About Within Care
A mindfulness mobile app for young adults that enhances well-being through personalized AI-driven goal-setting and progress tracking, gamification, and interactivity to maintain user engagement and encourage consistent practice.
My Role
As a UX Researcher and UI Designer, I combined UX research, Illustration, and UI layout to create a seamless and engaging user experience. This project showcases my ability to integrate insights into the design process, creating a functional and beautiful product.
Problem Statment
Young adults face academic, financial, social, and mental health stressors, as well as digital distractions. Identifying sources of stress is challenging since everyone responds differently. Recognizing these differences is essential when offering support. Acknowledging and addressing stressors helps young adults manage anxieties and lead healthier, happier lives.
Solution
By designing this mindfulness app, we aim to solve these problems by providing a platform that allows users to answer questions about themselves, identify their stress levels through AI technology, and engage in activities like mindful games to reduce stress.
Understanding the Target Audience
Based on the request of our stakeholders for this project, we have identified young individuals between the ages of 16 and 30 who are experiencing high levels of stress and anxiety as the target group.
Survey
We have begun our research phase by asking people to complete surveys, To gain a general understanding of users' needs and challenges when managing their wellness journey.
Takeaways
We gathered the following major takeaways from our questions's results.
• A significant challenge is that people don't know much about how wellness apps like mindfulness can benefit them.
• Listening to music is one of the most important factors in their preference to see them
through the app.
• In particular, they are very interested in having a customized plan through the app.
• An app's visual feature is important to encourage users to continue using it.
Interview
The interview questions were open-ended to assess target customers' expectations and pain points about using mindfulness apps. We interviewed about 12 young people experiencing anxiety and stress.
Here are some thoughts and statements from them.
Competitive Analysis
Based on our analysis of some wellness apps, their features, and their workflows, we were able to design a more effective information architecture and determine what features our app should have.
Major Takeaways
• Tools like AI can help guide users to a better app journey and identify stress levels.
• Based on research, playing games through apps is a popular activity for users to improve their well-being. • An AI-based feature is a powerful tool to help users have a better experience to keep using the app.
• When comparing the apps, almost all of them have customized plans based on the user's character.
• Based on research, playing games through apps is a popular activity for users to improve their well-being. • An AI-based feature is a powerful tool to help users have a better experience to keep using the app.
• When comparing the apps, almost all of them have customized plans based on the user's character.
Persona
We created a user persona using research data to visualize user needs, desires, and pain points. This helps us reflect on user challenges and consider solutions when building the information architecture.
Persona's Challenges and Solutions
Challenge 1
Anxiety Assessment:
Solution
Create a tool to gauge anxiety levels and provide a baseline for progress tracking.
Challenge 2
Personalized Mindfulness Techniques:
Solution
Based on the anxiety assessment, suggest tailored mindfulness practices.
Based on the anxiety assessment, suggest tailored mindfulness practices.
Challenge 3
Solution
Progress Tracking and Goals:
Provide tools to understand stress patterns and track progress.
Provide tools to understand stress patterns and track progress.
Challenge 4
Community and Support:
Solution
Create a supportive user community for sharing coping strategies.
Create a supportive user community for sharing coping strategies.
Task & User Flow
The task and user flow were developed based on the user's journey within the app
to accomplish their goals.
Card Sorting & Site Map
After conducting card sorting, the initial information architecture was created. The final version of the site map was developed through user testing and competitive analysis throughout the design process.
Card Sorting
Site Map
We have done some Mid-Fidelity sketches in order to map out the page layout design vision for both desktop and mobile versions.
The wireframes went through a couple of rounds of iteration before the final content was developed.
The wireframes went through a couple of rounds of iteration before the final content was developed.
Mood Board
The mood board was created with calming images and colours to improve a peaceful environment that helps to promote a positive mood. Also, colour accessibility has been ensured in the design system of the app.
UI Kit & Illustration
Based on feedback from both users and stakeholders, we created our UI Kit using approved colours. In addition, we designed all the icons and illustrations for the app because we discovered that the visual aspect is crucial for users to engage with the app successfully.
Illustration
Iterations
We have made several changes based on user testing and feedback. Here are some examples of these changes.
Solution
We have developed two new solutions for the app to reduce anxiety and boost mental health. After extensive testing, we believe these designs are easy to use and will improve users' well-being.
AI for stress and mood analysis.
We use AI to detect stress levels and suggest enjoyable activities to improve mood.
Game Feature
Based on a survey, playing games is a popular way to reduce anxiety and stress and feel better. Here is an example of a game to choose from.
Sign-up & questionnaire process high-fidelity
AI feature of the app
Game feature of the app
Reflection
Users' feedback and opinions should be considered when designing with a user-centered approach.
• Our team was able to create a comprehensive and user-friendly mindfulness app that offers a variety of benefits to its users.
• By integrating AI features, we were able to make the app more personalized and effective, which is especially important for the younger generation.
• By integrating AI features, we were able to make the app more personalized and effective, which is especially important for the younger generation.
• During the design process, we focused on creating a seamless and intuitive user experience through ongoing iterations and testing to encourage regular user engagement with the app.
Next Steps
AI in a mindfulness app can benefit users in terms of UX design by:
• Developing an app that can be used on other devices, such as a smartwatch.
• Optimizing the user flow for a smoother and more effortless experience.
• Adapting the interface to accommodate user preferences and accessibility needs.
• Offering contextual support through AI-powered chatbots or virtual assistants.
• Optimizing the user flow for a smoother and more effortless experience.
• Adapting the interface to accommodate user preferences and accessibility needs.
• Offering contextual support through AI-powered chatbots or virtual assistants.
Users' feedback and opinions should be considered when designing with a user-centered approach.
