Zen Space

Project Type

Health and Wellness

Role

Solo UX Designer

Tools Used

Figma • Google Form

Year

January - November 2024

Overview

The "Zen Space" project was developed as part of my undergraduate honors thesis, where I aimed to address the gaps in current mental health app design by combining user-centered design principles and insights from usability research.

View Thesis

The main objective of this project was to create an intuitive mental health app that effectively addresses user concerns about trust, privacy, and accessibility. Zen Space aimed to enhance user engagement by building a secure and user-friendly platform that fosters trust among users and aligns with healthcare standards. Specifically, the project sought to:
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•  Facilitate healthcare providers' trust in the app.
• Address user concerns about privacy and security.
• Ensure accessibility for diverse audiences, including those with visual or cognitive impairments.
• Improve usability by refining navigation, reducing cognitive load, and creating a distraction-free flow.

1
Survey
2
User Journey
3
Sketches
4
Wireframes
5
Usability Testing
6
Results

Survey

Type: Multiple-choice and ordinal scale questions
Participants: 16 individuals dealing with stress, anxiety, or other mental health challenges.

Key Findings

  • Difficulty trusting apps with sensitive health data.
  • Lack of clarity in navigation.
  • Minimal accessibility features for users with disabilities.
  • Overwhelming interface with too much information on certain screens.
  • Missing personalized features to cater to diverse user needs.
The type of emotions participants experienced. This helped determine the need of the application

User Journey

Path Chosen: The primary user flow was mapped from the idea of a user opening the application to find a therapist.
Validation: The map was validated through usability testing, where participants performed 5 tasks while providing feedback on potential roadblocks. This information was collected in the second survey.

Revealed Insights

  • Removed redundant steps to streamline the user flow.
  • Enhanced navigation cues by clearly labeling tabs and buttons.

Changes Made

  • Users struggled to locate relaxation exercises due to unclear navigation labels.
  • Redundant steps (unnecessary confirmation screens) increased drop-off rates.
The user flow for the prototype.

Sketches

Versions Created: Multiple versions were sketched to explore different layout possibilities.
Version 1: Focused on visual simplicity but lacked clear navigation.
‍Version 2: Improved navigation and incorporated personalized elements.
Final Version: Combined simplicity, clear navigation, and user feedback to create a cohesive design.
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Navigation bar labels were highlighted for clarity. The content was organized into sections with large, readable text and minimal distractions. Relaxation exercises were prioritized on the home screen for quick access.

Wireframes

Results

Positive Outcomes:

  • 90% of participants found the navigation intuitive.
  • Users appreciated the minimalist design for its focus and simplicity.

Areas for Improvement:

Participants tested the prototype and provided feedback on:
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  • Ease of navigating through the app.
  • Overall user satisfaction with the flow.
  • Clarity of labels and content organization.
  • Have multiple ways for password protection.
  • Provide clear instructions during the questionnaire.
  • More accessibility features

Usability Testing

Testing Process:

A low-fidelity prototype of Zen Space was tested with 15 participants. The usability testing was designed to identify pain points in navigation, interaction, and feature functionality.
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  • First Round of Testing: Identified issues with unclear navigation cues and unresponsive elements.
  • Second Round of Testing: Validated solutions by implementing clearer labels and smoother interactions in the updated prototype.

Issue 01: Navigation Cues

  • Findings: Participants struggled to locate key features due to unlabeled or unclear buttons in the navigation bar. This issue emerged in 8 out of 15 tests, with users describing the experience as "confusing" or "frustrating."
  • Solution 01: Labels were added to all navigation elements, along with subtle visual cues to guide users. This solution was iterated twice and validated through follow-up testing, where users reported significantly improved navigation clarity.

Issue 02: Unresponsive Interactive Elements

  • Findings: Users noted occasional unresponsiveness in features like the "Back" button, which disrupted their task flow. This issue was observed in 5 out of 15 tests.
  • Solution 02: Interactive elements were tested and refined to ensure consistency. This involved adjusting the flow logic and retesting functionality, resulting in 100% task completion rates in subsequent tests

Ui Design

The visual design for Zen Space was created in Figma, focusing on a modern, playful, and minimalist aesthetic to reflect the brand’s values of simplicity, inclusivity, and emotional support.

User-Centered Design Reflections:

The final screens incorporated user feedback from usability testing, prioritizing readability, accessibility, and smooth navigation. For instance:

Results

Learnings:

This project taught me the importance of:

Next steps

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