flexibility

2. Budgetary:

  • Aiming to develop everything in one release required strong feature prioritization, focusing on MVP essentials

3. Human:

  • The founders had many ideas and sometimes conflicting visions — my role often involved mediation and alignment

Launch & Results

The app launched successfully across all Jean-Coutu pharmacies in Quebec, and was later extended to the Brunet group.

Impact

  • The administrator is no longer needed for daily operations

  • Pharmacy owners are more autonomous and confident

  • The platform is viewed as fairer and more human-centric than competitors

  • Entre-Nou now owns a scalable product, designed for real-world use

"Thanks to the whole team for your listening, expertise, and patience.” — Entre-Nou

Future improvements

  • Rework account access to support multiple pharmacies per user

  • Add an interactive map to view shifts by distance

  • Improve UX for tablets (post-MVP)

  • Integrate an analytics module to track applications, peaks, and coverage trends

Key Takeaways

This project helped me:

  • Work closely with field experts, using clear language and empathy

  • Facilitate alignment between strong (and sometimes divergent) ideas

  • Prototype, test, and iterate rapidly under real-world constraints

  • Create a useful, adopted, and appreciated product that solves real pain points

THANK YOU FOR READING THIS CASE

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