Is it even possible to come up with new ideas in an oversaturated market?
For this project, I was tasked with the challenge of creating a wellness app. While researching the industry, the first thing that I noticed was how many apps exist that follow the same standardized approach: First, answer a few survey questions about how you're feeling, then begin your journey to mental clarity through breathing exercises, guided meditation, or fitness tracking.
There must be another approach!
During this two week project, I used research, surveys, and ideation to consider new ways to explore wellness through our phones.
Secondary research and competitor analysis
During the secondary research phase, topics were examined such as the effects of stress on physical and mental health. Various practices like meditation, sports, and other techniques. This research proved to be quite valuable. It confirmed some of my assumptions, while also surprising me by disproving others. For instance, it led me to abandon the idea of delving further into the topic of meditation.
In order to better understand the users, I conducted a survey to gather information about the wellness habits of my peers. A few of the question asked were:
How long, on average, do you spend in each relaxation exercise session?
On a scale of 1 to 10, how effective do you find music in reducing your stress levels?
What types of relaxation exercises do you typically engage in? (Select all that apply)
Survey Results
These findings of our survey opened my eyes to the importance of music in the mental health space. This lead me to the conclusion that the app should be focused on music as a means of mental wellness. I came up with the idea of a personal DJ app that provides musical recommendations based on the user's stress level.
I also conducted a competitor analysis of the wellness apps Night Timer, Calm, and Headspace.
Key learnings from this analysis are as follows:
Many industry leaders suffer from "featuritis."
The prevalent high costs and subscription models.
The importance of aiming for a clean layout and accessibility.
Most of these apps offer an overwhelming number of features. There needs to be a more simplified version!
Mid-fi prototype
We designed the low-fi and mid-fi prototype keeping in mind the simplicity that we thought would be successful with this assignment. No function overload, no pop-ups, no questionnaire. We wanted to keep it as simple as possible. Building on the idea of simplicity, we started designing our music player. The scrolling bar on the home page is meant to be a mood selector.
Usability testing
Following usability testing, I made several changes to the layout: I added a back button in the top left corner and made the home button more prominent. I replaced the gradient stress level selector with buttons and enlarged the music player control buttons. Additionally, I included numbers on the stress level selector, added a brief description of the app, and introduced an accessibility mode (more details on that later).
Style guide
Hi-fi prototype
The hi-fi prototype demonstrates the music-playing feature. The user simply opens the app, selects a stress level, and lets vibey make the playlist. The user also has the option to save a song and view their “vibes” for the previous month.
Accessibility Mode
I felt it was important to include an accessible mode toggle on the app. When activated, it alters the following elements:
The stress selection on the home level changes from a color-based selection to a size-based selection
Black and yellow used to create high contrast
Menu buttons change from consistent circular shapes to more familiar icons
Animations are turned off
Conclusion
"Select your stress level" starts your journey with Vibey—familiar, yet unique. It's not about reinventing the wheel but about creating a different user experience that makes users feel new and refreshed.
With this project, I took a “less is more” approach at helping people with their mental health. I aimed to offer a simple, easily accessible solution to help reduce stress levels. Since users shared with us that music was their biggest stress reliever, I decided to focus on that for the app and provide a simple and minimal app to brighten people’s day through music.
