Wohlbefinder
Type of project: Bachelor’s thesis
Scope: Research about inclusivity in design and mental health, design of a web application.
Role: UX Designer, UI Designer, UX Researcher
Project duration: 4 months
Year: 2020
Design and conception of a therapist search website for young people with anxiety and depression
Wohlbefinder was my bachelor’s thesis. My goal was to conceptualise and design a mobile-first website using the Lean UX methodology. On this website, young patients suffering from anxiety disorders or depression can find a therapist suitable for them.
The problem
Finding a therapist in Germany is difficult. and getting an appointment with one is even harder.
Currently 4,6 million people in Germany suffer from an anxiety disorder, and 4,1 million suffer from a depression.
And three out of four patients in Germany who have severe depression don’t get an adequate therapy.
The goals
Motivate users to get professional help by making the process easier
Offer filters and features for finding a suitable therapist faster
Create an overview of the waiting time and allowing to filter by them
The solution
Overview of the therapists and therapies in the area
Offer alternatives such as online therapy
Information about mental illnesses and types of therapy
Possibility to filter by waiting times
Possibility to do the whole process online
Target Group
Young people between 14 and 24 years old, who have a depression and or an anxiety disorder and want to get professional help from a therapist.
Persona
UX Research*
Analysed and rated 12 existing German website (design, user guidance and effectiveness)
researched how the current situation in Germany is
made a qualitative survey of 14 young people (14-28 years old) who had symptoms of a mental health disorder and were looking or had looked for a therapist
interviewed my university’s counselor about typical student behaviour in finding therapy
interviewed two therapists about patient needs
*Let me know if you want to know more about my research and methodology.
Task Flow
Wireframes
UI Design
Wohlbefinder's design is intended to radiate openness, trustworthiness and closeness and to be inviting and helpful. The colours convey serenity and yet have an inviting effect.
In addition, illustrations of people and organic elements such as plants and flowers were included to make the website more personal and also because the use of photographies in the context of mental health often promotes stigmatisation.
Brand Design
Logotypes positive & negative
Typeface
Brand colors
Tests with users
THE USERS
5 users
From the target group (14-28 years old) tested the website in the three iterations of the testing process. We had 1:1 videocalls using the method of the cognitive walktrough while they used the website and tried to set an appointment with a therapist.
THE INSIGHTS
What didn’t work
There was too much text on the startpage
The names of the filters weren’t intuitive enough
There were some navigation problems that didn’t let the users go back
What worked
The design and illustrations were positively received
They liked being able to add therapists into their list to check them out later
It was great to have a video and photo of the therapists to build trust
User ideas
It could be clearer that the usage of the website is free for users
Having a FAQ section about the website and therapy in general
There could be a button for immediate help for mental health emergencies
TAKEAWAYS
TAKEAWAYS
I learned a lot about the foundations of user research and UX design during this project
Talking with all stakeholders is really important to offer a coherent and effective solution to a problem
Testing with 5 users is definitely enough to make big discoveries and huge improvements