Long waiting times are rarely caused by a lack of resources. They arise when decisions are made without a holistic, end-to-end view.
Together with SINTEF and Helse Møre og Romsdal, we at Axbit developed a decision-support tool for operating room scheduling at Ålesund Hospital. The goal was clear: reduce waiting times and increase utilisation of operating theatres—without increasing staffing levels.
Waiting lists are often perceived as a capacity issue. The insights told a different story.
Planning was largely manual and lacked flexibility. Operating days were scheduled far in advance, with little ability to adjust dynamically to actual demand. As a result, operating theatres were periodically left unused while patients continued to wait.
Decisions were made based on fragmented information. Administrative workload was high, and the overall picture was missing.
Through observation and workshops with management, surgeons, and coordinators, we mapped how planning actually took place. Where did friction occur? What information was missing when decisions were made.
The coordinators had the expertise. What they lacked was a tool that provided a holistic view of capacity, waiting lists, and the consequences of changes.
The UX work therefore focused on making complexity manageable—bringing critical information into a single overview and making relationships and trade-offs visible before decisions were made.
Based on the insights, we developed an interactive prototype in Figma. The solution visualised real-time capacity, waiting lists, and the consequences of reallocating resources across departments.
By making outcomes visible before actions were taken, decisions became more precise and risk was reduced. The prototype was tested and validated with real users before moving into further development.
Better decision support leads to improved resource utilisation. Administrative workload is reduced. Waiting times can be shortened.
For management, this means stronger goal attainment and more efficient operations.
For staff, it means a more predictable workday.
For patients, it means faster access to treatment.
We combine insight-driven service design, strategic UX, and digital decision support to uncover bottlenecks and create solutions that work in practice.