Week 6 of the Ironhack UX/UI Design Bootcamp has come to an end and my current emotional state can be described as overwhelmed and on edge. For this case study, I’ve chosen to make this introduction about the emotional rollercoaster that I’ve experienced over the past two weeks.
The journey we embarked on was a wild ride that threw my emotional balance into complete chaos. But amidst the tumultuous waves, we discovered the art of iteration, fine-tuning each stage of the Design Thinking process with precision.
We found that testing was our saving grace, and by fostering open communication and creating a safe space, we emerged as a strong team.
So, let me share with you how we navigated the treacherous waters of stress and anxiety and overcame all obstacles, even when everything seemed to be falling apart during our final group presentation (and also do fall apart) of the Wellness App we designed.
As you may anticipate, discussing wellness is undeniably a vast and intricate subject, especially when it comes to its intersection with technology. Nowadays, our mobile devices have become an extension of ourselves, and they have the potential to either aid or hinder our efforts to enhance the quality of our daily lives
A survey by Gallup reveals that nearly half (45%) of Americans have at least tried digital health products such as fitness trackers or mobile health apps.
Now is the perfect time to meet with our client and address this crucial issue of wellness. Our goal is to aid them in reaching their objectives and improving the service they’re already providing.
Daily Health Conference
The Daily Health Conference is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting health and wellness through impactful public talks, participatory workshops, and professional training all over the world.
The Daily Health Conference is very excited to explore how technology can be used to help people live healthier lives.
The Challenge
While brainstorming what the new mobile apps should do, the board realized that the opportunities for translating the concept of wellness into a digital product are virtually infinite. Their members could use their apps to keep track of diet plans, fitness programs, mental wellness, stress levels, water intake and so on. The posibilities are endless and they are not exactly sure where to begin!
Features & Scope
As this app is an MVP for a competition, it should not aim to solve all of the wellness issues that individuals face. Instead, each design should concentrate on one crucial aspect of wellness, substantiated by user research. The prototype must incorporate a user profile and goals, as well as the main user flow, showcasing the app’s principal feature(s).
“Healing is becoming part of the dominant global culture”
“The way the media focuses on extremes and drama makes it hard to see that we live in a special moment of grand transformation. Of course, there are a wide range of serious issues in our world today that need our attention and action, but everything is not lost and dire. What personally gives me hope is that the opportunity for healing is more widely available than it has ever been.” Young Pueblo — The Healing Generation
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant changes to the way we approach mental health and wellness. It has forced us to confront our collective mental health and well-being in new and different ways. As a result, we’re now seeing a shift towards a mental health culture that is more open and inclusive, and a new generation is leading the way in breaking down stigmas and taboos.
By recognizing the importance of mental health and making it a priority, we’re creating a new culture that is helping us to improve our overall well-being and thrive both individually and collectively
“Mental health is like other parts of our health care needs. When our mental health is suffering, it needs attention. If you sprained your ankle, it can be difficult to work, focus on your family or other responsibilities. There isn’t any stigma about getting your ankle treated by a medical professional so that you can get back to your life. We have all gone through a lot living through a pandemic and that impacts our mental health. It takes strength to acknowledge that something doesn’t feel right and ask for help. Seeking professional assistance for evaluation and treatment is crucial to living and enjoying our lives.”
— Laura Pullen, Social Worker at Collective Health
Laura Pullen, aptly compares mental health to physical health in her quote. In a post-COVID world where our mental health is more critical than ever, we must prioritize seeking professional help for any mental health issues that arise, just as we would for physical ailments. The pandemic has brought significant changes to our mental health culture, and it has become more important than ever to break down the stigmas surrounding mental health and seek help when needed.
By acknowledging and addressing our mental health needs, we can improve our overall wellness and better navigate the challenges that life may bring.
Research time: Quantitative & Qualitative
Research time: Quantitative & Qualitative
Research time: Quantitative & Qualitative
Surveys and user interviews provide us with crucial insights into users’ behavior and preferences, enabling us to create a wellness app that is tailored to users’ needs and expectations.
Quantitative Method: Survey
We design a survey with questions that aim to collect information about the respondents’ demographics, employment status, education level, physical and mental health conditions, and attitudes towards mental health. It also asks about the aspects of personal well-being that are most important to them, how often they engage in activities related to personal well-being, and what motivates them to do so.
The survey also asks about how the respondents track their progress towards personal well-being goals and what features they would like to see in an app designed to help them adopt and commit to a health-improving routine. Lastly, the survey asks about the importance of personal data privacy when using an app related to personal well-being.
These are our main findings:
Interview as a Qualitative research method
We design open-ended questions. In that interview, users were asked a variety of questions related to mental health, mindfulness, and wellness apps. They were asked to share information about themselves, their experiences with mental health, and their personal beliefs and values related to mindfulness.
They were also asked about challenges or difficulties they have faced related to their wellbeing, and what strategies they have found to be effective for managing stress and staying mentally healthy. Additionally, they were asked about their preferred mode of communication for mental health support, what would make them stop using a mental health app, and any concerns or issues they feel are not currently addressed by mental health apps on the market.
The insights:
“Mental apps help a lot to be disciplined and also help a lot with guidance, because it’s really like hard at first to figure out how to practice without having any guidance.”
- Martina
“Something that it’s also really helpful, I think it’s journaling. I think it’s a way in which you just know what you’re really feeling and just put it into words.”
- Sara
“When we are doing everydays activities, we forget sometimes what happened last month and like in a year. And unfortunately we don’t see the progress or how we grow.”
- Shahba
“Is always keeping yourself in check, you know, like you say start feeling a certain way but notice my body, answering to certain things in a different way. I think it’s knowing yourself as well as you can.”
- India
Why we decided to go with Journaling?
Why we decided to go with Journaling?
Why we decided to go with Journaling?
Journaling is a highly effective tool for managing mental health, and there are several reasons why. First, it encourages self-reflection by helping individuals gain insight into their emotions, behaviors, and patterns of thinking. This self-reflection can be beneficial in identifying triggers for negative thoughts or behaviors, and in developing strategies to manage them. Second, journaling provides a private, non-judgmental outlet for emotions, allowing individuals to process and express difficult emotions in a healthy way. Third, studies have shown that journaling can decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety, and improve overall well-being by reducing the impact of stressors and worries. Finally, by regularly reflecting on challenges and successes, journaling can help individuals build resilience and a sense of self-efficacy.
The American Psychological Association in 2021 discusses the benefits of journaling for mental health:
The article discusses how journaling can be used to reduce stress, improve mood, and enhance self-awareness. It also provides tips for getting started with journaling and incorporating it into a daily routine.
By analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of these three apps, we can identify gaps in the market and design an app that offers unique features or a more user-friendly interface to stand out from the competition. Additionally, the analysis of user feedback and reviews can help designers identify user needs and preferences and create an app that meets those needs and expectations.
Day One, Stoic, and 5 Minute Journal are all apps designed to help users document their daily experiences and reflect on their thoughts and emotions. However, there are some key differences between these apps that may make one more suitable for a particular user’s needs than the others.
Day One is a feature-rich journaling app that allows users to record their daily experiences through photos, videos, audio recordings, and text. It also offers advanced search and tagging features, as well as the ability to create custom templates for different types of entries. Additionally, Day One allows users to sync their entries across multiple devices and backup their data to the cloud.
Stoic is a mindfulness app that helps users practice stoicism, a philosophy that emphasizes the importance of self-control and rational thinking. The app provides users with daily stoic quotes and prompts for reflection, as well as guided meditations and breathing exercises. Stoic also offers a journaling feature that allows users to reflect on their thoughts and emotions in a structured way
5 Minute Journal is a simple app that helps users cultivate gratitude and mindfulness by prompting them to reflect on three things they’re grateful for each day, as well as three things that would make their day great. The app also includes daily affirmations and inspirational quotes, as well as the ability to add photos to entries.
In terms of branding, Day One has a modern and sleek design, with a focus on customization and personalization. Stoic has a more minimalist design, with a calming color scheme and simple, straightforward prompts. 5 Minute Journal also has a minimalist design, with a focus on simplicity and ease of use.
Feature Comparison Chart
Affinity Diagram & Empathy Map
An affinity diagram is a useful tool for organizing and synthesizing insights gathered from user interviews on a particular topic, such as mental health and wellness. The main groups of findings that emerged from your interviews include Emotions, Calmness, Community, Tracking Progress, and Expertise.
The purpose of this empathy map is to gain a better understanding of people in their 30s who are actively seeking ways to improve their personal well-being. These users are conscious, aware, and willing to receive help to find mindfulness in life. Through this empathy map, we aim to identify their needs, experiences, behaviors, and pain points to create better products and services that can meet their needs more effectively.
In conclusion, this empathy map has shed light on the needs, experiences, behaviors, and pain points of people in their 30s who are actively seeking ways to improve their personal well-being. These users need to find time for themselves, be consistent with their practice, and be aware of their practice's impact on their lives.
User Persona & User Journey Map
User Persona & User Journey Map
Meet Conscious Mary, a mindful and active person who values her mental and physical well-being. Mary is on a journey to deepen her mindfulness practice and is looking for a mindfulness app that can help her understand her feelings, cope with her emotions, and be more consistent in her mindfulness practices. Despite her enthusiasm, Mary sometimes struggles with finding the time to practice mindfulness consistently amidst her busy work schedule and social life. She also experiences self-doubt and struggles with maintaining a regular journaling practice.
Mary is looking for a safe space with personalized content that can fulfill her needs and provide her with expert guidance that she can trust. In this persona, we’ll explore Mary’s goals, pain points, and interests to understand what she needs from a mindfulness app.
The user journey map provides a glimpse into Mary’s struggles with her mental health and the steps she takes to improve it. Like many individuals, Mary finds it challenging to manage her stress and anxiety, and feels overwhelmed by the plethora of information and lack of personalization in the apps available. However, through her journey, she discovers a mental health app that offers personalized mindfulness practices, journaling activities and meditations, which helps her to practice mindfulness consistently and address her pain points.
Our final Problem Statement
Our final Problem Statement
“Conscious and busy millennials need to find a way to understand themselves, cope with their emotions and be trustfully guided in their mindfulness practices because they lack balance in their life, feel anxious and are stressed.”
Moscow Method & MVP Statement
Moscow Method & MVP Statement
The Moscow method is a powerful tool for addressing the features and organizing the essential elements of our mindfulness app. This approach prioritizes user needs and helps to streamline app design. The Moscow method ensures that the app contains the must-have features such as profile settings, emotions/feelings tracker, progress tracker, educational content, and guided journaling/prompts. Additionally, it considers the potential features that could be included in the future, such as mini-courses by topic, sleep meditation, community section, active exercises, and art therapy.
The Moscow method is a powerful tool for addressing the features and organizing the essential elements of our mindfulness app. This approach prioritizes user needs and helps to streamline app design. The Moscow method ensures that the app contains the must-have features such as profile settings, emotions/feelings tracker, progress tracker, educational content, and guided journaling/prompts. Additionally, it considers the potential features that could be included in the future, such as mini-courses by topic, sleep meditation, community section, active exercises, and art therapy.
Minimum Viable Product (MVP Statement)
Minimum Viable Product (MVP Statement)
Our goal is to create a calming app, mainly featuring different journaling tools that are easy to implement throughout the day so users can track and understand their emotions and continue on deepening their mindfulness practices.
The app will offer guided journaling sessions that cater to all levels of journaling experience that put the user into a calm and reflective state of mind. With additional related content like breathing exercises, mini meditation courses and daily affirmations or movement exercises this app should be a wholesome experience.
Our goal is to create a calming app, mainly featuring different journaling tools that are easy to implement throughout the day so users can track and understand their emotions and continue on deepening their mindfulness practices.
The app will offer guided journaling sessions that cater to all levels of journaling experience that put the user into a calm and reflective state of mind. With additional related content like breathing exercises, mini meditation courses and daily affirmations or movement exercises this app should be a wholesome experience.
User Flow
Low-Fidelity & Concept Testing
Low-Fidelity & Concept Testing
After creating a user flow, the next step for us was to start sketching and creating low-fidelity wireframes. This is important for several reasons. First, low-fidelity wireframes allow us to start refining the concept, exploring different layouts and visual design options, and identifying potential usability issues early on. Second, they are quick and easy to create, allowing the designer to rapidly iterate and test different design concepts. Third, low-fidelity wireframes can be used for concept testing to get feedback from users on the overall design concept, user flow, and usability of the app. This feedback can be used to make adjustments and refine the design before moving on to higher-fidelity wireframes and mockups.
After creating a user flow, the next step for us was to start sketching and creating low-fidelity wireframes. This is important for several reasons. First, low-fidelity wireframes allow us to start refining the concept, exploring different layouts and visual design options, and identifying potential usability issues early on. Second, they are quick and easy to create, allowing the designer to rapidly iterate and test different design concepts. Third, low-fidelity wireframes can be used for concept testing to get feedback from users on the overall design concept, user flow, and usability of the app. This feedback can be used to make adjustments and refine the design before moving on to higher-fidelity wireframes and mockups.
During the concept testing, we received some helpful feedback from our users. They really liked the dashboard feature and appreciated the clear path to navigate through the app. However, some users found the pencil icon unclear and were unsure what it represented. The users also enjoyed seeing the quote feature, but many of them expressed a desire to have an emotion tracker included.
Another common piece of feedback was that the profile settings were too long and could be streamlined. Finally, some users mentioned that the navigation bar icon was repeating with the card selection, which caused some confusion. Overall, we appreciate the insights provided by our users and will use them to make improvements to the app.
During the concept testing, we received some helpful feedback from our users. They really liked the dashboard feature and appreciated the clear path to navigate through the app. However, some users found the pencil icon unclear and were unsure what it represented. The users also enjoyed seeing the quote feature, but many of them expressed a desire to have an emotion tracker included.
Another common piece of feedback was that the profile settings were too long and could be streamlined. Finally, some users mentioned that the navigation bar icon was repeating with the card selection, which caused some confusion. Overall, we appreciate the insights provided by our users and will use them to make improvements to the app.
After collecting insightful feedback from our users during the concept testing phase, we are excited to move forward with the mid-fidelity stage of our app design process.
After collecting insightful feedback from our users during the concept testing phase, we are excited to move forward with the mid-fidelity stage of our app design process.
The usability testing provided valuable insights into users’ experiences and needs when using the tested product. Overall, users appreciated the nice security page, nice emotion tracker, larger buttons, save notes feature, camera option, and a nice and clear dashboard. However, users expressed confusion regarding statistics and wanted to see the emotion tracker more prominently. Users also suggested slowing down dissolving quotes by four times and putting streaks on top.
These insights highlight the importance of making the statistics feature more user-friendly and prominent, improving the visibility of the emotion tracker, and implementing user suggestions such as slowing down the dissolving quotes and putting streaks on top. These improvements can enhance the user experience and increase engagement with the product.
Visual Competitive Analysis
Visual Competitive Analysis
The 5 Minutes Journal is a daily journaling app that promotes gratitude and mindfulness, and its simple and clean interface is appealing to users who value simplicity and ease of use. On the other hand, Insight Timer is a meditation and relaxation app with a wide range of features, and its interactive interface offers users a more complex and personalized experience.
The 5 Minutes Journal is a daily journaling app that promotes gratitude and mindfulness, and its simple and clean interface is appealing to users who value simplicity and ease of use. On the other hand, Insight Timer is a meditation and relaxation app with a wide range of features, and its interactive interface offers users a more complex and personalized experience.
Building “Dear Diary” as a Brand
Building “Dear Diary” as a Brand
Brand attributes are crucial for designing an app that aligns with our vision and goals. By identifying attributes such as Warm, Grounded, Attractive, Soothing, Inspirational, and Calm, we can create a cohesive visual identity that evokes the emotions we want our users to feel while using the app.
Brand attributes are crucial for designing an app that aligns with our vision and goals. By identifying attributes such as Warm, Grounded, Attractive, Soothing, Inspirational, and Calm, we can create a cohesive visual identity that evokes the emotions we want our users to feel while using the app.
So, we’ve created a moodboard inspired by the following brand attributes: warm, grounded, attractive, soothing, inspirational, and calm. We chose images that reflect these attributes to help guide the design of our new project.
For the warm attribute, we included images of cozy spaces and warm color palettes. To represent grounded, I included images of nature and earthy tones. For attractive, I chose images of beautiful landscapes and stunning architecture. For soothing, I included images of relaxing blue colors in nature with calming ocean view. To represent inspirational, we included images of motivational quotes.
When testing moodboards, we can see if the attributes align with our target audience’s expectations and if they feel the emotions we are trying to evoke.
Style Tiles help us further refine the app’s visual identity and ensure that it aligns with our brand attributes and goals. By incorporating the right colors, typography, and imagery, we can create a more polished and cohesive design that appeals to our target audience. This is important because a well-designed app can increase engagement and usability, making it more likely for users to continue using the app and achieving their mental wellness goals.
So, we’ve created a moodboard inspired by the following brand attributes: warm, grounded, attractive, soothing, inspirational, and calm. We chose images that reflect these attributes to help guide the design of our new project.
For the warm attribute, we included images of cozy spaces and warm color palettes. To represent grounded, I included images of nature and earthy tones. For attractive, I chose images of beautiful landscapes and stunning architecture. For soothing, I included images of relaxing blue colors in nature with calming ocean view. To represent inspirational, we included images of motivational quotes.
When testing moodboards, we can see if the attributes align with our target audience’s expectations and if they feel the emotions we are trying to evoke.
Style Tiles help us further refine the app’s visual identity and ensure that it aligns with our brand attributes and goals. By incorporating the right colors, typography, and imagery, we can create a more polished and cohesive design that appeals to our target audience. This is important because a well-designed app can increase engagement and usability, making it more likely for users to continue using the app and achieving their mental wellness goals.
The Hi-fi Interactive Prototype is the final product before launching the app, and it is important because it allows us to showcase the app’s full functionality and user experience. By testing the app in this stage, we can ensure that it is intuitive, easy to use, and meets our target audience’s needs. This helps us identify any final opportunities for improvement before launching the app, ensuring that it is as user-friendly and effective as possible.
The Hi-fi Interactive Prototype is the final product before launching the app, and it is important because it allows us to showcase the app’s full functionality and user experience. By testing the app in this stage, we can ensure that it is intuitive, easy to use, and meets our target audience’s needs. This helps us identify any final opportunities for improvement before launching the app, ensuring that it is as user-friendly and effective as possible.
Let’s reunite with Mary and continue down this joyful path we designed for her. Mary was tired of her mundane routine and not feeling comfortable with her lifestyle and well-being. So, she decided to sign up for Dear Diary. With great enthusiasm, she began her onboarding process and gradually started feeling more confident in her decision. It’s amazing to see how Mary’s eagerness to improve her life has brought her closer to a happier and healthier version of herself. We can’t wait to see what’s next on her journey!
So, finally, she arrives at the main page where she begins her journey by indicating her emotions to kick off her experience within Dear Diary. As she views the recommendations based on her basic knowledge of journaling, she decides to follow one of them and starts a new journal entry with a prompt that catches her eye. ‘Wow, that was so simple and fast!’ In just a matter of minutes, she completes her first day of streak. It’s amazing to see how a small prompt can inspire her to write and express herself. We can’t wait to see how her journey unfolds in the future entries!
Mary explores the various possibilities and features available within the app in the next steps. She decides to save some content to view later and explores the new options for journaling. Finally, she accesses her profile to see an updated summary of her emotions and entries in the form of eye-catching graphics on her personal page. It’s impressive to see how effortlessly Mary navigates through the app and takes advantage of its features. With each exploration, she’s learning more about herself and growing in her journaling practice. We can’t wait to see what new discoveries she’ll make next!
Let’s reunite with Mary and continue down this joyful path we designed for her. Mary was tired of her mundane routine and not feeling comfortable with her lifestyle and well-being. So, she decided to sign up for Dear Diary. With great enthusiasm, she began her onboarding process and gradually started feeling more confident in her decision. It’s amazing to see how Mary’s eagerness to improve her life has brought her closer to a happier and healthier version of herself. We can’t wait to see what’s next on her journey!
So, finally, she arrives at the main page where she begins her journey by indicating her emotions to kick off her experience within Dear Diary. As she views the recommendations based on her basic knowledge of journaling, she decides to follow one of them and starts a new journal entry with a prompt that catches her eye. ‘Wow, that was so simple and fast!’ In just a matter of minutes, she completes her first day of streak. It’s amazing to see how a small prompt can inspire her to write and express herself. We can’t wait to see how her journey unfolds in the future entries!
Mary explores the various possibilities and features available within the app in the next steps. She decides to save some content to view later and explores the new options for journaling. Finally, she accesses her profile to see an updated summary of her emotions and entries in the form of eye-catching graphics on her personal page. It’s impressive to see how effortlessly Mary navigates through the app and takes advantage of its features. With each exploration, she’s learning more about herself and growing in her journaling practice. We can’t wait to see what new discoveries she’ll make next!
Based on the desirability testing of the high-fidelity prototype of Dear diary, it can be concluded that the brand is highly desirable among users. The journaling features of the brand were found to be effective, intuitive, and easy to use. The brand’s warm, grounded, attractive, soothing, inspirational, minimalistic, professional, calm, and light attributes were well received and contributed to a positive user experience. Users reported feeling protected, happy, and inspired while using the Dear diary brand.
Moreover, the Microsoft Desirability Toolkit testing of the brand’s visual appeal revealed that the brand is accessible, inspiring, advanced, trustworthy, clean, and valuable. These attributes add to the overall user experience and make the brand even more appealing to users.
Based on the desirability testing of the high-fidelity prototype of Dear diary, it can be concluded that the brand is highly desirable among users. The journaling features of the brand were found to be effective, intuitive, and easy to use. The brand’s warm, grounded, attractive, soothing, inspirational, minimalistic, professional, calm, and light attributes were well received and contributed to a positive user experience. Users reported feeling protected, happy, and inspired while using the Dear diary brand.
Moreover, the Microsoft Desirability Toolkit testing of the brand’s visual appeal revealed that the brand is accessible, inspiring, advanced, trustworthy, clean, and valuable. These attributes add to the overall user experience and make the brand even more appealing to users.
As a design team, we have identified several next steps for the Dear Diary app based on the desirability testing feedback. These include customizing the meditation feature, offering mini-courses by topic, adding an art therapy feature, including sleep meditation options, creating a community section, and incorporating active exercises. We believe that implementing these next steps will enhance the user experience of the app and provide a more comprehensive approach to well-being for users.
As a design team, we have identified several next steps for the Dear Diary app based on the desirability testing feedback. These include customizing the meditation feature, offering mini-courses by topic, adding an art therapy feature, including sleep meditation options, creating a community section, and incorporating active exercises. We believe that implementing these next steps will enhance the user experience of the app and provide a more comprehensive approach to well-being for users.
In conclusion, our wellness app project focused on utilizing journaling as a tool for self-discovery and awareness. By creating a dashboard that tracks emotions and activities within the app, users can gain insights into their patterns and habits. The app aims to provide a comprehensive approach to well-being by offering features such as guided journaling prompts, mood tracking, and goal setting. We believe that our app has the potential to improve users’ mental health and well-being by providing a safe and supportive space for self-reflection and growth.
Great news! Sandra and I successfully navigated all the challenges we anticipated in the project. As a team, we learned how to communicate effectively and support each other throughout the entire process, which helped us better understand our user’s needs and design a meaningful solution. We should be proud of our hard work and collaboration!
I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our project! Please feel free to share your comments with me, as your insights and ideas are valuable to us. Thank you for taking the time to read about our journey.
In conclusion, our wellness app project focused on utilizing journaling as a tool for self-discovery and awareness. By creating a dashboard that tracks emotions and activities within the app, users can gain insights into their patterns and habits. The app aims to provide a comprehensive approach to well-being by offering features such as guided journaling prompts, mood tracking, and goal setting. We believe that our app has the potential to improve users’ mental health and well-being by providing a safe and supportive space for self-reflection and growth.
Great news! Sandra and I successfully navigated all the challenges we anticipated in the project. As a team, we learned how to communicate effectively and support each other throughout the entire process, which helped us better understand our user’s needs and design a meaningful solution. We should be proud of our hard work and collaboration!
I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on our project! Please feel free to share your comments with me, as your insights and ideas are valuable to us. Thank you for taking the time to read about our journey.
