Intrinsic Physical Therapy & Wellness
Building trust and driving engagement.
A new brand and digital experience for a growing business.
Summary:
I worked with Intrinsic Physical Therapy & Wellness (Intrinsic), a private physical therapy practice, to rebrand and redesign their website and marketing materials.
Problem:
The previous digital experience was created by the owner when she started her business a few years ago. It did not go through a human-centered design process or make use of design principles, and it was not mobile responsive. As a result, the digital experience was disjointed, difficult to use on mobile devices, and led to mistrust in the brand.
Goal:
The goals for the site were to make it mobile responsive, professional, and reflect a cohesive brand identity. The goals for target users were to quickly learn about the practice, build trust and credibility, and make it easy to ask questions or schedule an appointment.
Primary Roles:
UX Designer
Website Builder
Time Frame:
February ‘24 - October ‘24
Client:
Intrinsic Physical Therapy & Wellness
Methods:
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Personas
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User journey maps
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Competitor Audits
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Visual design: wire-frames, high-fidelity designs, prototypes
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Usability testing
Tools:
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Figma
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Miro
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ChatGPT
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Wix Studio
01. Empathy
Getting to know the business goals
I started by interviewing the business owner to better understand her primary goals for the project, pain points for her business, and perceived pain points for her users. Through the process I learned that:
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She built the existing site herself without design or research considerations, and she struggled with mobile responsiveness
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She’s expanding her practice and needs her branding and digital experience to accommodate a larger team.
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She wants to use the new website and marketing to increase prospective patient engagements through phone, email, and online form submissions.
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She deals with complex chronic pain conditions herself, which uniquely positions her to differentiate her practice and brand around empathy.
Outcomes
6% Increase in Conversion Rate
More website visitors are reaching out via email, phone, or online form submissions, reflecting the site’s effectiveness in motivating users to connect.
50% Click-Through Rate on Homepage
The homepage successfully engages users, driving them to explore services and learn more.
5% Decrease in Bounce Rate
Users are staying longer on the site, suggesting they are finding value and relevance in the content.
Conducting user research with constraints
I conducted proxy user research by interviewing Intrinsic’s owner and physical therapist, instead of user research with direct users. We chose this route to avoid any HIPAA issues and due to limited budget and resources to recruit patients. We acknowledged the limitations, like missing nuances from users, as well as bias she has as a provider giving care.
The risks of this approach were partly mitigated because the owner provides PT direct care daily to patients and has developed an in-depth understanding of their pain points, motivations, and preferences. She also suffers firsthand with chronic pain conditions, so she has the perspective of at least one of the user segments.
Developing user personas
I uncovered two key personas: Complex Chronic Condition patients and Pelvic Health patients.
Learnings:
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Has experienced multiple misdiagnoses and ineffective treatments
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Struggles with ongoing pain and fatigue, but is motivated to do what she needs to start feeling better.
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Prefers a knowledgeable, honest, and empathetic provider she can trust.
Learnings:
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Experiences discomfort and physical limitations postpartum.
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Lacks awareness of physical therapy benefits for pelvic health issues.
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Looking for a specialist that she can trust to learn more about her treatment options.
Mapping out the User Journey
Emily Chronic Complex Conditions
Learnings:
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Seeks physical therapy services mostly through provider referrals.
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Feels overlooked and misunderstood by traditional healthcare providers.
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Wants more ongoing support options in between her appointments.
Sarah - Pelvic Health Patient
Learnings:
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Finds her way to care mostly through referrals from other mothers.
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Feels frustrated with long wait times before she can be seen by traditional healthcare providers.
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Wants more ongoing peer support options to get advice, and feel comfortable to talk about pelvic health.
Key Opportunities
I analyzed the personas and user journey maps and discovered opportunities to better support Emily and Sarah.
Create a brand that is warm, welcoming, and disarming, including soothing colors, simple layout, and empathetic and understanding content that makes Emily and Sarah feel understood and welcome.
Shore up the trust and credibility gap by showing the providers have the necessary credentials, experience, and deep knowledge through bios, content, testimonials, and imagery.
Emphasize the personalized support and short wait times for care, for example 1 hour appointments one on one appointments and ongoing support via email with their dedicated physical therapist.
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Increase traditional medical providers’ awareness of Intrinsic through stronger relationships and marketing to make it easier for Emily and Sarah to get referred.
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Explore hosting online support groups on Intrinsics webste to establish more touchpoints and referrals.
02. Define
Laying the foundation for an updated brand identity
I worked with the client to better understand her brand identity, values, and goals. Her values were well aligned to the personas and research so we only needed to make a few adjustments and formalize them.
Vision: To be a leading provider of holistic, patient-centered physical therapy that empowers individuals to achieve optimal health and well-being.
Values:
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Comfortable: Create a welcoming, supportive and understanding environment.
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Collaborative: Encourage team discussions on patient care, foster partnerships with other health providers, and involve patients in the decision-making process of their treatment plans.
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Empowering: Educate and empower patients to take control of their health.
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Personalized: Provide tailored care plans for each individual's needs.
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Dedicated: Dedicate ourselves to finding the best paths to recovery for our patients, even in the most complex cases. We strive to transform challenges into opportunities for growth and healing."
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Present: Practice mindful and active listening, ensure appointments are spaced to allow practitioners sufficient time with each patient, and cultivate an environment where patients feel seen and heard.
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Holistic: Treat each patient comprehensively by addressing all facets of health, including lifestyle factors like sleep, stress, and nutrition, to promote optimal well-being.
How do you want patients to feel after they walk out?
“Relieved, understood, hopeful”
03. Ideate
Competitor audit
I conducted a detailed analysis of three competitors in the market and discovered there are few direct competitors for Intrinsic, which presents an opportunity for growth.
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The first competitors’ content stood out for its empathetic and supportive tone, which influenced how I approached our content strategy.
“Your wellness journey starts here.”
“We’re so glad you’re here.”
The second competitor inspired me with their warm and soothing color palette but I noted that soft colors can cause accessibility issues, like poor contrast.
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And, I drew ideas from the last competitor’s modern, minimalist layout and their approach to organizing information.
Sitemap
I proposed two options for structuring the content:
Option 1: start with health condition categories (e.g., Pain, Pelvic Health) as the top-level category (Level 1), with specific health conditions listed beneath them (Level 2).
Option 2: start with health services (e.g., Physical Therapy and Virtual Wellness Coaching) as the top Level 1, with health condition categories beneath them, based on which conditions are in scope for that service (Level 2).
After consulting with the client, I learned that Virtual Wellness Coaching wasn’t ready to be marketed, and only a few patients had used it so far. As a result, we chose Option 1 for the initial site structure. We also decided to exclude the Support Group feature from the minimum viable product (MVP), as it would introduce more complexity and effort.
04. Prototype
Paper Wireframing
I created paper mobile wireframes to quickly explore different layout variations that aligned with the information architecture. This allowed me to experiment freely with design elements like large, engaging photos, supported by concise headlines and introductory texts. This was especially important on the homepage, where users could quickly skim the content and dive into the sections that interested them most.
Designing mobile-first forced me to prioritize the most important content and functionality. It also made transitioning to desktop much smoother, as the core layout and flow were already established.
Paper wireframes: Mobile Homepage variations
Stars indicate elements to be used in the digital wireframe
Mobile Homepage final
Desktop: Homepage final
Digital Wireframes
While creating digital wireframes I sought to stay open and humble to new ideas—especially from the client. She suggested adding a map thumbnail of the location to the footer so users could quickly confirm the distance when deciding if Intrinsic was right for them. My gut reaction was to say no, because I felt it would take up too much space, didn’t fit aesthetically, and the address was already written in the footer.
Spoiler alert: I was wrong. Usability testing revealed that users appreciated the map thumbnail, finding it helpful for quickly confirming the location.
Before
After
I scaled the mobile wireframes to desktop to sort out any layout considerations that needed adjustment.
Mobile Homepage
Desktop Homepage
Digital Designs: Defining a color pallete
I sought inspiration from competitors and online design communities for font, color palette, and copy ideas. My goal was to create a color palette that instilled a sense of trust and stability, particularly for patients who often feel dismissed by traditional healthcare systems. I also wanted the design to convey warmth, empathy, and approachability—creating an inviting space that encourages healing and feels distinct from a typical clinic experience.
Color Meaning
Meaning: Represents trust, stability, and calmness. Blue-green shades are often associated with emotional balance and renewal.
Use in Design: Creates a sense of professionalism, trustworthiness, and depth. It's great for conveying reliability, especially in healthcare.
Meaning: Symbolizes serenity, intelligence, and clarity. Muted blues can promote calmness and thoughtfulness.
Use in Design: Ideal for creating a relaxed, trustworthy atmosphere. It is often used in healthcare to put people at ease and foster a sense of security.
Meaning: Beige tones are often associated with warmth, comfort, and neutrality. This color brings a sense of groundedness and stability.
Use in Design: Helps balance cooler colors, adding warmth and softness, which can make a design feel more approachable and human.
Meaning: Neutral light tones like this represent purity, cleanliness, and simplicity. It conveys openness and clarity.
Use in Design: Great for backgrounds or to create a sense of space and lightness in a design, preventing visual clutter.
Moving from wireframes to designs
During this stage, I encountered a hiccup with the hero image. Initially, I overlaid text on the image in the wireframes, which created constraints on the types of images I could use to maintain accessibility. Since we hadn’t yet received the final images from the photoshoot, I decided to shift the headline text below the image, solving the issue and ensuring greater flexibility.
Digital Prototypes
I created high-fidelity, interactive prototypes, which I used for the upcoming usability testing.
Mobile prototypes
Desktop Prototype
Logo creation
The client requested a new logo, and I quickly confirmed that this was a significant undertaking. In hindsight, I learned I should have scoped more time for the process, but it was a valuable experience to learn more about the logo creation process.
1. Evaluating the existing logo:
I reviewed the logo which the client created a few years ago and identified several areas for improvement:
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The “Intrinsic” font was hard to read.
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The circular shape’s color was too light and detailed on a white background, reducing visibility.
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It did not scale well to different sizes and uses - there was no primary, secondary, favicon versions.
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It lacked a compelling connection to the brand.
2. The logo design process:
a. I started by reflecting on Intrinsic’s core values and key terms.
b. I sought inspiration from resources like Behance and other online design communities.
c. I experimented with AI (ChatGPT Dalle) for initial ideas, with limited success.
d. I then sketched my own variations and shared my findings with the client, highlighting my top recommendations.
3. The final logo design
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The mark incorporates an "i" from “Intrinsic” at the center with thin curved lines that represent support, nurturing, and movement, which aligns with Intrinsic’s brand identity.
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The logo is flexible, scaling well across various sizes, orientations (horizontal, vertical), and mediums (digital, print, physical signage).
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It includes different versions in color, white, and black-and-white for different applications.
05. Test
Usability Study
I moderated a virtual usability study with 5 participants in the Minneapolis area with the mobile web prototype, with two main goals:
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Determine if the design provides sufficient information and intuitive navigation for Intrinsic’s target audience, who may feel fatigued and skeptical after previous healthcare experiences.
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Evaluate whether the design supports users in easily requesting an appointment, offering a smooth and supportive experience.
We recruited participants who have sought out physical therapy services for complex conditions, including different genders, and of ages between 18 and 65. Based on resource and HIPAA constraints, we recruited from her personal network, some of whom are patients at Intrinsic.
Design updates
After analyzing the study results, I made several changes to improve the design:
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Made the phone number more prominent and easy to find
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Reworked the Request Appointment to a Contact Us page to clearly communicate its purpose and provide users with clear expectations for follow-up, including the timeline.
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Featured conditions treated more prominently by reordering content on the homepage and menu to ensure that the conditions treated are more visible to users.
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Removed Virtual Wellness Coaching scheduling option on the sub-footer
Before
%20-%20Desktop%202.png)
After
Before
After
06. Final Solution
Desktop:
Homepage
Conditions
Approach
About Us
Contact Us
Mobile:
Homepage
Conditions
Approach
About
Contact Us
07. Build
What did I learn by building the site?
I used Wix Studio to build the mobile-responsive website for Intrinsic. During the process, I learned several important lessons:
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Figma to Wix Integration is so-so: While Wix Studio offers a Figma integration to migrate high-fidelity designs, I encountered significant limitations. This saved me some time, but it didn’t allow for a full design migration, meaning many adjustments still had to be made manually.
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Technical Limitations impacted design: Some design elements couldn’t be replicated exactly as they appeared in Figma, particularly in forms like the newsletter sign-up and Request Appointment forms. Additionally, sections like testimonials were easier to refine using Wix’s built-in tools rather than trying to match the designs pixel-perfectly.
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Mobile Responsiveness via AI had mixed results: Wix Studio’s AI feature for mobile responsiveness had significant shortcomings. At best, it worked about 50% of the time and even then required manual tweaks to ensure the design was functional and user-friendly on mobile devices.
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Ultimately, this process gave me a deeper appreciation for the technical challenges developers face in building websites. It reinforced the importance of staying flexible with the designs based on technical limitations what’s most practical to implement.
08. Takeaways
Impact:
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The new website launched successfully, and within the first month, we observed the following key metrics:
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Conversion Rate: 6% increase in users contacting us through the online form, email, or phone.
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Homepage Click-Through Rate (CTR): 50% of users clicked on CTAs, a promising indication that the homepage effectively encourages further exploration.
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Bounce Rate: 5% decrease, showing users are engaging more deeply with content.
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A majority of usability test participants found the tasks of learning about Intrinsic and requesting an appointment as ‘easy to complete’.
"I like the overall color scheme, it's not cluttered, and I appreciate the simplicity of the page"
"It's easy to navigate."
"it's very smooth, easy, clear." "It's very pleasant and easy to look at - it's soothing."
Learnings:
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I was reminded the user experience does not stop with the digital touch-points. I recommended aligning the tone and terminology used by the client’s phone receptionists with the website to maintain a cohesive brand experience.
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I enjoyed sharing the usability results with the client because she was genuinely interested in learning more about her users.
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Estimating effort can be difficult and more data points on how long things take will make estimates more accurate in the future.
Next Steps:
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Continue monitoring site metrics for ongoing optimization.
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Research methods of displaying insurance and cost information for users and balance that with business and marketing strategies.
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Research, design, test and build the resources and support group functionality.
Client Feedback:
"Erik was amazing to work with on our rebranding and website redesign for Intrinsic Physical Therapy & Wellness. He took the time to really understand what our patients need, creating a site that feels true to our brand and offers a smooth, mobile-friendly experience. Within the first month, we saw an increase in the rate of people reaching out through our online form, email, and calls—proof of Erik’s skill in building an engaging, effective site and brand. His thoughtful insights and careful attention to detail brought the project to life beautifully, and his collaborative approach made the whole process feel seamless!"
-Dr. Rita White, Owner of Intrinsic Physical Therapy & Wellness
Interested in learning more?
Feel free to reach out on LinkedIn, email me at eggamradt@gmail.com or contact me below.