For this project my teammate and I had the opportunity to design a new tracking app on a well-being topic of our choice.
During Covid lockdown, people are stuck at home in their home office and are missing the social interaction with family and friends. They are having a hard time keeping the life-work balance up. Therefore, we chose the topic "user-centered" due to our research results and the current need of people.
In this project, we divided tasks but both of us were involved in everything starting with research until the final wireframes and testing iterations.
We designed a new tracking app based on our user-centered approach. While walking users grow a plant for their digital garden to improve wellbeing in an easy and affordable way.
First of all, we empathise with users. Therefore, we conducted a survey (as a quantitative method) about stress reduction, relaxation topics and tracking devices. We asked mainly people at the age of 25–40. Additionally, we interviewed users within the same age range (within our qualitative approach) to get deeper into specific areas.
People feel stress from early mornings till the evenings and have a hard time to implement a simple relaxation in their daily work-routine.
For some activities like meditation people feel like they “need to have the right mindset” and can’t focus. When they are overworked, they tend to not practice it anymore.
Coming up with the concrete user persona called Laura (32 y.) based on interviews helped to empathise with user and be reminded “We are not the user”. Additionally, we considered an elderly user persona (40 years).
To extract all the insights from our research we used the affinity map method, Problem- & Hypothesis-Statements and How-Might-We-Statements. Having the HMW-Statement in mind we were able to go deeper on the people’s needs:
HOW MIGHT WE help people to wind down form work in an easy and funny way & keep it a lasting relaxation-habit?
Brainstorming ideas based on the HMW Statement, the Crazy-8s method helped us to come up with different ideas without overthinking. Additionally, we used the Moscow Method to stick to our main features as a MVP: Tracking, a Reminder feature for break taking and a Grow and Collecting plants feature to support people to stay on track.
We got research insight which showed that going outside is easier than meditation or yoga to integrate in a daily routine. While walking users grow a plant for their digital garden to improve wellbeing in an easy and affordable way. A reminder feature and data visualization help people to stay on track.
Focusing on the information architecture gave a profound preparation for Wireframing and Prototyping.
The following graph represents the user flow for a break session and check on the plants and the progress.
Within a rapid prototyping approach we A/B tested our design with users early on to iterate in 3 steps: Prototype - Testing - Refine (adjustments based on feedback and not on assumptions).
These iterations gave us the opportunity to have an external view as we were deep into our concept. We improved our user flow and made the data visualization more interesting.
Low fidelity wireframes to iterate quickly through design options.
To stick to the intention of our well-being app we created the brand Outsai and its personality as calm, happy, easy-going, joyful and minimal. Like the Bonsai tree Outsai focus on your inner balance. A moodboard, based on user research, shaped our brand style and evolved during the process to the brands style guide. We wanted our app to look fresh, calm and joyful with colors and illustrations to encourage users to take breaks. Additionally, we kept the HIG for iOS in mind.
Illustrations by blush.design
Keep walking to grow a plant for your digital garden.
Walk for 60 minutes to grow a new plant.
Check your progress to stay on track and see your improvements.
Outsai is a well-being app for people who want to take care of their bodies. Our app design provides its users with a tracking process and reminder feature based on UX research. Our testings showed that 70% of people we asked would use this app specifically because meeting for a walk is a common hobby during Covid.
Data visualization was a great challenge to combine and balance cohesive data in a user-centered approach within the UI. As a team, we came up with valuable ideas.
On a personal level, I learned a lot about how to create MVPs and how to prioritize its features. On a broader perspective, I started to realize that creating yet another app for well-being might not be the answer but simply turning off your screens is.
Further features can be added such as a sharing feature as we are able to advertise our product. Therefore, we will validate design options with usability testings.
