Every year, hundreds of thousands of people worldwide wait for a liver transplant—many of them in vain. The reason: donor organs are scarce and the window of opportunity for a successful transplant is short.
Apersys AG is tackling this challenge. With Apersys Apvia, they have developed a platform that preserves livers outside the body for several days. This opens up new possibilities for liver transplantation.
In this case study, you can find out how we at Custom Medical helped to make this highly complex device simple, safe, and intuitive to use—and what user interface was created as a result.
Initial situation & project
Current figures clearly illustrate the scale of the challenge: in the US alone, around 15,000 new patients were added to the waiting list in 2023. However, logistical challenges and limited organ quality meant that only around 10,000 transplants could be performed. More than 30% of those affected remained on the list and continue to wait. In many parts of the world, the situation is even more dire.
This is exactly where Apersys comes in with Apvia: a platform that preserves livers outside the body for up to seven days. This gives doctors valuable time, and organs that were previously considered unusable may still be transplanted under certain circumstances.
Our task was to design this highly complex system in such a way that it is safe, understandable, and efficient for users.
Our approach
01
Project planning and kickoff
The project began with a joint kickoff meeting with the Apersys Apvia team. During this meeting, the project goals were refined, the framework conditions were agreed upon, and initial priorities were set. Close coordination between the technical requirements and the user-centered perspective was particularly important.
The end result of the first phase was a project plan for the collaboration. This plan included both the design phases of the user interface and a formative evaluation for user feedback. This ensured that all participants were fully informed about all project steps.
02
Iterative concept phase of the user interface
In an initial concept phase, the requirements for the user interface were developed, finalized, and documented.
We then translated this design input into initial wireframes. This allowed us to discuss the user interface in concrete terms and improve it iteratively with the client.
Design decisions were documented and requirements were refined or supplemented.
03
Formative Evaluation
To ensure that the requirements identified corresponded to actual user needs and that the concepts already developed were highly usable, a formative evaluation was then carried out.
The results confirmed the basic user interface concept. However, new requirements and potential for improvement were also identified.
These were documented and then incorporated into the user interface concept.
04
Visual design of Apersys Apvia.
We developed the visual design based on the final user interface concept. The focus was on clarity, a modern, minimalist aesthetic, and a practical appearance that fits seamlessly into everyday clinical practice. Colors, typography, and icons were chosen to ensure that information can be quickly grasped and processes are clearly comprehensible.
Special emphasis was placed on the warning concept: critical conditions are clearly highlighted visually without overloading the user with unnecessary alarms. This creates a clear prioritization that enables quick responses while avoiding alarm fatigue.
05
The result
The final user interface combines precision with clear, intuitive usability. The dashboard approach visually focuses on the liver, while all relevant parameters are clearly displayed and can be adapted to individual needs. This allows users to maintain an overview at all times without being overwhelmed by information.
Users particularly praised the clear navigation, the time saved in setup, and the structured approach to connecting the donor liver—one of the most critical steps in the entire process. Here, the interface ensures safety and significantly reduces the likelihood of errors.
This quality has also been recognized externally: the Apersys Apvia user interface was awarded the Red Dot Award: User Interface Design 2025.
Let’s get started!
Would you also like to develop a medical device and improve its design with real user feedback? Then get in touch with us. We look forward to getting to know you and your product!