SupportSpace
SupportSpace
Type: IOS Mobile App
Duration: 8 weeks
Role: Solo Product Designer
Tools: Figma, Miro
Overview
A mobile app for telemedicine and mental health that prioritizes the needs and preferences of patients seeking mental health care remotely. This app promotes accessibility, trust, and rapport between patients and mental health professionals, while also considering the diverse range of mental health needs and experiences among its users.
Concept
Imagine that you have just been hired as a product designer to develop a mobile app for telemedicine and mental health. Your goal is to create an app that prioritizes the needs and preferences of patients seeking mental health care remotely.
The Solution
To begin with, let me present the solution before leading you through my process.
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Onboarding
On starting the App, users are first greeted briefly with a screen of the supportspace logo and its slogan. This then navigates to three simple descriptive onboarding screens in which a user can decide to proceed by swiping. After completing the onboarding, the user lands on the login page, which makes it easy for existing users to login. The login page also has a sign-up button which leads a new user to create an account—not feeling like going through the rigors of creating an account? the login page has Google and Facebook sign-in options.
Personalize your Supportspace
To continue the onboarding process, users can personalize their app by choosing the various communities they would like to explore. The "view" button allows users to explore and message people within that community. Supportspace allows users to connect and share their concerns with selected people of their choice. On the messaging platform, users have the option of typing the message or using a voice recorder. Additionally, users can use the "plus" icon to share pictures or videos with the person they are conversing with.
The Nurturing Oasis: Using SupportSpace to find resilience and comfort
During trying times, SupportSpace is the ideal place for solace and comfort. Using the application, users can conveniently schedule appointments with therapists or medical personnel for a specific date and time. Additionally, users can make secure payments to successfully reserve their appointment slot. Users can also peruse the ratings and reviews of different doctors or therapists. Furthermore, it is effortless to access the certifications of various physicians and psychologists.
The Process
Here is my why:
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To identify common pain points, challenges, and barriers that people face when seeking mental health services, and how these could be addressed through a telemedicine mobile app.
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To design a user-friendly and intuitive interface that simplifies the process of seeking and accessing mental health services through the app.
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To ensure that the app is inclusive and accessible to a diverse range of users.
User Insights
These were the insights from the user interviews conducted in Northeast Florida for the age range 22 - 45
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Many people experience barriers to accessing mental health services, such as stigma, lack of access to services, and difficulty scheduling appointments. A telemedicine app could help to address these barriers by providing easier and more convenient access to mental health services.
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​Users may have varying levels of experience and comfort with technology, which could impact their ability to use the app effectively. Designing the app with clear and simple navigation, and providing support and resources for users who may be less comfortable with technology, can help to ensure a positive user experience.
Unraveling the Problem Statement
From these insights, I could decipher that these were the problems:
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Barriers to accessing mental health services, such as stigma, lack of access to services, and difficulty scheduling appointments.
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Varying levels of experience and comfort with technology, which could impact their ability to use the app effectively.
How might we create a user-friendly mobile app that offers easier access to mental health services, addresses obstacles such as stigma and limited service availability, and caters to individuals with varying levels of technical proficiency, in order to ensure a positive experience for all users?
User Persona
Here is an individual who could benefit from this
Solution Ideation
After careful analysis and critical thinking, I came up with the following solutions:
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Personalized User Experience: This includes features like customized profiles, tailored recommendations for mental health services, and the ability to track progress and goals over time.
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Virtual support groups: To address the issue of limited availability of mental health services, the app includes virtual support groups where users can connect with others who are going through similar experiences. This provides a sense of community and support and also help to reduce feelings of isolation.
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Designing
Storyboard of the user's journey through the application
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User Journey
Scenario: Michael, feeling stressed and hesitant due to mental health stigma, discovers a telemedicine app
Discovering the App
The user learns about the mobile app for telemedicine and mental health through advertisements or word-of-mouth. They download the app from the app store to explore its features.
Inclusivity and Cultural Sensitivity
A user from a minority background appreciates the app's efforts to provide mental health professionals sensitive to various cultural backgrounds.
Overcoming Stigma and Privacy Concerns:
Continuity of Care
Pain points being addressed
The app's private and confidential platform helps the user overcome stigma and privacy concerns.
The app enables users to continue their therapy remotely even if they relocate, ensuring continuity of care and preventing disruptions in treatment.
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
Onboarding screen
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Personalize your supportspace
Booking your appointment seamlessly
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High Fidelity Wireframes
Onboarding screen
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Personalize your SupportSpace
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Booking your appointment seamlessly
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Reflections
As I wrap up the design phase of the telemedicine app for mental health, it's important for me to reflect on our successes and areas for improvement. Throughout the course of this project, I conducted extensive user research to better understand the needs and pain points of our target users. Based on this research, I was able to design a highly intuitive and user-friendly app that offered a virtual support system and personalized user experience. In this write-up, I will reflect on my design process:​
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During the user research phase, we discovered that stigma and limited availability of mental health services were significant barriers for users. As a result, we focused on creating a virtual support system and personalized user experience to overcome these barriers.
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We were able to successfully create a user flow and storyboard that accurately reflected the needs and pain points of our target users. This allowed us to design a highly intuitive and user-friendly app that met their needs and expectations.
Future Iterations:
As the app continues to grow and expand, we could also consider adding additional features such as integrations with wearable devices to track mood and activity levels.
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Future Iteration