Look After
The Brief: Design a Wellness App
Role: UX/UI Researcher and Designer (Group Project)
Timeline: One Week Sprint
Objective
CREATE A “WELLNESS APP”
Our group decided to focus on Postpartum Depression (PPD).
WHY PPD?
We chose this topic because although PPD is very common, it is not commonly talked about. The lack of dialogues surrounding PPD in both medical and social settings contributes to a lack of awareness regarding this often debilitating and isolating condition. Subsequently, many people experiencing PPD do not recognize the signs and symptoms, and due to feelings of shame and/or guilt, do not discuss their struggles with loved ones, or seek medical treatment.
HOW CAN AN APP HELP?
According to the National Institutes of Health, 6.4 billion people worldwide own a smartphone (Ellis, and Liu, 2021). It is estimated that 84% of people in the United States own smartphones, which have become the most used computing devices (Census.gov, 2021). With the prevalence of smartphone use, and increasing tendencies for people to use them when searching for healthcare-related information, apps have great potential to reach wide audiences, and offer assistance to people in myriad ways.
There are many reasons why people may be hesitant to reach out to their Doctor to discuss postpartum difficulties such as stigma, wanting to avoid hospitals, the need for transportation, childcare, etc. People who are struggling after giving birth may search for apps to help them understand / navigate their experiences. Apps offer convenient, private ways for people to access information at any time of day, and can offer supplemental support to people who are waiting for an appointment, or who would rather not seek medical care.
preliminary research
WHAT IS PPD?
According to the Mayo Clinic, PPD is a medical condition causing depression, anxiety, and other struggles which typically begins in the year after giving birth.
Around 85% of people will experience “the baby blues” after giving birth, which are feelings of stress, anxiety, moodiness, etc. These feelings are normal and should subside within a couple of weeks postpartum.
When these feelings last longer than a couple of weeks, or are especially severe, the person may be experiencing PPD.
WHO DOES IT AFFECT?
PPD can affect anyone. However, people who have experienced anxiety or depression prior to giving birth, or who have family histories of anxiety or depression, have an increased likelihood of experiencing PPD.
1 in 5 people will experience PPD after giving birth!
It is estimated that more than 3 million people experience PPD in the United States each year, although the actual number may be higher due to underreporting.
WHAT CAUSES PPD?
There is no single cause of PPD; many factors can contribute including physiological changes such as hormone fluctuations, nutritional deficiencies, environment, genetics, difficult life circumstances, lack of sleep, social changes, etc.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS OF PPD:
Feeling depressed, anxious, and/or moody
Loss of joy / Lack of interest in things that generally bring joy
Trouble connecting with the baby
Changes in appetite such as not eating enough / eating too much
Not getting adequate sleep / sleeping more than normal or necessary
Feeling isolated, hopeless, and/or helpless
Thoughts of harming the self or others
ANALYSIS OF EXISTING APPS
We conducted a market analysis to get a sense of what PPD apps are currently available, and to assess what user needs are not being met. We found that many of the existing apps require “hidden” purchases to access all of the resources, and every app we reviewed uses gendered language such as “mom”, and “woman”.
This helped us identify the need for free, educational resources related to PPD which use inclusive language. Some people who give birth do not identify as women, and while less common, it is also possible for the non-birthing parent to experience PPD. Using gendered language could cause some users to feel excluded, and therefore less likely to engage with the product.
User Research
WHO ARE THE TARGET USERS?
The target users are new and expecting parents.
SURVEYS & INTERVIEWS
We conducted seven surveys and three interviews with people who have given birth in order to learn about their postpartum experiences. Some of the questions we asked included:
Did your Doctor talk to you about PPD?
Did you have adequate support postpartum?
How did you feel after giving birth (emotionally, physically)?
What do you wish you had known before giving birth?
What helped you through tough times?
Would you have used an app to help you through postpartum?
What advice do you have for new parents?
EMPATHY MAP
Responses from the surveys and interviews were organized into an empathy map shown below.
USER PERSONA
After receiving feedback through surveys and interviews, we created a user persona to reflect some of the common experiences of our target audience. This representation helped us to empathize with people who have had difficulties postpartum, and to center the wants and needs of users in the design thinking process.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Zero respondents had been informed about PPD by their Doctor
The people who struggled after giving birth experienced feelings of overwhelm, confusion, isolation, sadness, guilt, and shame
Friends and family often focus on the baby without checking on the parent’s well-being
The lack of dialogues surrounding postpartum struggles contribute to a sense that it is a taboo topic and discouraged people from discussing their difficulties
There is a general lack of awareness regarding the signs, symptoms, risk factors, and prevalence of PPD
PROBLEM & POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS
PROBLEM STATEMENT
PPD is a common experience after giving birth, but not commonly talked about; lack of dialogues in both medical and social settings contribute to a lack of awareness surrounding this condition including how to recognize the symptoms and knowing when to seek help.
HOW MIGHT WE:
Raise general awareness about PPD?
Make learning about PPD simple and easy?
Offer a way to monitor symptoms after giving birth?
Help people feel less isolated in their struggles?
Facilitate dialogues surrounding PPD?
PROPOSED SOLUTIONS:
Create a “Did You Know” section on the homepage that displays facts relating to PPD; users will be exposed to educational information in small snippets without having to take additional actions such as navigating to specific pages, or attempting to seek information.
Provide a “Mood Tracker” to help users monitor their emotional journeys over time.
Prompt users to take the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) survey if their mood tracker responses indicate they might be having a hard time. The EPDS is one of the standard tools used to screen for PPD.
Incorporate a “Community Forum” feature that displays users’ submissions on different topics; hearing from others can help mitigate feelings of isolation and self-blame.
Use inclusive language; using gender-neutral language creates a safer space for users who have given birth but may not identify as a “woman” or a “mom”.
HYPOTHESIS
We believe that creating an inclusive, free, easy to use app which offers mood tracking, educational resources, and a community forum will help raise awareness about PPD and offer supplemental support for people who are navigating difficulties postpartum.
ideation
LO-FI SKETCHES
MID-FI
NAMING AND COLOR CHOICES
We decided to name the app “LOOK AFTER” because it can be thought of as a reference to the time period after giving birth, as well as a phrase meaning to take care of something.
Color psychology refers to the effects colors can have on emotions and behaviors; we chose to use blue, green, purple and yellow because these colors are known to be calming, and can elicit feelings of serenity and joy (Mental Health America, 2023).
PROTOTYPe
LAUNCH SCREEN
MY JOURNEY & MOOD TRACKER
COMMUNITY FORUM
SCREEN RECORDING OF PROTOTYPE (plays on a loop)
FIGMA PROTOTYPE
Click on the button below to view the prototype in Figma!
USER TESTING
METHODOLOGY
We utilized the website UseBerry (a remote, unmoderated testing tool) to conduct usability tests. Ten participants were asked to complete a set of navigational tasks to assess strengths and weaknesses in our design.
RESULTS
Out of the ten participants, 80% completed the tasks successfully, and 20% abandoned the tasks before completion. Heat maps showed that touchpoints on our modal windows were too small, and also showed us that many users were attempting to close modals by clicking outside the box.
NEXT STEPS
Based on the results of our user testing, next steps would include increasing the size of touch targets to a minimum of 44 X 44 pixels (to align with WCAG standard 2.5.5), and allowing users to close modals by clicking outside of the boxes.
Additional steps that would be beneficial include:
In-person observations of users engaging with the product in order to collect qualitative data
A/B tests of different designs (different color themes, alternate organization, etc.) to gauge users’ preferences
Add additional research-based information to the Resources section
Add a nutrition section that offers insight into the connection between PPD and nutrient deficiency, as well as recipes that can support postpartum healing