OVERVIEW
Mental health is a topic of special concern for college students. The pressure to perform academically on top of navigating personal relationships and professional development often leads to high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. It can be especially daunting to address these mental health issues when it can feel like just another thing on the to-do list.
OUR CHALLENGE
OUR APPROACH
We began by getting a better grasp on the subject of mental health in college-aged students. Our researchers examined existing literature published by Cambridge University Press on the subject finding:
Roughly 20.3% of college students experienced mental health disorders over the course of a year1
Only 16.4% of those students with mental health disorders received adequate treatment1
Early intervention and prevention might reduce attrition and improve mental health outcomes1
UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM
With all of this in mind, we became more attuned to the general scope of the subject at hand. However, we needed more information on our specific target audience: UC Davis students. We conducted a survey of students and discovered some common trends. Overall, students wanted:
A platform where they could navigate their emotions, reflect on how they're feeling, and just vent.
Ways to keep track of their mood, set reminders and goals, and find important resources.
A space that felt safe, user-friendly, and overall calming.
In addition to the general subject of mental health, we wanted to get a better understanding of how existing digital platforms have tackled similar themes. We looked at an interview study examining mood-tracking apps and found that:
Mood trackers promote self-reflection, self-awareness, and help user view their emotional patterns2
Users gravitated towards features that involved personalization and also liked design simplicity2
Gaps existed for users when it came to finding ways to improve or understand their mood2
WORKING TOWARDS A SOLUTION
With an idea of our general feature list established through group deliberation and research synthesis, I worked to create a user flow that guided my designs. Simplicity was at the forefront of my design. In the user flow, I created an intentionally small set of user decisions. The app is meant to be straightforward, focusing mainly on basic features and a few advanced functions.
In my lo-fidelity designs, I focused on getting a general sense of the visual expression of my established information architecture. I worked on card design, questionnaire navigation, basic buttons, and progress indicators. From here, I got feedback from design mentors and collaborated more closely with our team's graphic designer to improve the app's design.
In my second iteration, I leaned more heavily on the color palette established by my fellow designer. I started working with our digital assets and implemented them into our design to give it a more unique quality. During our second round of feedback however, our group decided it was best to work in a more limited color palette to enhance visual branding. We also wanted to revisit our typeface choice to improve clarity.
FINAL DESIGNS
DESIGN ASSETS
The app is currently undergoing user testing and development with Swift and Xcode. Currently, my role on the project has transitioned primarily to marketing, assisting the developers, and guiding testing as needed. We are planning to launch to the App Store by the end of the year to over 40,000 students .
OPENING + LOADING PAGE
Colorful, engaging design
Progress indicators
Consistent iconography
Clear branding via design assets
SOURCES
1Auerbach, R. P., Alonso, J., Axinn, W. G., Cuijpers, P., Ebert, D. D., Green, J. G., … Bruffaerts, R. (2016). Mental
disorders among college students in the World Health Organization World Mental Health Surveys.
Psychological Medicine, 46(14), 2955–2970. doi:10.1017/S0033291716001665
2Schueller, Stephen M, et al. "Understanding People's Use of and Perspectives on Mood-Tracking Apps:
Interview Study." JMIR Mental Health, JMIR Publications Inc., Toronto, Canada,
mental.jmir.org/2021/8/e29368.
