July - December 2022
(27 weeks)
Bloom
Gamified mental health app for
self-improvement.
My Role
User research &
User interface design
Project Type
Individual student project at Springboard
Preface
DISCOVERY
BACKSTORY
Due to the impact of Covid-19, many, including myself, developed an unhealthy routine that gradually became detrimental to their well-being.
01/13
DISCOVERY
PROBLEM
Despite our efforts to better our mental wellness using virtual resources, we found ourselves faced with an overwhelming array of choices and numerous mental health service options, making it a daunting challenge.
WHY NOW?
Embracing virtual platforms prompted reflection on preparing for future waves of COVID-19 or potential pandemics.
02/13
KEY DESIGN MOMENTS
SOLUTION
01.
Gamified Plants
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Provides user engagement to grow and keep plants alive.
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Continuously learning and completing milestones sustains the plants.
02.
Community
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Sign up anonymously to become part of different Covid-19
related conversations.
03.
Achieve your Goals
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Manage your objectives and your expectations.
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Instant scheduling for each day.
03/12
DEFINING: GENERATIVE RESEARCH
WHITE PAPER RESEARCH
Stressful times often translate into unhealthy habits to cope.
It started out with a study of habits. To break unhealthy habits, it’s essential to introduce healthier ones, but we often set ourselves to fail by tackling many issues at once. Having a strategy, maintaining that strategy, and starting small are key.
"...intense stress, boredom, and uncertainty of the pandemic’s lockdown and social distancing rules pushed people into a cycle of drinking more, being less active, and eating junk food to cope."
Vanessa Kennedy, PhD, director of psychology at Driftwood Recovery
CHALLENGES
Constraints:
Bootcamp deadline
Unsure & doubtful of the project focus
04/13
DEFINING: GENERATIVE RESEARCH
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Lacking continuous motivation to use the apps
Analyzing the four most popular apps led to the finding that the copy is monotonous across the board and the apps are a one-and-done type of deal that does not encourage constant usage. I saw an opportunity where I can help users feel heard and stimulate better motivations to use mental health apps.
05/13
DEFINING: GENERATIVE RESEARCH
USER INTERVIEWS
6 people interviewed.
I asked questions about:
1. Their awareness of mental health before Covid-19.
2. Their expectations of speaking to a human therapist vs. using an app for mental health.
3. Their thoughts about how news outlets and social media impacted them the way Covid-19 was publicized.
4. Their thoughts of the current social climate of mental health.
06/13
DEFINING: GENERATIVE RESEARCH
SYNTHESIZING
Key Insights (so far)
07/13
DEFINING: GENERATIVE RESEARCH
USER PERSONA
08/13
DEFINING: EVALUATIVE RESEARCH
USER STORY MAPPING
09/13
IDEATION
SKETCHES & WIREFRAMES
10/13
DEFINING: EVALUATIVE RESEARCH
USABILITY TESTING
11/13
IDEATION
FINAL SCREENS
Loading State
Empty State
13/13
FUTURE ROADMAP
PROJECT REFLECTION
Next Steps
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Use AI to recognize emotion based on tone and voice of the user. Especially, to detect signs of crisis and responding to it.
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Further exploration to solutions regarding empathy and understanding.
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More inclusivity and attention to WCAG standards.
Takeaways
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To be intentional with every element, every graphic that is put on the screen.
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Copywriting is just as important as UX/UI design and development.
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Answer to question, “What makes my product different from others?”
Much obliged for sticking around!
If you would like to discuss more,
share feedback, or grab coffee/boba, my info is here.