Care Connect is a safe community platform where medical professionals can meet, share resources, support each other and manage their mental health.
Care Connect began as a proof of concept project created in response to the distress and negative consequences suffered by the medical professionals during the pandemic. Our team of four was challenged to create a product that would help them manage their mental health.
View full project briefLead designer
Healthcare professionals encounter significant challenges in maintaining their mental well-being, leading to negative emotions that are difficult to manage. A solution is needed to utilize community support and camaraderie to address their mental health concerns effectively and promote positive change.
We propose a confidential platform as a supportive community for healthcare professionals to address their mental health challenges. It will enable them to connect, communicate, and share resources, empowering them to take control of their well-being and lead happier lives.
Our research team interviewed 16 medical professionals including doctors, nurses, students and technicians. They also researched a list of platforms that provide mental health assistance to medical professionals. The design team also conducted research on community building aps to get a sense of structure, appearance and usability.
Through affinity mapping we were able to learn that while medical professionals have resources provided for them by their workplace, they seldom use them for the following reasons:
The team collectively agreed that the final product would require both mobile and desktop versions, however due to time constraints we focused on delivering a prototype of the mobile version only.
Two very important factors that our product would depend on would not be represented by the prototype as we focused on developing the core UI.
We encountered challenges in establishing a productive rhythm and effectively communicating ideas in a virtual environment. We briefly experimented with Procreate on the iPad, but it still felt slow and cumbersome compared to our preferred in-person collaboration.
View sketchesWhile the design team was busy sketching and discussing user flows our team mates finished synthesizing the research into a user persona.
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Due to our project manager's emphasis on usability testing and the tight schedule with two rounds already planned, we swiftly transformed our sketches into a clickable prototype within just 24 hours, thanks to our strong collaboration within the design team.
Care Connect's color scheme exudes optimism, hope, and well-being, with calming blues signifying tranquility and trust, while uplifting tones convey positivity and progress. This aligns perfectly with our mental health app's mission to support medical professionals in their pursuit of mental wellness.
View mood boardBased on the usability testing results we were able to make some design decisions like adding a screen dedicated to gathering the user's emotional state as well as a button they can use to share apodcast directly from the podcast screen.
Nunito's well-balanced sans-serif style conveys warmth and simplicity, making it an excellent choice for Care Connect. Its straightforward design lends professionalism while still maintaining approachability, ensuring all communication remains clear and inviting.
Throughout the component creation process, we placed a strong emphasis on maintaining a uniform visual identity while introducing subtle variations. This approach was carefully designed to enhance user comprehension and provide a more intuitive interaction experience.
Generating a mid-fi prototype on a tight schedule posed a challenge for our design team. Nonetheless, we remained committed to the core objectives outlined in the usability test plan, all the while ensuring that the visual aesthetics were meticulously addressed.
We tested 5 users to see if they could
Can the user use the emoticon feature to express how they are feeling?
2 out of 5 users failed.
Users made an average of 4 errors
2 Users who failed went to the profile page to change the status
1 User asked if there was a settings page
While the participants thought it was a good idea, they questioned as to how often they were required or expected to change it (the emoticon) and what would happen if they forgot to change it at all.
For this feature to be successful we will need to present it earlier in the experience (or example when they first open the app or after a certain amount of time after being opened) as it runs the risk of being ignored.
Can the user quickly connect and engage with others?
4 out of 5 users passes.
Users made no notable errors.
During this task we noticed that the users had no problems locating the Live Chat Rooms, one user became impatient with the Figma and began clicking around frantically as a way of solving the problem.
Participants suggested that the chat rooms have names or images that might make them inviting
No changes based on this task but we took the feedback into consideration for the next stages in developing a high fidelity version
Can the user find and share resources easily?
4 out of 5 users passes.
Users made an average of 2 errors.
All the users went directly to the resources page and expected to find a button or something that would allow them to share what they wanted to share, only one user went directly to the contribute button in the main navigation.
Added a button on the podcast page that allows them to share a podcast directly from there.
It would be a good idea to have some way to flip between the different types of resources without going back to the resource menu
Users had a favorable response to the prototype's aesthetics and user experience as well as inquiries regarding how the app would safeguard against non-medical individuals accessing it, content management concerns, and the feasibility of maintaining a positive and optimistic atmosphere without excessive censorship.
In the final iteration, we extended the development of user flows beyond the initial prototype to showcase a more inviting onboarding experience. Additionally, we allocated a session for logo design, leveraging AI tools to generate and craft a simple yet highly effective logo concept.
View Sign Up flows in Figma
The essential elements of our design system include a clean and easy to use navigation system that invites the user to contribute while feeling as if they are in a safe space with a mix of calm and energetic colors and soft welcoming typography.
Nunito's well-balanced sans-serif style conveys warmth and simplicity, making it an excellent choice for Care Connect. Its straightforward design lends professionalism while still maintaining approachability, ensuring all communication remains clear and inviting.
The Care Connect brand is represented by a vibrant and energetic blue that conveys the emotional value of hope and optimism.
Care Connect users are invited to contribute to the community and access the wealth of resources that they can use to manage thier mental health.
The stakeholders were impressed by the presentation of the research and the final prototype. We also received so much feedback throughout usability testing which has helped us understand more about our users.
