An end-to-end mobile design for an app that tackles workplace burnout by promoting healthy habits among employees.
UX Research
UI/UX Design
Branding
Wireframing
Prototyping
User Testing
Figma
Maze
3 months
(May 2023 - July 2023)
Organize burnout thoughts and improve their quality
Burnout and stress can negatively affect mental health at work. It's common for burnout employees not to prioritize play or practice healthy boundaries.
By empowering users to cultivate healthy habits and manage stress effectively, Mindsight promotes well-being and combats burnout.
What are the factors contributing to workplace burnout? How can we help?
I led 4 user interviews with young professionals who experienced burnout within the last 6 months-year aged 20-35. I asked questions about their burnout experience and how they managed/are currently managing burnout and stress.
Employees who suffer from burnout often do not prioritize play or practice healthy boundaries. By having more reminders to take breaks and participate in "play" activities, users may reduce burnout symptoms.
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Research Questions:
Can you tell me about a time you experienced burnout in the workplace?
What were the key factors contributing to your experience?
Were there any specific aspects of your work or work environment that intensified the burnout experience?
What was your thought process during this period? How did you feel?
How do you typically approach managing your workload and setting boundaries in the workplace?
How do you envision an app supporting your well-being and helping you manage work-related stress and burnout?
"It was the lack of preparation from my boss and the leadership team that made me feel like I was cramming everything to get it done."
"I can’t speak for everyone, but one of the things that we’ve talked about here is the lack of direction from upper management. It can really kill people’s motivation."
I also delved into mental health apps designed to assist in the workplace. These apps aimed to offer both managers and employees a space to monitor their well-being and promote transparency. While the apps were well-organized, they lacked sufficient features to support individual well-being in the long run.
During the course of my research, I discovered that the main source of workplace burnout is typically management and workplace environment.
While users have their own coping mechanisms, they still feel there could be improvements.
Sources of Burnout:
Existing Coping Mechanisms:
Desired Features for an App:
By crafting archetypes like "Focused Executor" and "Overwhelmed Navigator", we can put ourselves in the shoes of our target audience, allowing us to design with empathy and create a solution that truly resonates with their core behaviors and needs.
These archetypes provide valuable insights into the motivations, challenges, and aspirations of individuals experiencing burnout in the workplace.
The UI focuses on creating a calming aesthetic with a focus on minimalism to address users' requests for a design that promotes calming mental space.
To create a calming and tranquil experience, the color palette of blue, red, and gold was carefully selected to reflect the serene ambiance of an evening sunset. The goal is to give users a visual pleasing, serene experience that supports their journey towards feeling calmer and more balanced.
The name "Mindsight" was inspired by the concept of "eyesight" and the ability to "see."
The intention behind this name was to establish a connection between the app and the idea of gaining insight and clarity when experiencing burnout.
An app may not be able to change how company leadership or management operates their workplace.
But, I wanted to try something that could feel like a tangible improvement to their well-being. Because our users are typically high-achievers and driven, I wanted them to feel a sense of accomplishment or relief from their stressors.
A comprehensive app that promotes clarity and well-being including:
Thought Organization and Prioritization:
Enables users to organize and prioritize their thoughts, helping them gain clarity and focus amidst the chaos of work-related challenges.
Reframing Negative Thinking:
Encourages users to reframe negative thoughts related to workplace stress into positive and constructive ones.
Reminders and Boundaries:
Incorporates reminders to take breaks, practice self-care, and establish healthy boundaries. These reminders tell users to relax, step away from work, and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Manager Portal:
Promotes transparency and open communication between managers and staff. It allows managers to conduct weekly check-ins, celebrate achievements, and give shoutouts to their team members. Research shows that managers play a significant role in preventing employee burnout, so this feature helps them provide recognition and support, creating a positive work environment.
I had difficulty trying to figure out something that worked with combating the manager's point of view and the employees.
So, I started by outlining the overall structure and navigation flow of the application, providing a clear understanding of its various sections and functionalities.
Due to time constraints and limited resources, I decided to test out two features: Reframing and Prioritizing.
I got feedback early on so I could understand general usability and see if the features were useful. During this process, users raised concerns about user privacy and organization.
"I think I would want to know whether my manager would be able to see this list (as an employee i would prefer it to be private!"
"Is there an option to bulk select the thoughts/tasks?"
I created a Maze test to evaluate the usability and effectiveness of the Mindsight app features:
- Prioritizing thoughts
- Reframing a thought
The test was designed to gather feedback to assess the overall user experience and identify opportunities for improvement. Overall, users voiced preferences regarding task management and product walkthroughs.
83% of users were able to successfully complete the tasks.
Participants gave overall positive feedback on the design’s level of:
- Ease (Avg. 9.3)
- Visual Appeal (Avg 8.7)
- Usefulness/Ability to Manage Workload and Reduce Stress
"I think it would be nice to have a drop down list of common tasks to select from (ie grocery shopping, workout, pick up kids) or save tasks."
"I think it's a great way to try to shift the perspective of negative / stressful thoughts"
Overall feedback showed that users desired more real-time guidance to support them throughout the app.
After some minor changes to the copy, we have updated solutions!
Problem
Difficult for users to organize their thoughts and tasks when stressed.
Burnout users feel overwhelmed and often in a negative headspace.
Solution
Task prioritization feature to help users visualize and sort their thoughts.
Quick option to reframe a negative thought to help see the positive in the situation.
Gather Long-term User Feedback
It is important to establish channels for continuous user feedback. Regularly engaging with our users will provide ongoing insights, allowing us to address emerging needs and maintain a user-centric approach. I would be interested to see what behaviors users will do with these features. For example, if users frequently capture screenshots of their reframed content and share it with their social circles. This behavior may indicate a potential opportunity to explore the integration of a social feature that allows users to effortlessly share their reframed content.
Additional Research & Testing for Manager Portal
Due to time constraints, I was unable to test a manager portal. Studies show that Managers impact employees' mental health more than doctors or therapists (UKG, 2023). To better support user needs, additional user testing will need to be conducted, with a focus on emotional check-ins with employees and managers. This would require additional research and testing for a separate user group.
