ROLE
Product Manager
TEAM
Product Manager
Product Owner
Project Manager
(7) UX Designers
(3) UX Researchers
TIMELINE
3 months
"Alexi was a true momentum builder and a proactive leader from the start....Her ability to bring clarity to ambiguity and integrate input from across teams made a big impact."
Amir Panahi
Product Owner
Expert-Level Accuracy, Influencer-Level Content
Product Discovery
Vision Development
Roadmapping
GenAI
HealthTech
MVP
Comparative Concept Testing
Agile Methodologies
This case study explores the development of VeriSci, an AI-powered platform designed to combat health misinformation by empowering content creators with seamless access to peer-reviewed, scientific resources via API integration and a fine-tuned GenAI model. Built collaboratively with the early-stage startup Science to People, this version of VeriSci represents the third iteration (MVP) of the platform, expanding its capabilities as both a desktop application and a browser extension.
Overview
In an age where 4 out of 5 people seek health information online, the demand for accessible, accurate, and engaging content is undeniable. However, the digital landscape is flooded with misinformation: 87% of health related posts on social media contain inaccuracies, and 54% of people believe false health claims, perpetuating harmful health outcomes and eroding public trust in the health system.
VeriSci was created to be a trusted and approachable resource for science communicators, addressing this urgent need for easily digestible, evidence-based health information. Through a commitment to accuracy, accessibility, and engagement, VeriSci bridges the gap between jargon-heavy scientific research and public understanding, empowering communicators to combat misinformation effectively. In a time when public trust in health communication is fragile, VeriSci is proving that evidence-based science can break through the noise and drive meaningful impact.
The Problem We Set Out To Address / The Challenge(s)
The digital landscape has made health information more accessible than ever, but it has also amplified challenges in accuracy, engagement, and trust. Content Creators are a prominent voice behind the distribution of online health information. Health and Wellness Content Creators, specifically, are crucial in shaping public understanding of complex health topics, but they face significant challenges that limit their ability to produce high-quality, trustworthy content efficiently. Our team set out to understand the perspective of Health + Wellness Content Creators and what could be undermining their content's accuracy. We wondered:
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What are the main barriers health and wellness content creators face in producing accurate, engaging, and trusted content?
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How do research efficiency, content accuracy, and platform-specific optimization affect the workflow and impact of creators?
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What solutions could streamline content creation while ensuring factual integrity and audience trust?
These questions helped us uncover the specific challenges Health and Wellness Content Creators face while generating content.
Challenge 1:
Inaccessible Peer-Reviewed Health Information (paywall)
(Source: Concept Testing of VeriSci Version 1, Market Research)
Challenge 2:
Complex health messaging hinders public understanding
(Source: Concept Testing of VeriSci Version 1, Market Research)
Challenge 3:
Difficulty interpreting health data and scientific research due to lack of formal training
(Source: Concept Testing of VeriSci Version 1, Market Research)
Challenge 4:
Inefficient and time-consuming research process with multitude of tools
(Source: Concept Testing of VeriSci Version 1, Market Research)
Challenge 5:
Maintaining unique branding and voice without increasing chances of misinterpretation
(Source: Concept Testing of VeriSci Version 1, Market Research)
Challenge 6:
Changing content across social platforms can lead to increased workload and diluted messaging consistency
(Source: Concept Testing of VeriSci Version 1, Market Research)
Understanding The Target User and Their Pain Points
Before addressing the identified challenges, we needed to understand and define what qualified as Health and Wellness Content Creators. We defined them as individuals and small business owners who leverage digital platforms to share evidence-based health information in an engaging and accessible way. These creators educate their audiences on health-related topics from disease prevention, mental health, fitness and emerging health trends.
We continued the exploration of the target user's experience through concept testing with VeriSci Version 1 (the product we were tasked to update) and market research. These insights allowed us to formally identify how we could help the user reach their goals. We need to help the user:
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Increase accessibility to peer-reviewed scientific sources
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Streamline content ideation and creation
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Build trust with target audiences
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Generate engaging content
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Shorten time between research and content release
Our insights led to 3 preliminary personas:
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Sarah, a certified health educator who creates digestible, educational videos on platforms like TikTok and Instagram.
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Alex, a therapist and small business owner who builds a digital presence. for their health practice, focusing on client engagement and trust-building.
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Sofia, an experienced health communicator who produces highly researched, fact-checked content for diverse audiences.
Requirements and Constraints
We began the requirements process by refining the preliminary client PRD, conducting a heuristic analysis and concept testing of VeriSci V1 and V2. Our goal was to identify what elements of the concept were effective and where improvements were needed - this analysis served as the foundation for reimagining the product we were handed into VeriSci V3.
Beyond the initial challenge of transforming VeriSci V1, the client expressed concerns that their existing differentiators were not strong enough to distinguish them in an increasingly competitive AI market. Part of our team's mission was to explore the space thoroughly and ideate around potential enhancements that could solidify VeriSci's unique position.
Talk more about the business goals here, and how we planned to set out to achieve them? AKA that one slide to the right.
We’re designing Version 3 (MVP3) of their AI-powered product: VeriSci, which includes both a responsive Desktop Platform and a Browser Extension. It will be offered in a free-tier model targeted at health and wellness content creators.
Prioritizing the Features + Backlog - Identifying high-impact features
Establishing Strategic Alignment and Differentiation
I led a differentiation brainstorm and alignment workshop to set a clear path forward and align our cross-functional team. This session ensured every team member understood client requirements, AI's current capabilities and limitations, industry standards, gaps in the market, the existing differentiations, and evolving user pain points. We left the workshop with a unified vision clarity around market opportunities, and an initial feature brainstorm that laid the foundation for VeriSci V3's innovation.
Prioritization Framework & Product Tenets
"If we still to these tenets, we will build the right thing."
We established a clear prioritization framework rooted in the preliminary client PRD, identified problem statements, user needs, MVP vision board and MoSCoW framework. These components became the blueprint for defining the Product Tenets - a set of guiding principles agreed upon cross-functionally to ensure we stayed true to the core product vision and requirements, streamlined prioritization of tasks - user stories - and features, simplified internal and stakeholder communication, and supported consistent decision-making and backlog refinement.
Strategic Inisghts, Backlog, and MVP Roadmap
As a Strategy team, we dug deeper to understand the core challenges impacting content creators. Our research showed that 65% of content creators spend >1 hour on research alone. Equipped with this insight, we refined the vision, prioritized features and crafted a the formal concept and MVP roadmap. We used these HMW statements to guide our feature ideation:
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HMW ensure a low barrier to entry so users can start using the extension right away with limited training? How might we streamline their research process?
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HMW streamline their creative process while working on content generation?
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HMW help content creators kickstart their process when they are experiencing a creative block?
The browser extension was intentionally designed as a complementary yet standalone experience to the desktop platform. This makes it easier to adopt for broader audiences and plays a key role in combating misinformation. It serves as a “translator” of complex content—making scientific concepts more digestible for everyday users.
Because it’s lightweight and intuitive, the extension lowers the learning curve for new users. It can be embedded directly into existing workflows, helping to boost overall product adoption by serving as a low-barrier entry point to the full VeriSci platform.
HMW save the users time and create value NOW?
HMW fit seamlessly into their current process, rather than extending and complicating it?
HMW ensure a low barrier to entry so users can add our product to their flow right away with limited training?
HMW streamline their research process?
HMW help content creators kickstart their process when they are experiencing a creative block?
Concept + Vision Development
Our final product vision statement:
VeriSci V3 is an AI-powered content creation tool that helps health and wellness content creators generate engaging, fact-based content effortlessly by unobtrusively streamlining research, ensuring accuracy, and adapting to their personal tone of voice.
The core product is a desktop platform designed to empower Content Creators with an AI-powered content creation studio, equipped with an AI-model fine-tuned in science communication best practices, assisted content generation in their brand's tone of voice and an API integration to peer-reviewed scholarly sources for fact-checking and evidence-backed research.
The platform is complemented by a browser extension - a powerful companion that seamlessly integrates into the creator's workflow - providing unobtrusive research assistance, health jargon and concept translation without interrupting their creative flow. While the browser extension provides significant value to the users in their research journey, the full value to the user is unlocked in the desktop platform. The Platform + Extension are complimentary to each other, connected via features. The Extension will encourage the user to go to the Platform for deeper insights + analysis.
Validating the Platform Concept
We conducted Comparative Concept testing between two Desktop Platform concepts:
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Prototype A: Separate UI for Research + Content Creation
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Prototype B: Integrated UI Combining Research + Content Creation
Through observational testing and post-test interviews gathered from 8 content creators, we captured real-time insights that informed the next iteration of VeriSci Version 3.
The tests determined each prototype had its benefits and fall-backs. While users preference slightly favored Prototype A for brand-toned content creation, Prototype B stood out for its benefit to researching.
The overall benefit of this product: By increasing access to accurate, up-to-date scientific information, our solution empowers content creators while strengthening Science to People’s competitive edge. It not only drives revenue growth but also contributes to a more informed, science-literate world.
The browser extension was intentionally designed as a complementary yet standalone experience to the desktop platform. This makes it easier to adopt for broader audiences and plays a key role in combating misinformation. It serves as a “translator” of complex content—making scientific concepts more digestible for everyday users.
Because it’s lightweight and intuitive, the extension lowers the learning curve for new users. It can be embedded directly into existing workflows, helping to boost overall product adoption by serving as a low-barrier entry point to the full VeriSci platform.
Roadmap development was informed by the MVP Vision Board, business goals, Definition of Done, and collaboration with cross-functional team members.
⚙️ Suggested Phase 2 Objective: Finalize Mid-Fidelity Wireframes of Responsive Desktop Platform
Milestones:
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Align with Mobcoder to define partnership scope and development plan.
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Combine insights from Prototype A + B into a unified direction for desktop platform.
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Conduct usability testing, iteration, and validation on desktop designs.
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Begin mobile version research, prototyping, and validation.
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Deliver validated mid-fidelity wireframes and prototypes for the responsive desktop platform.