Stress Track and Manage App
UX case study
Project Brief
- The aim is to create a prototype of a health device with an application for general public users.
- The device would be a non invasive biosensor/tracker thats measures users stress levels and sends biofeedback to their application.
- The application provides insights of collected data, tools and support for user to self-manage stress.
Design Process
Vision
To empower users to become active participants in their own health and well-being, thus moving from disease model to a health promotion/disease prevention model of individual responsibility.
RESEARCH — DISCOVER
Stress
- People getting more stressed generation by generation
- Stress is detrimental to the health
- Signs of stress can be hard to recognised/acknowledged
- Lack of stress management skills and support
- Heightened demand in healthcare services for new low-cost alternatives
Sometimes stress is necessary and essential, however, when it becomes elevated and constant (pressure at work, bad relationships etc.) it can negatively effect one’s health. Numerous studies reported health problems relating to the prolonged stress. Chronic and not addressed stress can lead to mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression and eventually, stress can contribute to a burnout.
Measuring stress
Due to an increasing number of people reporting heighten stress levels and stress related issues, the demand for healthcare services is growing too. In response to this rising challenge, many organisations and independent parties took this as an opportunity to create non-invasive biosensors. Below is a list of currently existing stress measuring methods that could be used with non-invasive biosensors:
•HR/HRV — heart rate variability
•Respiration — measuring breathing waveforms can be used to measure stress same as heart rate variability
•GSR — galvanic skin response or electrodermal activity EDA
•EEG — electroencephalogram, measures brain electrical activity/waves
Managing stress
Some of the most effective and recommended self-managing stress techniques that are commonly integrated/compatible with technology:
- Meditation
- Cognitive Behaviour Therapy CBT: goal setting, visualisation, graded-task assignments, problem solving, symptom diaries, thought/emotion recording, gratitude
- Breathing
- Music therapy
- Gaming
- Hobbies/activities
- Social support
Competitor analysis
In order to familiarise with and understand the market, competitor analysis was carried out. It helped to gain an insight into the competitors strengths and weaknesses and inform design process.
Future technology
There is a lack of evidence-based research on the accuracy and the effectiveness of stress measuring technology/products on the market. However, scientific community are confident about latest method that uses bio-monitoring device to measure bio-fluids in the sweat. Bio-fluids (electrolytes, metabolites, biomarkers) can now be analysed non-invasively, through an adhesive radio-frequency identification sensor, skin patch/plaster like device. Currently, these bio-fluids are being measured individually and depending on the type of the fluid concentration different psychological aspects can be measured such as dehydration, stress hormone levels, glucose levels and even some diseases. This type of bio-monitoring is still at an early developing stage, however, scientists believe that soon it will be possible to measure all bio-fluids at the same time and instantly receive all data to the smartphone, which is promisingly very accurate and a cost-effective future stress measuring method.
Note
Taking this into consideration, throughout the next stages of research and design, the focus was shifted from the technicalities of stress measuring device itself and emphasis was placed on the concept and the application.
User needs
To meet customer satisfaction, it is important to recognise basic customer needs. It has been shown that people will use the product that meets their needs rather than desires. Based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, it was useful to interpret his concept within the design context. It was used a starting point and basic framework to understand customer motives and demands.
Technology use and acceptance
To gain a deeper understanding on user’s decision making process and to learn about factors influencing users’ choice for adopting wearable fitness or medical healthcare, theories such as unified theory of acceptance and use technology, protection motivation and privacy calculus were taken into account. The two most important and influential factors were found to be social influence and perceived privacy risk. Such findings provided valuable information and for product development, such as creating persuasive design within social norms and stressing on the privacy issues.
Research also showed that when people considered to adopt fitness device they paid more attention to hedonic motivation, functional congruence and perceived vulnerability, however when adopting a medical device, the importance was placed on perceived expectancy, effort-expectancy, self-efficacy and perceived severity. These findings are important considerations, when stakeholders and developers will be determining where on the fitness/medical spectrum a device will fall and help bring focus to the relevant acceptance factors.
RESEARCH — DEFINE
Personas
To determine the target audience, the method of personas was used. It helped at the beginning of the design to maintain focus on users’ needs, pain points and motivations.
Focus group
To help assess users’ attitudes, beliefs, needs and reaction to the concept, an informal technique of focus group was used. The questions used for the interview were open-ended and explorative:
What do you think about this idea? What do you like and dislike?
Where and when do you see yourself using this app?
Think back when you were last time stressed — how did you know you were stressed? How did you manage/coped with it?
Is there anything else you would like to say about you using or not using this device+app?
Card sorting
Using different card sorting techniques the aims was to better understand more practical users’ expectations about the product. The objective was to gather and evaluate design ideas on stress management techniques, app’s visual design aspects and other user preferred app features.
Empathy Map
Based on the results from the focus group and from the card sorting activities, an empathy map was created to gain a deeper insight into the targeted users. The process gave better understanding about the users.
Features Mind Map
A feature mind map was used for brainstorming, listing and summarising the inputs collected from interviews and research. It helped to materialise findings and the concept. It gave clearer and more understandable vision on problems and solutions.
DESIGN — DEVELOP
Sketch
Based on the findings — paper sketching was used to exercise and visualise the ideas. It made to think about layouts, images, buttons etc. and helped in the process of creating a mockup. Some paper sketches are shown below.
Mockup
After sketching on paper, mockups were created to get a better idea of how the final product would look and a rough idea of how it might function. See some examples below.
DESIGN — DELIVER
Outcome
Proof of concept and a mock-up
Future Work / Next Steps
- User testing — low fidelity prototype
- User testing — high fidelity prototype
This case study presented based on the very first stage on assessing the product concept and design. The study has limitations, such as small sample size and undefined tracking device, as it is still in an early developing stage. The next step is to design a high fidelity prototype and conduct usability testing. Also, further recommended research is required for:
· Science based music for stress relief.
· Science based games for stress relief.
· How CBT worksheet can be integrated within an app.
· Online support.
· Bio-monitoring device.