Competitive Analysis

User Interviews & Takeaways

As we get older we expect to have it all together, but if we are being honest, stress. and trauma have no age limit. So, I took 5 people between the ages of 25 and 65 and interviewed them individually. Each person has, at some point in their life, wanted or needed mental health care. Each interviewee also has experience looking for a therapist. My target user group is individuals who have looked for therapists online and who are in need of low-income assistance.

Interview Questions:

1. What features do you prioritize when looking for a therapist?

2. What are the most important customizations and personalizations for you when you are searching for a therapist?

3. What challenges or frustrations have you encountered when looking for therapy in the past?

4. What qualities or characteristics do you prioritize when searching for a therapist, such as experience, specialization, communication style, or cultural competence?

5. How important is flexibility in scheduling appointments for you?

6. What specific accessibility features or considerations would you prioritize to ensure that individuals with low-incomes have access to therapy services through the app?

Based on the research, I noticed that mental health service sites are not always transparent about cost, making it hard for users to trust.

The objective is to understand what the user’s needs and wants are and find out where their biggest pains come from when searching for a therapist that is a good fit.

Need 1: Low-income

Research shows that 42% of adults who wanted help with mental health could not receive treatment due to cost.

Need 2: Insurance coverage

80% of users say they could not afford therapy if their insurance was not accepted.

Need 3: Personalization

100% of users expressed the importance of being able to personalize the filters with things such as language, religion, and gender.

After collecting all the data and conducting research, I created personas to help empathize with and understand the target users' experiences and tailor the features to meet their specific needs.

Maya is 34 years old and currently lives in Oakland, CA. Maya typically works 8–5 Monday–Friday, but recently lost her job. She is looking for a therapist who works with low-income individuals without insurance. Her ideal therapist would also have availability for in-person and video sessions because she can’t always make it out of her house.

Goals

• Find a therapist who works outside 9-5 hours

• Access to low-income offers

• In-person and video session options

“I want to get help and work through my trauma, but the difficulty of finding a therapist who accepts someone without insurance and no job makes the process that much harder and extremely discouraging.”

How Might We?

How might we explore ways to be transparent about session affordability to ensure a trustworthy design?

Feature set

To understand clearly and address the problem, I provided a diagram to keep track of features. This helps layout clearly what really works, what might work, and what could be a nice feature, but not detrimental to the design without it.

The following features were noted as the most important features to have:

1. Low-income options

2. Language filters

3. Insurance filers

4. Specialization on filters

To ensure a clear visual representation of the website's structure, I created a site map to organize content logically and ensure intuitive navigation for users. It helps us understand the website's layout, plan user journeys, and ensure easy navigation, ultimately enhancing the overall user experience.

Usability Testing

Using the mid-fidelity wireframes I created, I conducted a usability test with 5 users. Overall, the feedback received was positive. Participants were able to successfully navigate the screens and complete all required tasks. They were asked to complete the following:

1. Navigate through onboarding screens

2. Find and read about Lu Toish, the therapist

3. Navigate to appointment request

4. Navigate to messages

What went well

• 4/5 participants expressed their appreciation for the colors, describing them as “welcoming” and “warm”

• 5/5 participants expressed that this product could benefit their community

• 4/5 participants said the design was easy to follow

Adding a message feature

I added a feature that allows users to message someone

Before button resize

Branding

Finding the right color, typography, and logo

After exploring different color options, I settled on aving a calming and soothing palette. Many times, people looking for mental health help are stressed or feeling uneasy. I wanted to offer a design that was welcoming and not chaotic.

Color Palette

Hi Fidelity Mockups

Figma for Prototype Testing

Below is a short video of the prototype designed in Figma. Click to watch.

Final Prototype

To view the click-through prototype, click the phone

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