YOU Achieve
Supporting a Healthier You
WHAT IS YOU ACHIEVE?
YOU Achieve is a web app designed to allow you to chat with a professional via audio, text, or video at anytime.
It empowers you to discover healthcare resources, as well as government-support services in your community, available for you and loved ones.
While anyone can benefit from YOU Achieve, it is targeted towards the lower-income communities, who may not have easy access to resources and support.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
My role
End-to-end mobile app designer
Timeline
April - July 2021
Responsibilities
Research, Wireframes, Prototypes, Ideation,
UI Design, Style Guide
Tools
Adobe XD, Balsamiq, Optimal Workshop,
Usability Hub, Zoom, Google Workspace
EXPLORING THE PROBLEM
Low-income communities are typically those in need of the most support, but are most often neglected.
During my time working as a counselor with underprivileged communities, I noticed there are many health and wellness apps, however, none are targeted towards the low-income community, and this population does not receive the support they need.
WHITE PAPER RESEARCH
I started off with learning more about this population, their challenges, and their access to physical and mental health resources.
“According to the CDC, 8.7% of people who have incomes below the poverty level report severe psychological distress.”
Below are some challenges that hinder lower-income communities from receiving adequate health and wellness resources:
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Learning from the above information, I analyzed two of the more popular online therapy resources.
Opportunities found that Talkspace and BetterHelp do not have:
BetterHelp operates from a subscription-based model and does not take insurance.
Talkspace takes insurance, but does not take Medicaid, which is the insurance most people from low-income communities have (if they have any insurance at all).
Neither Talkspace nor BetterHelp provided the opportunity to speak with a professional in regards to any physical health concerns, only about their mental health.
Neither provided resources for other government-assisted resources, such as for those experiencing homelessness or food insecurity.
KEY INSIGHTS FROM USER INTERVIEWS
I was able to interview 4 participants, being highly aware that mental and physical health, and especially speaking to those who consider themselves a part of a lower-income community, can be very sensitive topics.
“I don’t know many people in my community who see a therapist so I don’t even know where to go.”
-Eleanor (18), Student
“It takes hours sometimes when me and my family are waiting at a clinic.”
-Marilyn (19), Student
MEET LUNA & TASHA
The College Student Persona
“I feel so stressed every day and I have no idea where to go and who to talk to about it.”
The Working Mother Persona
“I’m overwhelmed with working two jobs and trying to raise my kids on my own. I don’t have time to look for the best healthcare and government programs to help support them.”
HYPOTHESIS
With all the information I had gathered so far, and with Luna and Tasha in mind, I used these as guided opportunities for this product’s solution.
A tool that allows users to access expert help 24/7 for no fee in order to learn about physical and mental health, and food and government-assisted resources.
I believe that by providing low-income communities free services and easy access, it will eliminate the most challenging barriers to receiving support.
USER STORIES
I was starting to understand what challenges users like Luna and Tasha might experience when it comes to gaining access to health resources. Still, I wanted to understand their perspectives on a deeper level, specifically, what they might want to accomplish when using a health resource product.
Feature #1: Browse through available experts to chat with 24/7
“As a user, I want to browse through available experts to chat with at any time, so that I can have my questions and concerned addressed quickly.”
Feature #2: Set the users’ primary language
“As a user, I want to be able to set my primary language, so that articles, resources, and experts are shown in my default language.”
USER JOURNEY MAPS & USER FLOWS
I then created user journey maps to learn the roller coaster of emotions that may come with wanting to take care of one’s health, but not having the resources or access to do so.
Thinking about the user flow, users might want to browse through the profiles of therapists before choosing who they would like to speak with. They might want to choose someone based on a specialty, i.e. a therapist who has experience in treating depression or someone who is knowledgeable about first-generation struggles.
EARLY STAGE SKETCHES & LOW-FI WIREFRAMES
Once I had more of a grasp of Luna and Tasha’s journeys, and the flow of the main features, I was able to start brainstorming and sketching out the layout of what each feature may look like.
Feature: Chat with an Expert 24/7
USABILITY TESTING
Now it was time to put my designs to the test! I wanted to learn if they were useful and working in the way I planned for them to.
Test Objective:
To test the learnability of the app’s main features through observation and participant feedback.
Observe how users navigate through the app to complete specific tasks.
Determine if participants can complete assigned tasks and how long it takes them to complete the task efficiently.
Logistics:
6 tests
3 moderated in-person tests
3 moderated remote tests conducted via Zoom
Individual 10-15 minute sessions
Participants were recruited through my personal network
KEY FINDINGS BASED ON USABILITY TESTING
Things I Learned That Were Not Working Well
Things That Were Working Well
ITERATIONS
3 Major Redesign Improvements
Based on feedback received from multiple participants in usability testing and preference tests, below are 3 major redesigns:
#1
#2
#3
SOLUTION & FINAL ITERATIONS
1. Choose a Professional to Speak With
Users can choose the type of professional to connect with via audio, video, or messaging, taking into consideration accessibility factors. They can also choose based on the professional’s expertise and/or experience.
2. Browse Government-Supported Resources
Users can browse through various government-supported resources in their local area depending on their needs, whether that be shelters, food assistance programs, employment support, or childcare.
3. Learn About Various Health Topics
Users may not know how to identify what they are feeling or experiencing. Therefore, they can learn more about topics related to their physical and mental health, and learn ways of coping with their challenge.
REFLECTIONS: LESSONS LEARNED & FUTURE IMPROVEMENTS
Business metrics
While this product did not yet ship, I would want to observe which pages users may bounce off of to understand why they might choose to leave. I’d also like to observe how far users may get when completing a specific task, as well as how long it would take them to complete the task. This will allow me to learn where and how the flow can be improved.
The importance of designing with empathy
Parts of this project are extremely sensitive and may be triggering for some. Although I was highly aware this was sensitive and approached the topic with empathy, it’s always important to enforce and remind oneself of that throughout the entire design process.
Your first solution will not be your best solution
I learned not to assume and give myself the time to research without attaching any feelings to the problem or solution. This allows for me to learn as much as I can about the problem, which can then lead me to the best possible solution.
Additional features
In further developing this app, I’d love to add additional features, such as techniques, music, and stories for calmness and sleep support, as well as styles of meditation. I also plan to incorporate a feature that allows users to take a health assessment, which may help guide them to seek the support they need. I would also like to incorporate allowing users to take a quiz to be matched with an expert, as it can be very overwhelming knowing where to start.
Interviewing more participants
I would definitely need to interview more people if I were to launch this project to draw more accurate insights that represent the target users.
