My Role
Lead UX Designer & Strategic Director
Contribution
A major global organization needed a mobile app to support frontline staff and field workers with their mental health.
The first version looked polished—but felt sterile. I was brought in to re-imagine the user experience so it would feel more human-centered like a buddy, building trust security and engagement.
Oh and one important note, the client was the largest most widely known (IGO) Intergovernmental Organization in the world. The app would be used in extreme crisis conditions to help peacekeepers hold it together.
Real world challenges
Behind the scenes
Business took over design
Team was missing a clear design lead
Design Decisions that Impacted Business
Responsive user flow - Nudges and Hints
Screen Instruction
Personalized message
Before
Clinical like a course
Guided Onboard
1
Sign-In
2
Downloads
3
Home
Watch “Get Started” Video
Complete Content
4
Wellness
Checkin
Color coded result
Take
Assessment
What’s on your mind?
Resources
Screen
Choose content
Typical self-paced course content completion
5%.
After
Guided & supportive
Guided Onboard
1
Sign-In
Check updates
2
Home
Watch “Get Started” Video
3
Downloads
Get Latest Updates
Progressive Learning & Healing
4
Wellness
Checkin
Color coded result
Suggest
Category
Assessment
Screen
Resources
Screen
Conditional Message → Recommended Content
Gamification Features Build Confidence & Security
5
Track Journey:
Points/Badges
View Progress/Rewards
Quests &
Mini Games
Relax & Play
Core UX Improvements
Add clear contextual call to action on each screen
Reward for behavior such as small wins, streaks and achievements not only Good checkin score
Add conditional emotional responses based on result (Positive/Plateau/Negative Nudge)
Results
Typical course with gamification content completion
13%
Number of click events & views
+25 - 150%
Personalized Support- Wellness Checkin
Wellness checkin gave the user a wellness battery score based on 508 health standards.
Good checkin score
Worrisome checkin score
Poor checkin score
Logic for messaging
Recovery:
Improved result
Encouraging tone & badges
Plateau:
Stagnate result
Supportive & confident
Setback:
Declining/Poor result
Resilient tone & next step
Support voice through setbacks and plateaus
Activation
Motivate user behavior, completing content even when the checkin results are not positive.
Engagement
Points advance user behavior with progressive rewards. User can see healing.
Rewards
Earning points along the journey will unlock personalization features in the app.
Patches & Challenges
Challenges help users to identify small wins and contextual achievements. Patches motivate users work through plateaus and setbacks. Both features help developing a habit of using the app.
Download updates -
From chore to memorable story
More visiblity
App updates are vital to maintain usage because of connectivity limitations. Notifications were hidden. I added the care package icon on the home page for added visibility.
Familiar term & visuals
My animation added interest to an otherwise boring task in the app. The familiar story of “ receiving a care package” highlighted the importance of this flow and made it memorable.
Stress relief and relaxation
Usage
25% of apps are used only once after being downloaded, then never used again. (Statista)
Engagement & Stress relief
Inspired by LinkedIn games, I presented the idea of mini games that focused on building wellness skill training in more casual way. The idea was to build engagement metrics in the app.
