Buoy: a UX case study.
A mobile app for support groups
Overview
Introduction
Buoy is a health(social) app that features online support groups, connects users to people who are in similar situation with them. They are put in a channel where they can chat, organize events and access materials dropped by others.
My role
UX Designer responsible for the whole process from conception to delivery.
Timeline
Jan 26th to April 8th , 2022.
Platform
IOS Mobile App, Android App
Tools
Figma, Whimsical, UX Tweak.
Constraints
Internet, Smartphone.
Target audience
- People who are facing challenges
- People who are against seeing therapists
- People above the age of 16
“A person’s personal relationship with a doctor or medical personnel may not provide adequate emotional support, and a person’s family and friends may not understand the impact of a disease or treatment.
A support group among people with shared experiences may function as a bridge between medical and emotional needs.”
The need for support groups cannot be overemphasized, but then in Nigeria, support groups still circle greatly around the mentally ill leaving the rest unattended.
I challenged myself to create a solution to this, so people not only find support groups with ease, but also get more out of the experience while doing so.
Design Process
1. Discover
User Interviews
While these problems were obvious and factual, it was time to talk to potential users. To gain a deeper understanding of what people would prioritize in a support group app, I needed to understand what their pain points were. I conducted user research in the form of 4 user interviews in person and over voice chat. It took me about a week to prepare the script, schedule the calls and conduct the tests.
My insights from the research included:
- People seek information about their illnesses and reassurance of recovery from their doctors but get hope to get through it from people like them.
- Our solution should also cater to needs that surpass illnesses but are solved by support groups like anxiety.
Quantitative research
I also carried out an online survey using Google Forms and got 20 responses. Their responses assisted me in understanding my users better.
Competitive Analysis
I reviewed other similar apps to identify their challenges and success and use these findings to improve the experience of my app.
2. Define
User Persona
Next I created a persona from my research insight whose goal was to easily balance the amount of care given to her emotional and medical needs.
User Journey Maps
3. Ideate
Card Sorting
I conducted an online closed card sorting with a couple of potential users to get a view of how they would understand the app flow.
Information Architecture
I proceeded to figure out an organization scheme that best matches our user’s mental model and make our app as easy to use with the help of the card sorting.
User Flow
Then, I created a flow using Whimsical mapping out starting points, end points and different paths which the user could take while using the app.
4. Design
Identity
While trying to come up with a name, I decided I wanted it to give meaning to the people who use the app. Names like ‘Ally’ and ‘Encourage’ were options I had when brainstorming but I decided to go with ‘Buoy’. The name signifies the importance of support groups in the society, to keep the mental and emotional health of people going and guiding them towards help when needed and away from danger.
For the logo, I decided to go with a wordmark since our app has a very distinct name.
For our icon or favicon, I used an image of a buoy that resembles people holding hands to form a circle, which signifies friendship, teamwork, love and harmony.
Style Guide
Wireframes
HI-FI Design
Onboarding screens
Login and sign up
Home Screen
Discover
My Calender
Other Screens
Final thoughts
During the course of this case study, I encountered challenges like my laptop almost dying on me and having to beg people to fill out my questionnaires, but I appreciate every thing I learnt every step of the way.
If I would do anything differently, it would be to document my work immediately along the way so I finish the case study in due time.
I learnt how important it is to work while keeping users in mind. As this project was conceived based on a personal problem, I sometimes used myself to make decisions when it would have been best to go back to my research.
You can reach out to me on Twitter at @Rue_Idaneme and connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruth-douglas-485751201
