OVERVIEW
PROBLEM
Various mental health disorders impact individuals differently, but many who seek assistance yearn for a sense of belonging and support, mainly when dealing with anxiety and panic attacks.
How can we assist individuals experiencing anxiety to find immediate relief and regain a sense of stability?
MY ROLE
UX Research
UX Design
Visual Design
COLLABORATION
Collaborated with three other students in the academic project
TOOLS
Figma
Miro
Adobe Illustrator
SOLUTION
A smartwatch that can sense physical changes during an anxiety attack and offer personalized prompts to help the user relax.
An interactive mobile journal app that prompts users to address negative thought patterns and make lifestyle improvements.
OUR GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Dr. Muse can help users manage anxiety with the smartwatch and track their triggers and negative thought patterns with an interactive journal app.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Our team has chosen to focus on the Sustainable Development Goal set forth by the United Nations, "Good Health and Wellbeing." Specifically, our area of exploration will be Accessible Mental Health.
SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
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WHO(World Health Organization) recognizes a wide range of mental health issues and disorders, from which the ICD(International Classification of Diseases) came up with a diagnosis classification system. Among them, Anxiety disorders are highly treatable, but many people do not seek help for their symptoms. According to the NIMH(National Institute of Mental Health), only about one-third of people with anxiety disorders receive treatment. According to 2023 statistics, around 250 million people are suffering from anxiety disorders.
DESIGN PROCESS
Empathize
Define
Ideate
Test
Prototype
UNDERSTANDING THE USER
SECONDARY RESEARCH
Initially, we conducted our observations on platforms such as YouTube, Quora, Reddit, and Google. Our goal was to gain a deeper understanding of the mindset of individuals suffering from mental health issues, particularly anxiety. We aimed to uncover the nuances of their self-perception, thoughts, and the triggers for their feelings.
USER INTERVIEWS
We interviewed eight participants from diverse backgrounds, from their early 20s to mid-50s. Among them were students, individuals receiving a paycheck, and even a psychologist pursuing a PhD. We began with pre-planned questions and let probes and prompts guide the conversation organically during the interviews, choosing the semi-structured method.
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Fig: Research questions designed for the categories.
WHAT DID WE FIND FROM INTERVIEWS?
Participants face a difficulty countering anxiety attacks under classroom/work settings
Participants' sleep cycles are disrupted, ranging from 3 am to 7 am, with durations of 3-4 hours or less for some.
Participants demonstrate poor fitness choices by lacking physical activity and experiencing low motivation to leave their beds
Participants tend to avoid talking to loved ones because they prefer to isolate themselves.
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Participants exhibit unhealthy eating habits such as snacking, high-sugar foods, skipping meals, and losing appetite.
THE KEY INSIGHTS WE FOUND
We organized data and gathered insights using the affinity mapping technique. We synthesized the data into personas with their experiences. We then split the data into categories. They are:
Symptoms
Hobbies
Goals
Coping Mechanisms
OUR TARGET USERS
OUR RESEARCH ON ANXIETY
What happens during an anxiety attack?
The body enters into “fight or flight” where physical changes begin, such as increased heart rate, sweating, dizziness, and shaking.
The hormone adrenaline floods into your bloodstream, putting your body on high alert. Your heartbeat quickens even more, which sends the body into a more tense state.
How to cope with anxiety?
The a isn't just in the mind. It is in our body, too. We need to reconnect with our body and mind to overcome it in the moment.
Reconnecting with our body during an anxiety attack can be achieved through either an external intervention or the practice of mindfulness to promote calmness.
IDEATION
We conducted three brainstorming sessions, with the first being the most enjoyable and productive, yielding a plethora of creative ideas. We refined and streamlined these ideas during the subsequent two sessions, resulting in a collection of unique and exciting concepts.
OUR FINAL SOLUTION
WIREFRAMING
We initiated the process with low-fidelity wireframing to breathe life into our concept. We crafted wireframes for essential workflows and conducted think-aloud usability tests with four participants.
1
Basic workflow screens
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2
Sensing panic attack workflow
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3
Adding the panic attack to the interactive journal app
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TESTING
Findings of Think aloud and Heuristic evaluations:
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Users have suggested adding text descriptions below emojis on the panic alert screen.
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Users expressed a need for a back button to exit the breathing exercises if needed.
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Users want improved explanatory guides and directions for assistance.
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INTRODUCING Dr.MUSE
Following testing, we simplified the app interface, added clear explanations for emojis, introduced user controls, enhanced onboarding, and expanded interactive prompts. We created a more user-friendly for managing anxiety and panic attacks.
The visual designs of the mobile application are thoughtfully crafted to align with color theory for mood tracking. This implementation enhances the user experience by providing a visually engaging and calming interface. These design elements facilitate users in making better lifestyle choices in line with the insights gathered.
TAKEAWAYS
This marked my first academic project, and collaborating with a team from diverse backgrounds enriched my learning experience. I've gained significant insights:
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I've acquired the skill of conducting in-depth secondary research and effectively applying the insights derived from it to our project.
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I've learned the art of incorporating diverse ideas from team members into our project, and I've also improved my ability to communicate these ideas for better understanding visually.
OUR TEAM
Me
Ally
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