liVeR

liVeR

liVeR

Augmenting liver surgery planning and education at Canada’s leading hospital.

Augmenting liver surgery planning and education at Canada’s leading hospital.

Augmenting liver surgery planning and education at Canada’s leading hospital.

I led this project to transform liver surgery planning and education at Toronto General, bringing 3D liver anatomy to life. Through delivering novel tools, the project earned strong stakeholder endorsement that helped secure a $75K grant for a continued product R&D role — a significant feat in a nonprofit context. This project thrived thanks to five domain experts and ten end users.

I led this project to transform liver surgery planning and education at Toronto General, bringing 3D liver anatomy to life. Through delivering novel tools, the project earned strong stakeholder endorsement that helped secure a $75K grant for a continued product R&D role — a significant feat in a nonprofit context. This project thrived thanks to five domain experts and ten end users.

I led this project to transform liver surgery planning and education at Toronto General, bringing 3D liver anatomy to life. Through delivering novel tools, the project earned strong stakeholder endorsement that helped secure a $75K grant for a continued product R&D role — a significant feat in a nonprofit context. This project thrived thanks to five domain experts and ten end users.

Role

Researcher

Product Designer

Unity Developer

Researcher, Product Designer,
Unity Developer

Clients

Toronto General Hospital:

Dr. Chaya Shwaartz

Albert Fung

Toronto General Hospital: Dr. Chaya Shwaartz, Albert Fung

Advisory Team

Dr. Chaya Shwaartz (product)

Albert Fung (Unity engineer)

Dr. Derek Ng (design)

Dr. Jodie Jenkinson (research)

Dr. Prachi Patel (research)

Clients

Toronto General Hospital:

Dr. Chaya Shwaartz

Albert Fung

Duration

16 months (part-time)

Outcome

2 VR, 1 desktop apps (functional)

Tools

Figma, Adobe (Ai, Ae, Pr), Blender, Unity, Meta VR SDK, Normcore, GitHub

Project

Self-led, funded master's capstone project under the supervision and guidance of the University of Toronto

Duration

16 months (part-time)

Outcome

2 VR, 1 desktop apps (functional)

Tools

Figma, Adobe (Ai, Ae, Pr), Blender, Unity, Meta VR SDK, Normcore, GitHub

Project

Self-led, funded master's capstone project under the supervision and guidance of the University of Toronto

Advisory Team

Dr. Chaya Shwaartz (product)

Albert Fung (Unity engineer)

Dr. Derek Ng (design)

Dr. Jodie Jenkinson (research)

Dr. Prachi Patel (research)

Role

Researcher

Product Designer

Unity Developer

Multi-User VR for
Internal Use

Multi-User VR for
Internal Use

Multi-User VR for
Internal Use

A collaborative VR app for liver staff surgeons and trainees to find, explore, and discuss 3D patient anatomy during surgical planning and education.

Twin Apps for
Scientific Study

Twin Apps for
Scientific Study

Twin Apps for
Scientific Study

Twin VR/desktop apps — with comprehensive onboarding — to be evaluated in a study to identify the best 3D medium for learning liver anatomy.

Twin VR/desktop apps — with comprehensive onboarding — to be evaluated in a study to identify the best 3D medium for learning liver anatomy.

Twin VR/desktop apps — with comprehensive onboarding — to be evaluated in a study to identify the best 3D medium for learning liver anatomy.

Tasked with an early project vision, I led research — including 4 interviews — uncovering that interpreting liver anatomy was a time-consuming, challenging process ripe for innovation.

Tasked with an early project vision, I led research — including 4 interviews — uncovering that interpreting liver anatomy was a time-consuming, challenging process ripe for innovation.

Tasked with an early project vision, I led research — including 4 interviews — uncovering that interpreting liver anatomy was a time-consuming, challenging process ripe for innovation.

As an analogy, liver surgeons often rely on the left — sparse cross-sections — to mentally construct the right.

Instead of 2D cross-sections, what if surgeons could halve their interpretation time with intuitive 3D models?

Instead of 2D cross-sections, what if surgeons could halve their interpretation time with intuitive 3D models?

Instead of 2D cross-sections, what if surgeons could halve their interpretation time with intuitive 3D models?

Platform Strategy

Stakeholders favored VR, but my research revealed desktop's familiarity, accessibility, and effectiveness made it equally viable.

Stakeholders favored VR, but my research revealed desktop's familiarity, ease of access, and effectiveness made it equally viable.

the goal

We planned a multi-user VR tool for internal use, and twin VR/desktop tools for a study — to ultimately accelerate learning.

We planned a multi-user VR tool for internal use, and twin VR/desktop tools for a study — to ultimately accelerate learning.

Insights from design reviews and qualitative user testing that I led drove key feature iterations.

Insights from design reviews and qualitative user testing that I led drove key feature iterations.

Insights from design reviews and qualitative user testing that I led drove key feature iterations.

Immersion

Competitive analysis revealed a trend of indirect interactions in pre-game lobbies — but user research led us to prioritize direct interactions, which increased engagement.

Competitive analysis revealed a trend of indirect interactions in pre-game lobbies — but user research led us to prioritize direct interactions, which increased engagement.

The original flow was functional but lacked intrigue — missing an opportunity to immerse and delight users.

Original Selection Lobby

I led a brainstorm session that shaped a new flow — one users found more immersive, efficient. It also improves contrast and FPS.

Final Selection Lobby

Accessibility

To enhance accessibility, I not only refined contrast, size, and considered potential visual impairments, I also iterated the VR UI to reduce physical effort.

To enhance accessibility, I not only refined contrast, size, and considered potential visual impairments, I also iterated the VR UI to reduce physical effort.

“i” button is hard to reach

Follows Windows convention (end users’ preferred os)
of top-right session controls

Initial UI Layout

All buttons within easy reach

Maintains essence of top-right convention

Matches twin app’s UI patterns

Lowers FOV, reducing neck strain

Final UI Layout

feasibility

Not every design vision was feasible — but we compromised deliberately, balancing ambition with usability.

Not every design vision was feasible — but we compromised deliberately, balancing ambition with usability.

For example, we added momentum to objects for immersion and interactive efficiency — but removed it when usability testing showed it went unnoticed and we learned that it blocked critical feature development.

Various design considerations for intuitiveness, immersion, inclusivity, and comfort were validated through user testing.

Various design considerations for intuitiveness, immersion, inclusivity, and comfort were validated via user testing.

Various design considerations for intuitiveness, immersion, inclusivity, and comfort were validated via user testing.

simplicity

We made gold-standard cross-sections (CTs) more easily-digestible by featuring a 3D model and introducing two innovative elements connecting 2D and 3D views.

We made gold-standard cross-sections (CTs) more easily-digestible by featuring a 3D model and introducing two innovative elements connecting 2D and 3D views.

CT Indicator Planes

Top: CT Indicator Planes.
Bottom: CT Color Coding.

CT Color Coding

familiarity

Contextual inquiry revealed familiar interactions — we mirrored ones that also felt intuitive to unbiased observers.

Contextual inquiry revealed familiar interactions — we mirrored ones that also felt intuitive to unbiased observers.

3D Model

Rotate, Zoom, Pan

CT Scans

Scroll, Zoom, Pan

CT Scans
Scroll

specificity

Tailoring to our highly-specialized users' expectations — including terminology and search mechanisms — helped reduce user friction

Tailoring to our highly-specialized users' expectations — including terminology and search mechanisms — helped reduce user friction

I fully implemented this case selection interface in Unity for summative testing — validating that its structure, filters, and language met real user expectations.

multi-modality

Testing revealed that audio cues enhanced immersion and improved task efficiency.

Testing revealed that audio cues enhanced immersion and improved task efficiency.

CT Scrolling Feedback

Top: CT Scrolling Feedback.
Bottom: Onbarding Step Completion.

Onboarding Step Completion

inclusivity

Since VR adoption is limited, I created highly-visual onboarding that welcomes all experience levels, helping users feel capable, curious, and comfortable.

Since VR adoption is limited, I created highly-visual onboarding that welcomes all experience levels, helping users feel capable, curious, and comfortable.

This embedded onboarding video series helped testers learn controls quickly and clearly. Similar visual-first guidance was implemented across all three applications.

comfort

To reduce VR motion sickness, I optimized FPS and centralized interactions to limit unnecessary head motion.

To reduce VR motion sickness, I optimized FPS and centralized interactions to limit unnecessary head motion.

Top: in-game FPS test; Middle and Bottom: centralized objects and minimal UI transparency; Background: lightweight 3D scene.

“You really helped us bring to life a long-awaited and valuable vision.”

“I can truly see myself leveraging this regularly.”

“You really helped us bring to life a long-awaited and valuable vision.”

“I can truly see myself leveraging this regularly.”

“You really helped us bring to life a long-awaited and valuable vision.”

“I can truly see myself leveraging this regularly.”

liVeR, a brand new product and one of the first of its kind, was tested by stakeholders, staff surgeons, surgical fellows, residents, and medical students. Recognized for its success and potential, stakeholders secured $75,000 in grant funding for a continued product R&D role — a significant feat in a nonprofit context. Demonstrating a seamless, time-saving UX, liVeR is now driving the formation of a new team for formal launch preparation.

Takeaways

Adopting a Product Strategy Mindset

Adopting a Product Mindset

Adopting a Product Mindset

I proactively consolidated insights from my research into a platform strategy presentation that shaped long-term product vision — one of my most valuable contributions.

I proactively consolidated insights from my research into
a platform strategy presentation that shaped long-term product vision — one
of my most valuable contributions.

I proactively consolidated insights from my research into
a platform strategy presentation that shaped long-term product vision — one
of my most valuable contributions.

Designing the Invisible Elements

Designing the Unseen Parts

This project reinforced the value of crafting the unseen with care. Well-structured files and workflows that anticipated iteration were critical for efficiency.

Translating Design Knowledge

Translating Design Knowledge

While VR design presented unique challenges, I learned that core design competencies—technical or otherwise—remain consistent across platforms.

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Designed with love by Remi.

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Email

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Designed with love by Remi.

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