VoiceIn
Summary
VoiceIn is a digital platform that bridges the gap between researchers and the public, making it easier for people to discuss and help shape health research together. It consists of a public-facing mobile app and a researcher web portal, designed with accessibility, inclusivity, and usability at its core.
Platform
Native app for iOS and Android and a researcher web portal
Funders
Developed in collaboration with the University of Manchester and partner organisations. Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and UK Research and Innovation Medical Research Council (UKRI MRC)
Services
- Digital health research
- Co-design
- UI/UX design
- Accessibility testing
- Software development
- Technical project management
- Quality assurance
Our role & approach
- Worked across the entire project lifecycle, from early concept to final delivery.
- Ensured that both the mobile app and researcher portal reflected the needs of diverse end users through extensive co-design and testing.
- Ran co-design workshops with public contributors and researchers to shape design, features and content.
- Designed and developed the platform to meet WCAG 2.2 AA standards.
- Carried out manual and automated accessibility testing, alongside sessions with disabled users (both physical and mental health conditions), to ensure real-world accessibility.
- Embedded equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) considerations throughout, including the way feedback data is captured and displayed for researchers.
What we built: Mobile app
- A user-friendly mobile app available on iOS and Android, enabling members of the public to discover and engage with health research projects.
- Provides project browsing, participation, and contribution tools that allow users to give feedback and share lived experience directly with researchers.
- Participants are awarded a digital certificate for contributing to research, recognising their engagement and incentivising continued use.
- WCAG 2.2 AA compliant, with accessibility validated through manual, automated, and user testing with people with disabilities.
VoiceIn user flow diagram
What we built: Researcher portal
- A secure web-based interface for researchers to manage projects, post updates, review feedback, and track engagement.
- Includes EDI analytics, allowing researchers to see who is engaging with their projects — with feedback broken down by age, gender, and ethnicity, visualised in clear pie charts.
- Provides insights into contributors’ demographics, so researchers can identify under-represented groups and adapt engagement strategies accordingly.
- Features a built-in jargon detector that flags complex terminology, encouraging clearer communication with public contributors.
- Enables researchers to review and manage contributor feedback in real-time.
Outcomes & impact
- Delivered a functioning dual-platform solution (mobile app and researcher portal) that was successfully launched in 2025.
- Strengthened engagement between researchers and diverse public contributors, with EDI insights supporting more inclusive participation.
- Supported publications, including Co-Designing a Digital App to Support Young People’s Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (VoiceIn): Development and Usability Study, highlighting the platform’s design process, accessibility approach, and impact.
- Positioned VoiceIn as a scalable model for digital public consultation in research, influencing future digital health initiatives.
“Working in partnership with the Digital Health Software Team has been a very positive experience. There is a real team ethos. Seeing ideas come to life quickly, in a way that can make a difference, is hugely rewarding. “
Professor Penny Bee, Principle Investigator for VocieIn