H.appy

Would you like to laugh more often?

41 answers

Have you ever consumed content in order to induce laughter?

41 answers

Have you presented any of the following mental/behavioral issues in the last month?

41 answers

After understanding that over 35% of the users would like to laugh more often and were consuming for contents to do so, because they were experiencing episodes of anxiety or depression, I wrote and conducted an interview script. In 4 days, I recruited and interviewed 5 users and a Subject Matter Specialist (SME) remotely.

The survey: It was structured with 10 open-ended questions, focusing on our target audiences potential laughter situations, how the laughter affected them physiologically, and about how aware they were about their mental health.

From the research data, I've understood some key points to build an empathy map. It is a method used to synthesize rational and sentimental aspects of the users through their situation, acts, feelings and emotions.
The goal is to reach an empathy level where the designer can look at the world through the user's eyes.

Regarding the highlights from the User research and Empathy Map, I've stablished some features that would be either an asset or a problem in Usability.

The first prototype I've done sketched the flow from the app presentation to the data page, including a description page.

I created a Design System regarding what I found out from the market research.

After applying the design system on the lo-fi wireframes, I created a fully-functional, high-fidelity prototype of three flows using Figma.

One of the challenges that I faced was developing a flow to inform the users that by collecting their data, the use of the app would be enhanced by measuring laugh trough the mic, for example.
This is important as I wanted to develop an app that was compliant with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation).
So I added a toggle, so the user could select if it would rather authorize or not that usability.

I've tested with 5 potential users.

Some of the obtained feedbacks were: small icons and letters, lack of a comments button, the suggestion of replacing a manual registration to a login using google button, and the idea of tracking laughing through additional gadgets, as, for example, smartwatches or earbuds. All the users said that they would definitely give a go for the app, and that they would rather use the light UI; than the darker one.

Once the usability issues were resolved, I moved on to design other flows' screens in Figma. My goal was to create a visual identity that's aligned with the brand's values of connecting people through the joy of laughter: playful, organic, simple and optimistic. I've designed an app and a promotional web page.

Play the video to explore the flow!

The next step for the app will be developing the flow of the other bottom bar icons; thinking how to monetize it (if by applying a monthly subscription model or by adding some publicity + and the possibility of removing it by paying for the app itself).

My main learning was definitely how to conduct the whole path to get on a final UI result and their relevance within the Design Thinking process.

There's a Research work behind the UI development, in order to have a consistent product's proposal, and it must be well explained, when developing and preparing the product's pitch.

It was a pleasure to see an idea raising like that, and I'm excited to work further on projects which can actually enhance user's wellbeing.