Pill Pal: Medication Reminder App with Photo Verification

Overview

Pill Pal is a medication and supplement reminder app I designed for people who need help staying consistent with their routine. Unlike other medication/supplement reminder apps, Pill Pal prompts users to document each dose by taking a photo of the medication in the palm of their hand, offering them peace of mind with a simple visual confirmation that the user took their medication.

My Roles

  • UX/UI Design

  • Visual Design

  • Prototyping

“Sometimes, I forget whether or not I’ve taken my medication. I don’t want to accidentally take it twice, but I can’t miss it either!” - Pill Pal Target User

Understanding the Problem

People who take medications or supplements as part of a routine often forget doses—or can't remember if they’ve already taken them. This uncertainty can disrupt their regimen and potentially impact their health.

These users need a reliable way to receive reminders and log their doses so they can confirm whether or not a medication was taken.

The Solution

Pill Pal helps users stay on track with timed reminders, clear dose instructions, and visual photo logs. By prompting users to take a picture of their dose directly before taking it, the app creates a trustworthy visual record they can refer back to.

Design Process

With a clearly defined problem, I began exploring straightforward and reliable ways users could document their medication intake.

Early concepts included pill counting or taking a photo of the pill on the tongue, but these felt time-consuming, invasive, or too medication-specific. I ultimately landed on a more accessible and scalable solution: prompting users to take a quick photo of the dose in their palm.

Low-Fidelity Wireframes

I jumped into Figma to begin ideating low-fidelity wireframes to map out the core experience and design solution. I focused on creating a logical, minimal user flow—guiding users from scheduling a reminder to visually confirming a taken dose.

After refining the structure, I moved into mid and high-fidelity iterations, building out consistent screen designs that aligned with the app’s tone: clear, calm, and reassuring

Key Features and Screens

The final prototype included several key features designed to support users through the full medication routine—without adding friction to their day. Here’s a breakdown of the main sections of Pill Pal:

Dashboard

The home screen gives users a clean, simple view of upcoming reminders, color-coded by medication and time.

Users can see at a glance what’s coming up today and in the days ahead.

Creating a New Medication Reminder

Through this flow, the user can add new medication or supplement reminders to their. They can input:

  • Medication/supplement name

  • Dosage (e.g., 1 tablet, 5 drops, 2 gummies)

  • Frequency (e.g., once daily, twice daily, every other day)

  • Specific reminder times

  • Special instructions (like “take with food” or “avoid alcohol”)

Reminder Prompt and Dose Photo Verification

When it’s time to take a dose, users receive a notification. The reminder screen walks them through taking the medication and then prompts them to take a quick photo of the dose in their palm to confirm.

Users can also skip a reminder if they’ve already taken their dose, or snooze it for 5 minutes to an hour using the simple +/- controls. These options give users flexibility while still allowing accurate documentation.

Medication History and Dose Log

To help users confirm whether they took a dose, the app automatically saves each photo along with the time and date it was taken. This dose log creates peace of mind and eliminates guesswork.

Users can also export and share a dose photo—stamped with date, time, and medication name—for use with a healthcare provider, caretaker, or family member.

Final Mobile Prototype

Reflection

My goal with Pill Pal was to create a tool that feels simple and supportive—especially for users with complex medication routines or elderly individuals who may struggle with complex reminders or forgetfulness.

At its core, the app gives users peace of mind by making it easy to confirm whether or not a dose was taken—without second-guessing.

As I designed the app, I realized how complex some routines can be. While some people take a supplement once daily, others follow intricate patterns—like three times one day, twice the next, and once the day after. Some take medications twice a week or every other day.

Capturing these non-daily, recurring schedules in a way that’s both powerful and intuitive was one of the bigger challenges.

In the future, I’d like to explore better ways for users to set up these highly specific schedules with ease—without creating confusion or overwhelming them during setup. Designing a reminder system flexible enough to support real-world complexity, but simple enough for anyone to use, is an exciting next step.

Ultimately, Pill Pal is about giving users control and confidence over their medication routine. I’m proud of the foundation this prototype sets, and I’m excited to keep refining and improving on it.

Let’s connect

For any opportunities, questions, inquiries, or if you’d like me to consult on a project, reach out to me!