A promotional image for TheraFit showing a smartphone with the app's interface and a person sitting with hands clasped, wearing a denim jacket. The app features a therapist spotlight section with photos of two therapists, Leah Smith and Eric Clayton.

Problem:

Many people start treatment and then quickly drop out before completing their goals because they do not vibe with their therapist. A bad fit can affect someone’s progress in treatment and also cause a person to not seek help in the future for fear that they might not have a good connection with their therapist.

Solution:

Create an app that will find the right therapist for your individual needs.

Product Duration:

Five (5) Weeks

November 2022 - January 2023

My Role:

UX/UI Designer and Researcher

Wireframing

High and Low-Fidelity Prototyping

Usability Testing

Iterating on Designs

Tools Used:

Figma

WCAG Guideline Tools

Accessibility Checker

Understanding the User:

To fully understand my target audience and the task at hand, I first completed secondary research to determine common barriers to seeking treatment. Results from my study showed that therapists have a significant effect on treatment outcomes.

I then created surveys and distributed them to individuals who have previously attended therapy. These were used to gather qualitative information on their experience finding a therapist.

“I’ve tried going to therapy about five separate times and have only found one therapist that I actually liked.”

—Chris M.

“There is literally nothing worse than suffering through a therapy session with someone you can’t connect with.”

—Hannah B.

Target Population:

My target population is anyone in need of outpatient mental health services and between the ages of 18-80. Based on my initial research, I created two personas:

A woman with curly hair smiling outdoors during sunset, with city lights in the background.
A woman with short gray hair, glasses, and a light green shirt is displayed on the left side of a mental health profile. The profile includes her name, Lisa, age 48, college education, from Newport, KY, married with three children, working as a bank teller. The right side of the image contains quotes, goals, frustrations, and a brief narrative about Lisa's struggles with anxiety and her journey to seeking mental health support.
Black and white photo of a wooden desk near a window with a laptop, a disposable coffee cup, a notebook with a pen, a mobile phone, and some papers on it.

Identifying User Needs:

I completed a competitive analysis to identify current resources available and to find gaps in the market. The following opportunities were identified:

  • Videos that will allow users to get a better feel for the therapist.

  • Ability to access therapy notes and homework through the app.

  • Ability to pick your therapist from a list tailored to meet your individual treatment needs.

A hand-drawn UX design storyboard with six panels depicting a user named Jessa meeting with therapists through an app. The storyboard includes sketches of conversations, app screens, surveys, profile views, and scheduling appointments, with handwritten descriptions.

Initial Design Concepts:

I completed the crazy eights design exercise to generate as many ideas as possible and completed a design storyboard to help me gain a better understanding of the journey my user will take while using my app.

Paper Wireframing:

I am a firm believer in the importance of creating paper wireframes. This is always the first step in my process. I start by creating five (5) different variations and then mark my favorite elements. This saves so much time when I start creating my digital wireframes.

Digital Wireframes and Low-Fidelity Prototypes:

Once I completed my paper wireframes, I hopped on Figma and started designing a low-fidelity prototype for my app.

Flowchart of a mobile app interface design, illustrating navigation and interaction flow among different screens.

User Testing:

I started by creating a detailed research plan outlining goals for the study and a step-by-step guide for completion. This included an introduction to the study, research questions, key performance indicators (KPIs), methodology, and a script to ensure consistency between each research session.

Usability Study Findings:

Two smartphone screens showing a scheduling app named TheraFit. The left screen displays a form to select a date and time for an appointment, with options to allow text reminders and a 'Book now!' button. The right screen reveals a calendar view for January 2022, highlighting the 13th. Supporting text on the left indicates that 5 out of 5 participants suggested using a calendar to schedule appointments, and includes a quote about the benefits of adding a calendar view to the scheduling process.
A presentation slide shows two smartphones displaying the TheraFit app. The left phone shows a homepage with a section titled "Blog Spotlight," a section for "Therapists of the Week" with four therapist icons, and a button to find a therapist. The right phone displays a prompt to get started, with a button to find a therapist, and the "Therapists of the Week" section with two therapist icons. Text on the slide explains that users want the main function of the app to stand out, supported by findings from a usability study where participants hovered over or clicked the therapist spotlight section.
Two smartphones displaying the TheraFit app interface, illustrating a user selecting a video chat function for connecting with potential therapists, with icons for email, contacts, and folders at the bottom.

What happened next:

The issues identified by the users were fixed and a second usability study was completed. Once all major issues were resolved, I began to work on high-fidelity mockups.

High-Fidelity Mockups:

I began by creating a brand guide and sticker sheet to help make the design process move more swiftly and to ensure consistency across my designs. Once that was complete, I got to work adding images and colors. I used Gestalt principles to guide my designs and to improve usability and aesthetics.

Screenshots of a mobile app called TheraFit featuring user profiles, therapist highlights, appointment scheduling, and therapy style options.

High-Fidelity Prototype:

My high-fidelity prototype took the user through the experience of identifying treatment needs, finding a therapist, and scheduling an appointment.

Flowchart diagram illustrating a user interface for a health and appointment management app, showing screens for DNA test results, videos, images, therapy details, appointment scheduling, and calendar, connected with arrows indicating navigation links.

This experience taught me that not all visually appealing design is accessible. You have to find the balance between what looks good and what is functional, which is not an easy task. If we design for users with special needs, we all benefit. I also learned that there is a lot more to Figma than what I was taught in my introductory UX/UI course. After completing this project, I continued to grow my skills by watching YouTube tutorials.

Takeaways: