Career Foundry UX Program | Student Project
A therapy infused responsive web app converting pixels to inner peace for millennials in the UK
Stress is a universal struggle, yet support for our mental health can be hard to access for many reasons. What if a design solution could break down those barriers and offer a digital beacon of hope to this dark reality?
Solace
Soothing sensory experiences
Uplifting communication
Impact
Overview
Design Brief
An inclusively designed responsive web app that provides health and wellness information.
Scope
Student Project.
Timeline
Discover
Competitor pain points discovered in user review analysis
Entering the wellness market meant going head to head with 2 iconic products, Headspace and Calm. The thought made my blood run cold! But deep down I knew that no product is perfect. With careful analysis, I would find unsolved problems to spark the innovation needed to succeed.
Competitor analysis
Heuristic evaluation
SWOT analysis
I conducted 4 user interviews
I had half a day for research. I took that limited time and devoted it to high quality qualitative data. I conducted 4 interviews, asked participants for their permission to record the session and immersed myself their world.
Problem Statement
Maya needs instant access to simple coping strategies because searching while stressed is overwhelming.
I will know this to be true when Maya engages with the first strategy offered and reports an improvement in her wellbeing.
Explore
Emotional Design Strategy
Armed with insight, I whipped up a design strategy that would assassinate Headspace and Calm from the market and keep my focus on what Maya needed.
Viseceral Impact
Colour psychology
Aesthetics
Immersion
Sensory experience
Physical interaction
Amazement
Behavioural Impact
Journey narrative
Empathy
Personality
Guidance
Minimalism
Prompting
Reflective Impact
Gamification
Help centre
Dynamic personalisation
Community
Routine
I reframed the research into questions
I reframed the research into questions , mapped out Mayas journey and played around with user flows until stress relief features were no more than a few taps away.
How might I…
Offer immediate stress relief?
Include humanistic support?
Create the feeling of escapism?
Psychology-Backed Onboarding
I embedded proven stress relief strategies into the onboarding process for accessible, immediate stress relief. I expanded this over 4 screens to make sure Maya wasn’t overwhelmed by information.
Problem Statement
Maya needs instant access to simple coping strategies because searching while stressed is overwhelming.
User Story
As a busy mum, I want immediate stress relief so, I don't have to search for content
User Flow
Maya is a busy mum with two children. She works from home and often has to juggle family life and work commitments. Maya becomes overwhelmed, she picks up her phone in search of escape and decides to take a moment with Solace to calm down.
I conducted an open card sort to understand how Maya thinks
66% of participants grouped meditation and reflection together.
As a result, I included a journaling feature at the end of each meditation and in the main menu, ensuring it’s always within Maya’s reach.
50% of participants grouped ‘run streak’ with the home screen, indicating that tracking progress is important to Maya.
As a result, I included a journaling feature at the end of each meditation and in the main menu, ensuring it’s always within Maya’s reach.
Post-study question revealed that Maya prefers distraction as a method of stress relief.
As a result, I included a journaling feature at the end of each meditation and in the main menu, ensuring it’s always within Maya’s reach.
Build
Deep Breath Introduction
The ‘inhale’ gif runs for 5 seconds so Maya has time to read the instruction before starting a therapeutic deep breath.
Selected State
This glowing effect provides visual confirmation, enhancing usability and mirroring real-world cues like a lit elevator button.
Document the system
I paid special attention to articulating the products reassuring ‘Tone of Voice’ as this is a unique asset that sets Solace apart from competitors.
Evolve
I invited Maya to a video call to test Solace in her home
Maya will use Solace the most at home, making a valid test environment. She thought out loud while completing direct and scenario-based tasks. I took notes throughout and organised my findings into a rainbow spreadsheet for analysis.
Problems. BIG ones. My heart ached with a feeling of failure, but now was not the time to hide under my desk and cry. I was determined to help Maya overcome the stress that was leaving her so broken.
I reached out for help
I created a test report, rated the severity of my errors and requested a meeting with my mentor so I could hash out the solutions I had come up with, and lean into her experience to figure it out.
Error: Poor Readability
The ‘inhale’ gif runs for 5 seconds so Maya has time to read the instruction before starting a therapeutic deep breath.
The ‘inhale’ gif runs for 5 seconds so Maya has time to read the instruction before starting a therapeutic deep breath.
Good News!
Retro
What I learned about designing for people, not pixels.
Design for emotion
Successful products build powerful, evocative connections that make users feel something unforgettable. Design is not all about usability, the outcome must also bestow a meaningful user experience. Solace achieved this by offering a multi-sensory experience.
Micro-test core features
Small-scale testing would have allowed me to iterate faster and align the product with users needs before getting to high-fidelity stage. Testing early and failing fast is a necessary part of successful design.
Accessibility for everyone
Accessibility is the key to unlocking a more inclusive, seamless experience for everyone, elevating the design for all users, not just the minority.
