In MedTech, breakthroughs rarely fail because the science is wrong.

They fail because the product doesn’t translate into the real world.

That gap, between technical possibility and practical usability, is where value is either created or lost.

The Niji™ platform is a clear example of what happens when that gap is handled properly.

Working with Vivacta, alongside our engineering partner ITL, Maddison helped transform Niji from a promising single-drop blood testing concept into a usable, scalable diagnostic platform. Together, the team designed and built over 100 pilot units, generating critical real-world evidence.

This progress ultimately contributed to Vivacta’s acquisition by Novartis for £90 million in 2012.

In 2016, Niji reached a further milestone with CE marking, enabling commercialisation across Europe and other CE-recognising markets.

This wasn’t about styling. It was about making complex diagnostics work, reliably and intuitively, in the hands of real users.

The Challenge: Translating Innovation into Use

Niji was built on powerful underlying technology, the ability to run diagnostic tests from a single drop of blood.

But as with many diagnostic innovations, the challenge wasn’t technical performance. It was usability.

The critical questions were practical:

• How does a user collect and apply the sample correctly, every time?
• How does the device guide the process without heavy training?
• How are results delivered clearly, with no ambiguity?
• How does the product fit into fast-paced, real-world environments?

Without solving these, the technology remains theoretical. It doesn’t scale.

Maddison’s Role: Designing for Real-World Use

Maddison’s role was to turn Niji into a product that could be used confidently, repeatedly, and at scale.

Working closely with Vivacta and ITL, this required an integrated design and engineering approach.

1. Human Factors and Workflow Design

We focused on how the device would actually be used, across clinical and decentralised settings.

This informed:

• Clear, step-by-step interaction flows
• Reduced cognitive load at the point of use
• Alignment with real behaviours, not idealised ones

The objective was simple: Make the correct action the natural action.

2. Industrial Design and Form Development

Portability was essential, but not at the expense of usability.

We developed a form that:

• Enabled stable, repeatable handling
• Guided correct positioning
• Balanced compactness with clarity of use

This is where industrial design becomes functional, not cosmetic.

3. Interface and User Guidance

Diagnostics require clarity under pressure.

We shaped the interface to:

• Guide users through each step
• Remove ambiguity in operation
• Present results clearly and quickly

Here, UX is not a layer. It is part of the clinical performance of the device.

4. Designing Out Error

A core focus was reducing user error.

Through iterative prototyping and testing across the pilot units, we identified:

• Points of confusion
• Misuse risks
• Workflow friction

And systematically removed them. Because in diagnostics, small errors don’t stay small.

From Device to Platform

What Niji became was more than a device.

Through design and engineering collaboration, it became a platform:

• Proven through over 100 pilot units
• Usable across multiple environments
• Scalable across applications and markets

That transition is where real value is created.

Why This Matters Commercially

The £90 million acquisition by Novartis wasn’t driven by technology alone.

It reflected:

• Reduced user risk
• Robust real-world evidence
• Clear adoption pathways
• Confidence in scalability

CE marking in 2016 further validated the system’s readiness for market.

For acquirers and partners, usability is not a nice-to-have. It is a signal of commercial viability.

The Maddison Perspective: Designing for Adoption

At Maddison, we approach every project with a clear principle:

If it’s not usable, it’s not valuable.

We design across:

• Diagnostic platforms
• Medical wearables
• Interfaces and IFUs
• Rehabilitation and assisted living technologies
• Femtech 

To ensure products are:

• Intuitive
• Workflow-aligned
• Risk-aware
• Ready to scale

Regulatory approval gets you to market.  Design gets you adopted.

Final Thought: Design as a Value Multiplier

Niji demonstrates a simple truth:

Technology creates potential. Design unlocks it.

When usability and human factors are addressed early, the impact is not incremental.

It is exponential.

Better adoption.

Lower risk.

Higher value.

Call to Action

If you’re developing a diagnostic platform or medical device, don’t just ask:

“Does it work?”

Ask:

• Will it be used correctly every time?
• Will users trust it under pressure?
• Will it fit into real workflows without friction?

If the answer is unclear, that’s where the real design work begins.