National Healthcare Group of Singapore
Partner Portal for Community Health Programmes
Partner Portal for Community Health Programmes
Built a scalable system for NHG to manage classes, track attendance, and engage partners beyond spreadsheets.
Built a scalable system for NHG to manage classes, track attendance, and engage partners beyond spreadsheets.
Project at Accredify
For NHG (National Healthcare Group, Singapore)
Role
Lead Product Designer
Duration
6 Months
Platform
Web Portal → Integrating with NHG CRM & Care App
Quick Summary
Quick Summary
The National Healthcare Group (NHG) collaborates with over 70 community partners to run public health programmes across Singapore. But the entire system relied on manual processes, causing frustration for partners, residents, and staff.
The National Healthcare Group (NHG) collaborates with over 70 community partners to run public health programmes across Singapore. But the entire system relied on manual processes, causing frustration for partners, residents, and staff.
I redesigned the experience to introduce a scalable partner portal that empowers partners to manage their own programmes independently, while maintaining NHG’s strict oversight and data control requirements.
I redesigned the experience to introduce a scalable partner portal that empowers partners to manage their own programmes independently, while maintaining NHG’s strict oversight and data control requirements.
Core Problem
Core Problem
Operational Bottlenecks
Community partners submitted spreadsheets monthly. NHG’s operations team—who were the only users with CRM access—had to manually re-enter every programme. Changes or errors meant restarting the process, often delaying listings by 2–3 days.
Friction for Residents and Partners
Residents couldn’t register online or get confirmation. Partners couldn’t make updates or track sign-ups. This created miscommunication, overbooking, and missed engagement opportunities.
NHG’s CRM (Restricted Access to Programme Listings)
Controls programme listings but is restricted to NHG staff due to security and privacy concerns.
Community Partners Lack Direct Access
Partners cannot manage offerings digitally. Instead, they consolidate monthly schedules in Excel sheets and send them to NHG for manual updates.
NHG Staff Handle 70+ Partners’ Data Manually
Duplicating efforts, increasing workload, and delaying updates.
View Only NHG Care App
Residents cannot register for programmes digitally via the NHG Care App.
Research & Discovery
Research & Discovery
To uncover structural challenges and stakeholder expectations, we conducted a series of early requirement workshops with NHG’s core team and selected community partners. These sessions helped us identify not just user pain points—but also organisational priorities, security constraints, and technical boundaries.
I began by mapping out the full ecosystem across three stakeholder groups:
To uncover structural challenges and stakeholder expectations, we conducted a series of early requirement workshops with NHG’s core team and selected community partners. These sessions helped us identify not just user pain points—but also organisational priorities, security constraints, and technical boundaries.
I began by mapping out the full ecosystem across three stakeholder groups:
Our early requirement sessions helped uncover the structural pain points—manual handoffs, lack of role-based visibility, and unclear accountability.
Our early requirement sessions helped uncover the structural pain points—manual handoffs, lack of role-based visibility, and unclear accountability.
Three stakeholder groups
Community Partner Admins
External organisations running wellness programmes.
Create programmes and track attendance
No access to NHG CRM
Previously submitted Excel manually each month
NHG Operations Team
Relationship Managers (RMs) who manage assigned partner orgs.
Only group with CRM access
Responsible for manual data entry and partner coordination
Operational bottleneck due to centralised control
NHG Super Admin
System-wide oversight and control.
Manage role assignments and override actions
Ensure governance and platform-wide consistency
Provide policies, platform guidelines, and share operational initiatives
Audit and troubleshoot issues across all clusters
System Access Flow & Scalability
System Access Flow & Scalability
Before designing any features, I clarified user roles, access levels, and org hierarchy with NHG.
Before designing any features, I clarified user roles, access levels, and org hierarchy with NHG.
NHG is divided into clusters (e.g. Woodlands Health, Yishun Health)
Each cluster has RMs assigned to manage a subset of organisations
Each organisation may run classes across multiple centres
I created a role + org flow map to model this structure. This informed both the user interface (who sees what) and system architecture (how access is enforced).
I created a role + org flow map to model this structure. This informed both the user interface (who sees what) and system architecture (how access is enforced).
Application Flow Mapping
Application Flow Mapping
Early in the project, NHG shared a long list of system expectations—but the connections between each component weren’t always clear.
To bridge this, I created an application flow map that visualised how information moved between the Partner Portal, CRM, and Care App. This helped the team clarify:
Early in the project, NHG shared a long list of system expectations—but the connections between each component weren’t always clear.
To bridge this, I created an application flow map that visualised how information moved between the Partner Portal, CRM, and Care App. This helped the team clarify:
Which steps were handled inside our system
When and how data needed to be pushed to NHG’s CRM
Where resident sign-ups and attendance would return from external systems
The map became essential—not just for engineering, but for aligning everyone around a shared understanding of the full system journey.
The map became essential—not just for engineering, but for aligning everyone around a shared understanding of the full system journey.
Application Flow Diagram
Defined system roles
Programme creation happens in the Partners Portal, data is stored in NHG’s CRM, and residents access it via the Care App.
Clarified dependencies
Since the Care App doesn’t pull directly from the Partners Portal, all data must first be processed in the CRM.
Mapped registration & attendance tracking
Designed a structured workflow to ensure a smooth experience for both partners and NHG staff.
Competitor Analysis
Competitor Analysis
To gather design inspiration, I reviewed ClassPass and TeamUp to identify proven UX flows:
To gather design inspiration, I reviewed ClassPass and TeamUp to identify proven UX flows:
Both use a Programme ↔ Schedule model to separate core info from session dates
Clean scheduling UIs showed me how to simplify recurrence and clash detection
Attendance and signup management reinforced the value of real-time analytics
While these tools didn’t support Excel, they helped define what good looked like—and where we needed to go further for flexibility.
While these tools didn’t support Excel, they helped define what good looked like—and where we needed to go further for flexibility.
Classpass
Used by gyms/studios to manage class schedules & sign-ups
Class Creation & Recurring Scheduling
Allows partners to set up structured sessions with flexible scheduling options.
Schedule Overview
Displays sessions in a clear, time-based layout for easy navigation.
Attendance & Analytics
Tracks participation and provides insights into class engagement.
TeamUp
A scheduling platform for group classes & membership
Class Listings
Provides a quick overview of all available classes.
Class Listings & Scheduling
Allows partners to set up new class types and assign schedules.
UI Complexity Challenges
The interface felt cluttered, making navigation harder.
Calendar-Based Scheduling Limitations
Managing overlapping sessions was overwhelming.
Key Design Decisions & Challenges
Key Design Decisions & Challenges
Simplified Complex Workflows
Transformed intricate CRM processes into intuitive and easy-to-use forms, significantly reducing errors during data entry.
Transformed intricate CRM processes into intuitive and easy-to-use forms, significantly reducing errors during data entry.
Transformed intricate CRM processes into intuitive and easy-to-use forms, significantly reducing errors during data entry.
Addressed Security Constraints:
Developed secure external access points without compromising sensitive healthcare data, balancing usability and compliance effectively.
Developed secure external access points without compromising sensitive healthcare data, balancing usability and compliance effectively.
Developed secure external access points without compromising sensitive healthcare data, balancing usability and compliance effectively.
These critical decisions ensured the solution was user-friendly, secure, and scalable from the outset.
Design Approach
Design Approach
Role-Based Access
Community Partners: Manage only their own data across multiple centres
RMs: Manage assigned organisations within their cluster
Super Admins: System-wide oversight and override capabilities
Access logic was tightly scoped to avoid data leakage and ensure governance.
Access logic was tightly scoped to avoid data leakage and ensure governance.
Programme → Schedule hierarchy
Partners often run programmes with multiple sessions—recurring or ad hoc. To avoid duplication and support flexible scheduling, I designed a two-tier structure: each programme can have multiple linked sessions. This allowed us to manage complex time/venue logic while keeping data clean and scalable.
Partners often run programmes with multiple sessions—recurring or ad hoc. To avoid duplication and support flexible scheduling, I designed a two-tier structure: each programme can have multiple linked sessions. This allowed us to manage complex time/venue logic while keeping data clean and scalable.
Design Solutions
Design Solutions
The design work went beyond simplifying workflows—I designed around a layered system of roles, data dependencies, and real-world constraints. Every solution had to be easy for partners to use, while staying consistent with NHG’s internal controls and sync logic.
The design work went beyond simplifying workflows—I designed around a layered system of roles, data dependencies, and real-world constraints. Every solution had to be easy for partners to use, while staying consistent with NHG’s internal controls and sync logic.
01
Programme Creation (Single & Bulk)
Partners could either create a programme using a guided form or bulk upload via Excel. The single flow ensured clean data entry aligned with CRM structure, while Excel upload supported partners’ existing workflows and enabled quick onboarding of multiple programmes.
01
Programme Creation (Single & Bulk)
Partners could either create a programme using a guided form or bulk upload via Excel. The single flow ensured clean data entry aligned with CRM structure, while Excel upload supported partners’ existing workflows and enabled quick onboarding of multiple programmes.
01
Programme Creation (Single & Bulk)
Partners could either create a programme using a guided form or bulk upload via Excel. The single flow ensured clean data entry aligned with CRM structure, while Excel upload supported partners’ existing workflows and enabled quick onboarding of multiple programmes.
02
Session Management
02
Session Management
02
Session Management
03
Attendance Tracking
03
Attendance Tracking
03
Attendance Tracking
04
Sync & Status Feedback
04
Sync & Status Feedback
04
Sync & Status Feedback
05
Power Features for Scale & Support
Beyond the core workflows, I designed additional tools to support long-term scalability, admin oversight, and better partner enablement.
05
Power Features for Scale & Support
Beyond the core workflows, I designed additional tools to support long-term scalability, admin oversight, and better partner enablement.
05
Power Features for Scale & Support
Beyond the core workflows, I designed additional tools to support long-term scalability, admin oversight, and better partner enablement.
Impact & Outcome
Impact & Outcome
Throughout development, we held weekly reviews with NHG stakeholders to validate logic, refine user flows, and enhance key features such as QR attendance, programme status tracking, and role-based dashboards.
Following successful User Acceptance Testing (UAT) with key NHG partners, the Partner Portal launched in January 2024, onboarding 20+ community partners and streamlining operations across approximately 400 programmes at nearly 100 locations. The project was featured by GovInsider as a model of integrated health–social ecosystem design. (Gov Insider Article)
The redesigned portal significantly reduced NHG's operational bottlenecks, automating manual tasks and enabling secure partner access to previously restricted CRM data.
Throughout development, we held weekly reviews with NHG stakeholders to validate logic, refine user flows, and enhance key features such as QR attendance, programme status tracking, and role-based dashboards.
Following successful User Acceptance Testing (UAT) with key NHG partners, the Partner Portal launched in January 2024, onboarding 20+ community partners and streamlining operations across approximately 400 programmes at nearly 100 locations. The project was featured by GovInsider as a model of integrated health–social ecosystem design. (Gov Insider Article)
The redesigned portal significantly reduced NHG's operational bottlenecks, automating manual tasks and enabling secure partner access to previously restricted CRM data.
The new system drastically reduced manual workload, giving our ops team more bandwidth and enabling smoother collaboration with partners.
— NHG Operations Team
This success led NHG to entrust us with their next major initiative—redesigning their Next Generation Electronic Medical Records (NGEMR) system (EPIC), enhancing usability for healthcare professionals across Singapore.
What I Learned
What I Learned
Designing the UI was the easy part — the real product thinking came from understanding roles, hierarchy, and sync logic. Planning for governance and scalability early on saved weeks of rework later.
Regular communication and structured reviews highlighted how crucial clear alignment is — especially when navigating ambiguity across multiple teams like NHG stakeholders, Care App, and CRM.
If I were to tackle a similar project again, I’d push for earlier engagement with real external users to surface usability issues sooner and drive smoother adoption.
Designing the UI was the easy part — the real product thinking came from understanding roles, hierarchy, and sync logic. Planning for governance and scalability early on saved weeks of rework later.
Regular communication and structured reviews highlighted how crucial clear alignment is — especially when navigating ambiguity across multiple teams like NHG stakeholders, Care App, and CRM.
If I were to tackle a similar project again, I’d push for earlier engagement with real external users to surface usability issues sooner and drive smoother adoption.
