App project
I chose to create an app for those individuals with bipolar disorder. I have a unique view on this because I have been diagnosed with it, giving me an inside view of how this app could benefit those who have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
Problem
There are a lot of apps that help with users’ overall mental health. Some even help with depression and anxiety specifically, but there isn’t anything that focuses on bipolar disorder. This leaves an audience of users who don’t have an app tailored to their needs. There must be a way for these individuals to track their moods so that they can learn their emotional patterns.
Solution
The goal of this app is to help individuals with bipolar disorder track their highs and their lows, as well as their various emotions, in order to analyze their patterns and recognize triggers. This app also has a place where individuals can keep track of tasks and be reminded to take their medications.
Research
My research started with three interviews. These interviews contained two individuals who have bipolar disorder and one individual who does not. The next phase of my research I did was an app audit. The app audit consisted of looking at two different apps that allow you to keep track of feelings and emotions. I concluded my research by creating four personas, three of which have bipolar disorder in some kind of severity and another is a person who is looking from the outside in.
The process
Userflow
In my userflow, I concluded what screens I would need and how they are connected. I went back to this multiple times, either adding things or taking things out. I wanted to make sure that I was covering everything I needed to cover.
Sketches
Next, was the sketching phase. During this phase, I explored my options for what the app could look like. During the sketching phase, I was still discovering what needed to be put in the app and what screens I needed.
Wireframes
During the wireframe stage, I explored my sketches a little more. The wireframe became the road map to what my app was going to look like. During this phase, I explored navigation items and the overall layout of the app.
Design
The final stage of this project was the design phase. During this phase, I explored different uses of color and type within the interface. As I began to create the design, I noticed that some parts of the app seemed flat, so I added a little bit of a drop shadow to make it stand out more.
Final learnings
What I learned from this project is that you are always going to be going back to the userflow because it’s easy to overlook a screen and find that you need to rework your current task. The userflow is probably the most important part of the project since it defines the unction of the design. I also learned how different people deal with bipolar disorder, and what each person needs to do to stay on top of things. Overall, I enjoyed what I learned and how I grew while working on this project.