Walgreens

Retail PharmacyWorkflow Transformation

Redesigning a high-volume prescription data review workflow across a multi-application pharmacy ecosystem used at 9,000+ retail locations.

ROLE

Senior UX Designer

SCOPE

Interaction design, workflow modeling, usability validation

PLATFORM

Multi-application pharmacy ecosystem · Figma (Workflow Design, Prototyping)

KEY OUTCOME

~200% workflow efficiency improvement

Pharmacy team workflow dashboard across connected applications

Walgreens' in-store prescription review workflow was slow, fragmented, and heavily dependent on inefficient interaction patterns. Pharmacists were required to navigate multiple disconnected systems, reprocess large amounts of data for minor edits, and manage unclear communication loops with technicians. This occurred in a high-interruption, time-critical environment.

These inefficiencies increased cognitive load, slowed prescription throughput, and introduced avoidable errors in a high-stakes setting.

Over a 16-week engagement, I led the redesign of the Data Review workflow, one of seven core system verticals. The approach focused on restructuring workflows around real-world pharmacy behavior, reducing context switching across systems, and introducing interaction patterns optimized for speed and accuracy.

The result was a more cohesive and efficient workflow system that reduced friction and improved task completion speed across the prescription lifecycle.

Executive Summary

The Business Problem & The User Problem

Walgreens lacked a cohesive prescription review workflow. Pharmacists navigated multiple disconnected systems, reprocessed entire records for minor corrections, relied on mouse-heavy input with limited keyboard support, and managed unclear communication loops with technicians. At scale across 9,000+ locations, these inefficiencies directly impacted operational throughput, staff productivity, and patient service speed.

The Strategic Solution

I redesigned the Data Review workflow within a multi-application pharmacy ecosystem, shifting from a record-based model to a task-based, modular structure. The solution introduced keyboard-first interaction patterns, embedded source data directly into the review interface, and added contextual exception handling. This reduced friction and improved accuracy without replacing the broader system.

My Role & Leadership Scope

I led UX design for the Data Review workflow, one of seven core system verticals. I translated complex pharmacy workflows into structured user flows, conducted workflow shadowing and co-design sessions with pharmacists, designed interaction patterns optimized for speed and accuracy, and contributed reusable components to the broader design system.

Impact

The redesigned workflow delivered a reported ~200% improvement in efficiency, reduced task completion time through optimized interaction patterns, decreased clarification errors between pharmacists and technicians, and established design patterns that scaled across additional workflow verticals within the system.

~200%Workflow efficiency improvement

9,000+Retail locations impacted

Business Outcomes

WORKFLOW EFFICIENCY

~200%

Workflow Efficiency Improvement

Faster prescription review throughput

CLARIFICATION ERRORS

25%

Reduction in Clarification Errors

Fewer pharmacist-technician handoff issues

TASK NAVIGATION

20%

Faster Task Navigation

Reduced time to complete core actions

Restructured workflows from record-based review to modular, task-oriented components

Eliminated context switching through a unified prescription data and source validation interface

Improved first-pass resolution through contextual, field-level exception handling

Design patterns scaled across additional workflow verticals within the broader pharmacy system

Outcomes based on stakeholder reporting, workflow analysis, and post-launch operational trends.

System Transformation

From fragmented workflows to a structured, scalable platform

Before

Fragmented pharmacy workflow across disconnected applications

Fragmented workflows across multiple applications

Manual coordination between roles

Limited visibility into task progress

High cognitive load and frequent interruptions

Inefficient mouse-dependent input methods

After

Task-based pharmacy workflow with unified prescription data

Streamlined, task-based workflow structure

Unified view of prescription data and source validation

Inline communication between pharmacists and technicians

Persistent progress tracking across workflow tasks

Keyboard-optimized interaction model

Structural Bottlenecks

Five critical workflow friction points compounded across a high-volume pharmacy environment, creating measurable inefficiency, increased error rates, and slowed prescription throughput.

Reprocessing Overhead

Pharmacists were required to re-read entire prescription records to make minor corrections, wasting time on repetitive review and increasing cognitive fatigue.

Inefficient Interaction Model

The system relied heavily on mouse-based input with limited keyboard support, resulting in slower navigation and reduced throughput in high-volume scenarios.

Ambiguous Exception Handling

Errors could be flagged but without context or specificity, forcing technicians to re-analyze entire records and increasing back-and-forth communication.

Fragmented Cross-System Validation

Prescription verification required switching between multiple applications and windows, causing loss of context, increased error potential, and workflow interruptions.

Loss of Workflow State

No clear indicators of progress or completion existed across tasks. Users lost their place after interruptions, leading to repeated work and reduced efficiency.

Decision Framework & Constraints

The redesign operated within several critical constraints. Each major design decision was made with awareness of those boundaries and required explicit tradeoffs.

Operating Constraints

Existing System Architecture

The solution needed to integrate into a multi-application ecosystem rather than replace it.

High-Interruption Work Environment

Pharmacists frequently switch context mid-task, requiring strong state persistence across interactions.

Speed and Accuracy Requirements

Workflows needed to be faster without introducing risk at prescription validation points.

Cross-Role Dependency

Pharmacists and technicians rely on each other to complete workflows efficiently. Communication design was critical.

Nationwide Rollout Considerations

Changes needed to minimize disruption and support adoption at scale across 9,000+ locations.

Key Design Decisions

Shift from Record-Based to Task-Based Workflow

Problem: Users were forced to process entire records regardless of task scope.

Decision: Break workflows into modular, task-oriented components with progressive disclosure.

Impact: Reduced unnecessary reprocessing and improved task efficiency.

Introduce Keyboard-First Interaction Model

Problem: Mouse-heavy interactions slowed throughput in time-critical environments.

Decision: Design keyboard-driven navigation and confirmation patterns throughout the workflow.

Impact: Improved speed of interaction and reduced repetitive strain.

Embed Source Data Directly into Workflow

Problem: Users had to switch between applications to validate prescriptions.

Decision: Display prescription data and source image side-by-side within a unified interface.

Impact: Eliminated context switching and improved verification speed and accuracy.

Implement Contextual Exception Handling

Problem: Error communication lacked clarity and context.

Decision: Introduce inline, field-level commenting tied directly to specific data points.

Impact: Reduced ambiguity and improved first-pass resolution by technicians.

Add Persistent Visual Progress Indicators

Problem: Users lost track of workflow progress after interruptions.

Decision: Introduce visual markers to indicate reviewed vs. pending workflow sections.

Impact: Improved task continuity and reduced redundant work after interruptions.

Tradeoffs & Rationale

Speed vs. Accuracy

Increasing speed in prescription workflows introduces clinical risk.

Optimize low-risk interactions (navigation, confirmation) while preserving safeguards at validation points.

Flexibility vs. Standardization

Pharmacy workflows vary slightly across locations and user preferences.

Standardize core interaction patterns while allowing limited flexibility in task handling.

System Replacement vs. Incremental Improvement

A full system rebuild was not feasible within the engagement scope.

Focus on workflow optimization within existing system constraints for maximum near-term impact.

Detailed Process

I redesigned the underlying workflow to better support how pharmacists and technicians operate, reducing cognitive load and improving throughput across the fulfillment process.

Workflow Immersion & Contextual Inquiry

I led design workshops with pharmacists, technicians, and SMEs to map how prescription data moved across systems. These sessions surfaced key friction points, including redundant data entry, fragmented validation, and frequent context switching.

Task Decomposition & Flow Restructuring

I restructured the prescription review process into modular, task-based flows aligned with how pharmacists work. This enabled improvements such as streamlined exception handling, collapsible sections to reduce clutter, and simplified prescriber switching, transforming complex record-level tasks into guided, sequential actions.

Interaction Model Design (Speed & Accuracy First)

I designed interaction patterns for high-frequency use, prioritizing keyboard input, inline validation, and reduced navigation overhead. This minimized friction in the review process, allowing pharmacists to spend less time validating technician-entered data and more time on higher-value clinical and operational work.

Constraint-Aware Prototyping

After aligning on low-fidelity concepts with stakeholders, I developed Figma prototypes that translated approved workflows into testable interactions. These prototypes were used for usability validation while ensuring the designs remained feasible within the constraints of the existing multi-application ecosystem.

Cross-Functional Alignment & Iteration

I worked closely with pharmacists, product, and engineering to validate workflows and refine interactions through continuous feedback. By adhering to and contributing to the enterprise design system, the solution remained grounded in real-world use while scaling consistently across additional workflows.

Who's Who (And What They Needed)

Pharmacist

Core Job: Review prescriptions and validate data accuracy

Pain Point: Navigating multiple disconnected systems to complete a single review task

Pharmacy Technician

Core Job: Process prescriptions and route exceptions to pharmacists

Pain Point: Unclear error communication requiring repeated back-and-forth clarification

Pharmacy Manager

Core Job: Oversee workflow performance and throughput across the team

Pain Point: No visibility into task progress or where bottlenecks were occurring

IT / System Administrator

Core Job: Maintain system integrity and the multi-application environment

Pain Point: Managing multiple applications with limited integration between them

Enterprise Stakeholder

Core Job: Ensure nationwide rollout consistency across 9,000+ locations

Pain Point: Changes needed to minimize disruption while improving measurable efficiency

My Design Moves

1. Shift from Record-Based to Task-Based Workflow

I redesigned the review flow around discrete, modular tasks rather than forcing pharmacists to process entire records for every interaction. This reduced unnecessary reprocessing and cognitive load.

2. Introduce Keyboard-First Interaction Model

I designed keyboard-driven navigation and confirmation patterns throughout the workflow, replacing mouse-heavy interactions that slowed throughput in high-volume environments.

3. Embed Source Data Directly into Workflow

I unified prescription data and source image into a single side-by-side interface, eliminating the context switching required between multiple applications during validation.

4. Implement Contextual Exception Handling

I introduced inline, field-level commenting tied directly to specific data points, replacing generic error flags with actionable, specific context for technicians.

5. Add Persistent Visual Progress Indicators

I designed visual markers that indicate reviewed vs. pending workflow sections, enabling pharmacists to resume tasks accurately after interruptions without repeated rework.

6. Contribute Patterns to the Broader Design System

I collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure the interaction patterns I introduced were reusable and scalable across additional workflow verticals within the ecosystem.

BeforeAfter

Before

Pharmacists navigated multiple disconnected applications per task
Records were processed in full regardless of task scope
Error flags lacked context and specificity
Mouse-heavy interactions slowed throughput in high-volume environments
No indicators of progress or task completion across workflows
Prescription validation required repeated context switching between systems
Technicians re-analyzed entire records for minor corrections

After

Workflows restructured around task-based, modular components
Prescription data and source image displayed side-by-side in a unified interface
Inline field-level commenting tied to specific data points
Keyboard-driven navigation and confirmation patterns introduced
Visual markers indicate reviewed vs. pending workflow sections
Context switching eliminated through unified interface design
First-pass resolution improved through contextual exception handling

Interactive Comparison

Fragmented Multi-Application Workflow

Context switching between disconnected systems

Unified Task-Based Interface

Side-by-side data view with streamlined navigation

Interactive comparison — before (Walgreens)

Interactive comparison — after (Walgreens)

BeforeAfter

Previously, prescription review required navigating between multiple disconnected applications. The redesigned interface unifies prescription data and source validation into a single, task-based view.

What I Learned

The most meaningful outcome was not just improved metrics, but a shift in how the system felt to its users.

Pharmacists described the experience as lighter, faster, and easier to navigate. This enabled them to focus less on managing the system and more on patient care.

This project reinforced that high-stakes environments don't require dramatic redesigns. They require clear thinking about what slows people down, and disciplined solutions that remove that friction without introducing cognitive burden.