Three questions with Brian Ongioni
Brian Ongioni
Chief Product Officer
Brian Ongioni leads the strategic direction, innovation, and execution of uMotif’s product portfolio, ensuring that technology empowers participants to confidently participate in clinical trials and sites to engage with confidence and ease. With over a decade of experience in clinical trial technology, Brian has played a pivotal role in shaping user-centric digital health solutions that enhance trial accessibility and engagement.
What’s the most common misconception about products in a regulated space?
One of the biggest misconceptions about product management, especially within regulated environments like eClinical technologies, is viewing product purely as a cost center rather than a critical revenue generator. The reality is that great products directly drive business growth and value.
In product development, especially within clinical technology, simply asking “why” once is rarely enough. Embedding user feedback into product development not only ensures compliance but also significantly enhances product-market fit, ultimately fueling revenue growth. This has been uMotif’s philosophy since day one.
By focusing on deeply understanding and solving customer problems – using what I refer to as the DoubleTheWhy methodology and “double-clicking on the why”—product teams can transform user feedback and experience into meaningful outcomes. This approach encourages product teams to dig deeper – beyond surface level responses – to uncover the true motivations, challenges, and needs that patients, sites, and stakeholders experience. By persistently exploring the second “why,” teams gain richer insights, unlock more empathetic design opportunities, and create solutions that genuinely resonate and drive meaningful impact. This approach also reinforces the importance of falling in love with the problem, not the solution – ensuring teams remain flexible, open minded, and driven by genuine understanding. Ultimately “DoubleTheWhy” transforms good questions into powerful innovations.
Additionally, it’s important to dispel the myth that regulated environments inherently slow down innovation. GxP and validated systems can indeed be agile and nimble, rapidly incorporating user feedback and iterating quickly to produce high-quality solutions. Adopting modern agile practices within regulatory frameworks eliminates unnecessary constraints traditionally associated with validated systems.
What three actions can our industry take right now to truly improve the research patient’s experience?
Firstly, we must dismantle industry silos and foster interoperability between tech companies. Fierce guarding of proprietary systems only creates barriers for patients and sites. Open collaboration can dramatically enhance the patient experience and accelerate research.
Secondly, industry stakeholders should embrace a “patient-first” product philosophy, actively embedding patient insights into every stage of the development lifecycle. Continuously validating products against real patient needs drives usability and engagement.
Thirdly, we must elevate transparency around data usage and outcomes. Building patient trust through clear communication around data privacy, security, and how their contributions directly impact healthcare advancements will significantly boost patient participation and satisfaction.
What trends in eClinical technology would you advise sponsors and regulators to learn more about?
I encourage sponsors and regulators to adopt a risk-based approach to embracing new technologies, focusing on technologies that genuinely improve research outcomes rather than innovating simply for innovation’s sake. For instance, decentralized trials, digital biomarkers, and AI-driven analytics can offer substantial benefits in efficiency and patient engagement. It’s essential to challenge traditional methodologies – not sticking to the status quo merely because “that’s how it’s always been done.” Embracing these transformative trends thoughtfully and strategically can substantially elevate clinical trial effectiveness and patient experiences.
Connect with Brian on LinkedIn to arrange a meeting, or to discuss more about how uMotif’s eConsent and eCOA/ePRO platform can transform patient engagement in your next study.