SAS

2026

SAS Health Dashboard Design

A role-based SAS Health dashboard experience that transforms complex healthcare and operational data into actionable insights for ETL Developers and Health Analysts.

Role

Product Design Intern

Timeline

Jul 2026 - Aug 2026

Team

Esha Macha & Thor Einarsson

Platform

Health Dashboard

Role

Product Design Intern

Timeline

Jul 2026 - Aug 2026

Team

Esha Macha & Thor Einarsson

Platform

Health Dashboard

Overview

This case study focuses on my design work at SAS, a global analytics and software company that helps organizations make better decisions through data, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytics.


During my internship, I worked on several projects spanning user research, workflow analysis, and product design. This case study focuses on designing a new role-based landing page dashboard that better supports the needs of both ETL Developers and Health Analysts.

Problem

Summary

The existing SAS Health landing page focused primarily on technical system status and data load monitoring, providing limited value for healthcare analysts. The challenge was to create a role-based dashboard experience that surfaces meaningful healthcare and operational insights while helping different users quickly understand the health of their data and take action efficiently.


My Role

As the UX Designer on this project, I researched user needs, analyzed healthcare workflows and KPIs, and designed role-based dashboard experiences for ETL Developers and Health Analysts. I translated stakeholder requirements and research insights into user flows, dashboard layouts, and interface concepts that improve visibility into system health, data quality, and healthcare performance metrics.


Existing Issues

The existing landing page was heavily focused on data ingestion and system status, displaying large amounts of technical information in a card-based layout. While useful for monitoring data loads, it made it difficult for users to quickly understand overall healthcare performance.


Data-Driven Insights

Analysis of healthcare KPIs and stakeholder requirements revealed that different users had distinct information needs. ETL Developers needed visibility into data quality, ingestion status, and system health, while Health Analysts needed quick access to performance metrics, trends, and healthcare outcomes.


Goals

Summary

   •   Create a role-based landing page experience that supports both ETL Developers and Health Analysts.

    •   Surface the most relevant healthcare, operational, and data quality metrics in a single, actionable dashboard.

    •     Improve visibility into system health and data readiness to support faster decision-making.

    •     Transform the landing page from a technical status screen into a meaningful overview of healthcare performance.


Guiding Questions

    •    How might I tailor the dashboard experience to support users with different goals and responsibilities?

    •    How might I surface the most important healthcare KPIs without overwhelming users with data?

    •    How might I balance technical system information with business and healthcare performance metrics?

    •    How might I create a landing page that delivers immediate value to users the moment they enter the product?


Research

Extracting Healthcare Metrics

To identify meaningful dashboard insights, I analyzed the SAS Health Data Dictionary and extracted relevant Common Data Mart (CDM) tables and fields. I then used Claude to help translate the available data structures into potential healthcare KPIs and metrics, creating a comprehensive inventory of insights that could be surfaced within the dashboard.

This process connected technical data assets to real healthcare outcomes and business measures, providing a data-driven foundation for prioritizing KPIs and designing role-based dashboard experiences for different user groups.


User Personas

To ensure the dashboard met the needs of its primary users, I identified two key personas with distinct goals and responsibilities.


ETL Developers & Administrators are responsible for managing data pipelines, monitoring ingestion jobs, and ensuring that the Common Data Mart is populated correctly. Their primary concern is the health, quality, and status of incoming data, requiring quick visibility into system performance, failures, and ingestion metrics.


Health Analysts use the platform to explore healthcare data, monitor performance, and uncover meaningful insights. They need immediate access to healthcare KPIs, trends, and operational metrics that help them evaluate outcomes, identify opportunities for improvement, and make data-driven decisions.


To ensure the dashboard met the needs of its primary users, I identified two key personas with distinct goals and responsibilities.


ETL Developers & Administrators are responsible for managing data pipelines, monitoring ingestion jobs, and ensuring that the Common Data Mart is populated correctly. Their primary concern is the health, quality, and status of incoming data, requiring quick visibility into system performance, failures, and ingestion metrics.


Health Analysts use the platform to explore healthcare data, monitor performance, and uncover meaningful insights. They need immediate access to healthcare KPIs, trends, and operational metrics that help them evaluate outcomes, identify opportunities for improvement, and make data-driven decisions.


Design Process

Claude Visualization

To explore potential dashboard designs, I gathered existing SAS Health visualization components and used them alongside healthcare metrics extracted from the Common Data Mart. My team and I then leveraged Claude to generate example dashboard concepts, helping evaluate KPI selection, chart usage, and information hierarchy.


This rapid exploration process helped visualize how healthcare insights could be presented effectively and informed the structure and layout of the final dashboard designs.


To explore potential dashboard designs, I gathered existing SAS Health visualization components and used them alongside healthcare metrics extracted from the Common Data Mart. My team and I then leveraged Claude to generate example dashboard concepts, helping evaluate KPI selection, chart usage, and information hierarchy.


This rapid exploration process helped visualize how healthcare insights could be presented effectively and informed the structure and layout of the final dashboard designs.


To explore potential dashboard designs, I gathered existing SAS Health visualization components and used them alongside healthcare metrics extracted from the Common Data Mart. My team and I then leveraged Claude to generate example dashboard concepts, helping evaluate KPI selection, chart usage, and information hierarchy.


This rapid exploration process helped visualize how healthcare insights could be presented effectively and informed the structure and layout of the final dashboard designs.


Final Designs

My first design is the redesigned ETL Developer dashboard transforms the existing ingestion-focused landing page into a centralized operational monitoring experience. Rather than requiring users to scan dozens of individual ingestion cards, the new dashboard surfaces key system health metrics at the top of the page, including total loads, failed tables, total tables, and total records.


The dashboard also introduces a consolidated Records Loaded per Table view, enabling users to monitor ingestion activity, record counts, load dates, and table status from a single location. Filtering options for successful, warning, and failed tables make it easier to prioritize troubleshooting and investigate failed jobs without navigating across multiple screens.


My first design is the redesigned ETL Developer dashboard transforms the existing ingestion-focused landing page into a centralized operational monitoring experience. Rather than requiring users to scan dozens of individual ingestion cards, the new dashboard surfaces key system health metrics at the top of the page, including total loads, failed tables, total tables, and total records.


The dashboard also introduces a consolidated Records Loaded per Table view, enabling users to monitor ingestion activity, record counts, load dates, and table status from a single location. Filtering options for successful, warning, and failed tables make it easier to prioritize troubleshooting and investigate failed jobs without navigating across multiple screens.



My final design, the Health Analyst dashboard transforms the SAS Health landing page into a role-based experience focused on healthcare performance, population health, and operational insights. Rather than prioritizing technical system status, the dashboard surfaces key KPIs such as readmission rates, claim denials, encounter volume, vaccination coverage, and data completeness, allowing analysts to quickly assess performance and identify trends.


To support deeper analysis, I designed a library of reusable visualizations with interactive hover states that provide additional context without cluttering the interface. By organizing metrics into clear sections and improving the information hierarchy, the redesign creates a centralized, actionable dashboard that helps analysts make faster, data-driven decisions.


Final Design


My final design, the Health Analyst dashboard transforms the SAS Health landing page into a role-based experience focused on healthcare performance, population health, and operational insights. Rather than prioritizing technical system status, the dashboard surfaces key KPIs such as readmission rates, claim denials, encounter volume, vaccination coverage, and data completeness, allowing analysts to quickly assess performance and identify trends.


To support deeper analysis, I designed a library of reusable visualizations with interactive hover states that provide additional context without cluttering the interface. By organizing metrics into clear sections and improving the information hierarchy, the redesign creates a centralized, actionable dashboard that helps analysts make faster, data-driven decisions.


My first design is the redesigned ETL Developer dashboard transforms the existing ingestion-focused landing page into a centralized operational monitoring experience. Rather than requiring users to scan dozens of individual ingestion cards, the new dashboard surfaces key system health metrics at the top of the page, including total loads, failed tables, total tables, and total records.


The dashboard also introduces a consolidated Records Loaded per Table view, enabling users to monitor ingestion activity, record counts, load dates, and table status from a single location. Filtering options for successful, warning, and failed tables make it easier to prioritize troubleshooting and investigate failed jobs without navigating across multiple screens.


Lessons

Final Thoughts

This project was one of the most rewarding experiences of my internship because it gave me the opportunity to use design to solve a real business challenge. I'm incredibly grateful that I wasn't just designing screens, but working on a product used by healthcare organizations to understand and act on important data. Being trusted to contribute to a real product and influence how users access information taught me the value of design as a strategic tool for problem-solving.


Throughout the project, I learned how to balance user needs, stakeholder goals, and technical constraints while working within a complex enterprise ecosystem. I gained experience turning large volumes of healthcare data into meaningful insights, designing role-based experiences, and communicating design decisions to stakeholders and development teams. From researching healthcare metrics to presenting final concepts, this project strengthened my confidence as a designer and showed me how thoughtful, user-centered design can create meaningful impact in real-world products.


This project was one of the most rewarding experiences of my internship because it gave me the opportunity to use design to solve a real business challenge. I'm incredibly grateful that I wasn't just designing screens, but working on a product used by healthcare organizations to understand and act on important data. Being trusted to contribute to a real product and influence how users access information taught me the value of design as a strategic tool for problem-solving.


Throughout the project, I learned how to balance user needs, stakeholder goals, and technical constraints while working within a complex enterprise ecosystem. I gained experience turning large volumes of healthcare data into meaningful insights, designing role-based experiences, and communicating design decisions to stakeholders and development teams. From researching healthcare metrics to presenting final concepts, this project strengthened my confidence as a designer and showed me how thoughtful, user-centered design can create meaningful impact in real-world products.


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Esha Macha

A designer and storyteller, passionate about building delightful products that make people feel understood

Links

Work

Play

About

Resume

Contact

esha7106@gmail.com

Esha Macha

A designer and storyteller, passionate about building delightful products that make people feel understood

Links

Work

Play

About

Resume

Contact

esha7106@gmail.com

Esha Macha

A designer and storyteller, passionate about building delightful products that make people feel understood

Links

Work

Play

About

Resume

Contact

esha7106@gmail.com