SNS 24
SNS's app designed at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Year:
2021
Timeframe:
5 weeks
Tools:
Sketch, Figma, Zeplin
Category:
Applications, UX/UI
Overview
Building Portugal's Digital Health Response During COVID-19
Portugal's National Healthcare System needed a mobile application that could quickly deliver critical pandemic features, particularly vaccine certificates for domestic and European travel, while serving the entire population including elderly users with varying levels of tech literacy.
Problem
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Portugal needed a way for citizens to prove vaccination status for travel and access. The timeline was brutal: 5 weeks to build and launch. The user base was everyone, from tech savvy young adults to elderly users who might barely be comfortable with smartphones. Beyond vaccine certificates, the app needed to handle video doctor appointments, prescription access, medical history, and personal health records. If elderly users or people with accessibility needs couldn't navigate it, vaccination verification and healthcare access would remain fragmented and inefficient.
Solution
As lead designer mentoring a junior designer fresh out of college, we designed the app from scratch while collaborating directly with SNS24 developers. We prioritized the vaccine certificate feature and download functionality first, then built out additional health features. Accessibility was non negotiable: readable fonts, high contrast, clear iconography, simplified navigation, and minimal clicks required to complete any task. Every design decision accounted for users under pressure, like standing in line at a pharmacy or airport, where the interface had to be immediately understandable with no room for confusion.
Impact
The app launched on time and became a critical piece of Portugal's pandemic response. To date, it has been downloaded over 11 million times, serving as the primary digital health tool for Portuguese citizens. It successfully enabled vaccine verification, telehealth access, and prescription management for a genuinely diverse user base regardless of age, tech literacy, or accessibility needs.
