Case Study:
Moodies
My role:
UX/ UI Designer
Tools:
Figma, Invision, Zoom, photoshop, procreate
Time:
10 Weeks
It all started when I was scrolling on Instagram...
Many of us, including my girl friends and I, have become trapped in the cycle of striving for the perfect Instagram post, investing time and energy in editing, and seeking validation through likes and comments. This can lead to feelings of frustration and self-doubt when the expected engagement is not achieved. We have become so focused on the virtual world of Instagram that we have neglected the real world around us. Although they acknowledge the negative impact Instagram has had on their lives, they feel that it would be strange to not have it.
Makes me wonder..
if there's any way that technology could help with the stress of using Instagram without having to completely cut ties with the Instagram?
Our Goal
The goal is to understand how social media affect
young adult women and how we can help them explore ways to reduce anxiety and depression over body images and personality.
Problem space
According to an FHE Health survey of 1,000 participants, 87% of women compare the body images they consume on Instagram. According to research, Instagram has larger numbers of young adult men users compared to young adult women users, but young adult women are more likely to have mental stress.
Here's the question, why?
Women often have larger social followings and networks, which translates toward more time and interactions with online users and content.
Anxiety and depression are the co-product of those mental pressure
Secondary Research
Depression (56%)
Nowadays young adult women from ages 18 to 25 are three times more likely to have mental illness due to the increasing amount of time with online socialization.
Dissatisfaction with life (52%)
Body image issues (51%)
Fear of missing out (52%)
The addiction to Instagram
The “Likes” on social media would activates the brain's reward center by releasing dopamine, also known as the feel-good chemical. Anxiety and depression came from over-stress of not getting enough “Likes”, which make young adult women more addicted to investing time and energy to get that feel-good feeling.
What's Social Rewards
Social rewards refer to the benefits or positive outcomes that come from social interactions and relationships. They can be tangible, like gifts or compliments, or intangible, like feeling loved or appreciated. We often seek social rewards because they help to boost our self-esteem, build our confidence, and bring us joy. In other words, social rewards are social connections that make us feel good. They are a key part of what makes being human so fulfilled and can have a major impact on our overall well-being.
Research plan
Participant criteria:
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Young adult women (Ages 18-25)
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Instagram active user with a public account
Setting
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Interview through Zoom/phone call
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Writing notes while interviewing
Goals and objectives
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To validate the assumption that young adult women seek “Likes” because they want to be accepted
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To validate the assumption that young adult women feel insecure about their body images
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To validate the assumption that if young adult women can have alternative social rewards, it would boost their self-acceptance and be more confident
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Discover how we can help them explore ways to reduce anxiety and depression over body image and personality
Insight 1:
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Most of them are worried about missing out on friends
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They are insecure about their appearances by comparing themselves on Instagram
Insight 2:
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They enjoy doing activities outside of Instagram with friends
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Learning new skills and joining activities would make them feel fulfilled
Insight 3:
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They understand posting on Instagram makes them stressed but still constantly making posts
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They would try to find ways to release stress and anxiety they get from Instagram
From conducting several interviews, I have gained insight into the challenges faced by many individuals regarding "social exclusion" and the "fear of missing out" on important experiences with friends. These individuals often "feel isolated and disconnected from their peers", which can contribute to feelings of stress and anxiety.
To help mitigate these feelings, many of the individuals I spoke with have developed their own coping strategies, such as "engaging in physical exercise, attending social events, spending time with friends, and learning new skills." These activities have proven effective in reducing stress and promoting overall well-being.
I created my persona based on those findings...
Persona
Experience Map
User Stories sketch
I came up with my user stories based on experiencing map and persona. I used sketches to create my user stories
Core Epic: Chat
Users can connect with their friends and family through chat with chat template ideas. They can build a better relationship by sending out sentences and suggestions to break the ice and make a stronger connection. The secondary theme would be receiving compliments from friends and family.
UI Inspiration
Chat friend list
Camera + Post
Navigation bar
Filter taps
Sketches
Version 1
Screens
Version 1
Testing plan
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Task 1: you want to see the comments
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Task 2: You want to check the compliments you have
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Task 3: You want to respond to your sister Jelena’s message
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Task 4: you want some suggestions for complimenting her photo
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Task 5: The photo is what she was wearing today and you think her outfits look like Rihana and sent message
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Task 6: You want to share your outfit only to her and send
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Most of the users found the “my friend” and “my page” confusing
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Put the compliments page as the first flow
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Mistake on overlay the sentence and picture
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Consider being able to close the talking guides
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Not sure what the “my friend” section is message or friend’s feed
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Organize the sentence in talking guides
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The last sentence of “time to share yours” is confusing
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Put notification red icons on the top to allow
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The user to curious next step
Version 2
Testing plan
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Task 1: you want to see the comments
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Task 2: You want to check the compliments you have
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Task 3: You want to respond to your sister Jelena’s message
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Task 4: you want some suggestions for complimenting her photo
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Task 5: The photo is what she was wearing today and you think her outfits look like Rihana and sent a message
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Task 6: You want to share your outfit only with her and send
Version 2
Screens
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My Feed changed into My Post
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Remove the two sentences on first page
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Put friend’s name under their profile
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The camera mode, can’t return anywhere.
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Only send hotspot is not in the right spot to click
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Talking guides is confusing, maybe change to something else
PIVOT
Following extensive research and analysis, including persona development, interviews, and data analysis, it has become evident that young adult women are seeking opportunities to engage in experiences and activities beyond the virtual realm. Scientific research supports the idea that engaging in physical exercise, maintaining a balanced diet, performing acts of kindness, and limiting technology usage can have a positive impact on one's mood.
As observed through the interviews, many young adult women are eager to expand their social circles and engage in experiences outside of social media. This includes participating in various activities and events as well as volunteering to give back to their communities.
My product is designed to provide young adult women with alternative ways to relieve anxiety and stress that may result from social media usage. The goal is to move beyond the confines of a chat box and provide opportunities for them to be more present in their lives through engaging experiences and activities. The aim is to offer a well-rounded approach to mood improvement and encourage a healthier balance between virtual and physical experiences.
User stories
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Select some of the user stories in user stories sketches and created another Core Epic to new user stories
As a female Instagram active user, I want to ....
Core Epic: Filtering
I decided to focus on the filter so that users can easily attend charity events that want to.
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apply mental wellness suggestions in everyday life so that I can be more confident
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do some fun activities with my family so that I can have a better relationship with them
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Achieve different goals every day so that I can be more confident in myself
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see my past thoughts/diary on certain days so that I can be reminded how much I had grown
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choose achievable goals for each day so that I can feel less stressed in accomplishing the goals
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record my thought easily so that I can save time on worrying about where to write my diary
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be encouraged to achieve the goals I set so that I can be more motivated
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know where is the closest charity event I can join so that I can easily volunteer and meet some new people
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meet people who share the same interests so that I can feel accepted
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be able to choose charity activities I'm more interested in so that I would continuously attending the activities
Task flow
UI Inspiration
Identify moods
Category section
Filter bar
Sketches
Updated Version
BRANDING
Due to the geography we chose are young adult women aged 18 to 25, we want to use more dreamy colors and create a colorful pinkish theme.
The colors tend to be bright and warm to represent an inspiring, cheerful, and encouraging concept!
I chose those adjectives mostly based on age. Also at that age, users would enjoy seeing colorful artistic illustrations more than plain and simple designs. They also are Instagram active, so they would be more accepting and are open to new ideas
Moodboard
My brand is more positive than negative
My brand is more calm than impulsive
My brand is more playful than boring
My brand is more colorful than plain
My brand is more cute than beautiful
My brand is more dreamy than realistic
My brand is more inspiring than discouraging
Name and Wordmark
Typography
UI Library
The video below offers a walkthrough of the completed design. You'll see the user already logged in looking through the main feed, choose their mood of the day, decide what they want to do, and choosing specific charity they want to volunteer to. They then click into the charity and click Join.
If you're interested in interacting with it yourself please click the button below!
MARKETING SITE
what can a marketing site do for this app?
Having the website in place allows us to build some awareness and excitement regarding the launch, it works even if our app is still under development. It offers users an incentive to sign up for an early access list and gives them the opportunity to provide feedback and ideas that we might be able to incorporate into the app. This is essentially a one-page overview with branding, a link to download, and contact information.
Mid- fidelity wireframe
FUTURE THINKING
In this modern era, technology has seen remarkable growth, but it also comes with a cost to our mental health. People of all ages are susceptible to depression and anxiety caused by social media. My product, Moodie, aims to provide support for individuals who are seeking a better life balance. The goal is to help them shift away from their screens and become more engaged in their daily lives.
With the abundance of information spreading in social media, we may feel closer to one another, but it can also create distance. My hope is that Moodie will bring people closer together and strengthen their relationships. If they ever feel like they are relying too much on Moodie, it will actually lead them to become more involved in their lives, as they will start developing habits to turn to when they experience different emotions.
The key aspect of Moodie is identifying one's own emotions and finding ways to improve the situation. By forming habits through the use of Moodie, individuals can start to build their own routines and respond automatically to their emotions.
Key learning
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Just because I work in technology and design, it doesn't mean I have to trap users in front of their screens - As a UX designer, I believe that the focus should not solely be on keeping users constantly engaged with the product, but rather, on how I can contribute to their overall well-being.
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Pivot is unavoidable - In UX design, the ability to pivot is non-negotiable. The industry is constantly changing, and it's crucial to be able to adapt to new circumstances and shifts in strategy. Pivoting involves taking a step back, re-evaluating the current situation, and making the necessary changes to move forward effectively. While it can be challenging at times, the ability to pivot is a critical factor for success in this field. Companies and designers who are flexible and able to pivot quickly are often able to stay ahead of the curve and achieve greater success than those who are inflexible.
Next steps
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Test on my updated prototype to confirm my assumption that they are indeed what is best to help my users reach their goals.
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Continue to integrate constructive feedback from other designers around me to find where I can continue to improve.
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Reach out to organizations for their input as to how I can improve my design and better serve them as well