This work was done during my fourth year of study, in the Design Thinking session of my BBA at EDHEC Business School. The goal was, in groups of four, to propose user-centered solutions using design thinking, allowing a local hospital to improve its overall patient experience. For this project, we worked closely with the Hospital of Roubaix.
We went to the hospital, spoke with people, patients, staff members, observed behaviors, and questioned them. The goal was to identify the issue that impacted all stakeholders the most and that had negative repercussions on the patient experience. The core issue the hospital initially wanted to fix was related to signage, but while observing and speaking with people on-site, we finally identified another issue. An issue that was specifically concerning the maternity sector.
We realized that the pregnancy journey lacked significant support and guidance. Such a powerful journey, where emotions are more solicited than ever, where practical information is key for understanding and reducing stress, and where storytelling can be a strong tool. We wanted to support mothers throughout their entire journey at the hospital, from day one to after birth. A support system that would help them practically, but also create an experience that would make pregnancy unforgettable, leaving meaningful memories for life.
Why “L’avent d’une maman” (= a mother’s advent)? One of the core inspirations was the Christmas Advent calendar. You wait each day for the next one until the final Christmas date. That is the feeling we wanted to transmit with pregnancy. Making it an interactive journey where mothers can learn, keep memories, access practical information, and always feel engaged by the anticipation of the next step. We created “L’avent d’une maman,” a book that accompanies a mother throughout her pregnancy. Proposed by the hospital, it helps mothers access practical information, learn how to become a mother, anticipate early challenges, and also serves as a storytelling tool to create memories and make the wait until birth more meaningful.
After our presentation, we had the opportunity to be contacted again by Sandra, the communication director of the hospital, who really appreciated the project. We presented it to the entire team, and it was a success. They valued the idea, and the project is now planned for 2026. This project was particularly interesting because we truly took the time to understand patient needs, even if it meant addressing a different problem than the one initially expected. I really felt the patients’ concerns, which made it easier to understand their needs and address them in the most relevant way.
