Mental health tech startup
Transform a brand's simple website into an engaging mobile app that deepens its mental health impact.
Mental health startup STIGMA provided a unique service - the ability for individuals to ask for, and offer, hope on their website. The STIGMA mobile app was designed to be a safe place to exchange hope within the community on a platform that could scale. Within the constraints of a startup's resources, the team launched an MVP that provided this testimonial of hope to help transform the stigma around mental health, being recognized in the process.
At the heart of this project were two distinct user groups: existing web users of STIGMA and potential users seeking a supportive community. Recognizing their desire for a safe, authentic platform, we embarked on a design journey that prioritized trust and authentic engagement.
How could design flip the script, transforming the mental health stigma into a symbol of hope?
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In a startup environment with limited resources, our team faced the dual task of attracting investors and meeting the nuanced needs of our users. This setting demanded innovation, agility, and a strategic approach to design.
Faced with the absence of new user research, we synthesized existing data and competitive insights. This approach enabled us to identify core MVP features that aligned with our users' needs while keeping in step with the startup's pace. We embraced low-code development tools, focusing on translating STIGMA's mission into an accessible, user-friendly app experience. The existing brand style was leveraged but enhanced for accessibility and to foster a cohesive design language across the app ecosystem.
In the delicate arena of mental health, every design decision was weighed for its ethical implications. From the prominent placement and unique design of the cornerstone "Ask for Hope" feature to the careful crafting of user interactions and design language, our approach was governed by a commitment to do no harm and foster positive user experiences.
This project was more than a design checklist; it was a lesson in the power of empathetic, user-focused design. It reinforced the importance of flexibility in startup environments and the profound impact that design can have on lives, proving the incredible value and potential of thoughtful MVP experiences.
The launch of the MVP app marked a significant milestone, and showed immediate returns, earning accolades such as Google's Best App for Good in 2022 and the Zeplin 2023 Harmony Award. These honors validated our approach and the app's societal impact, paving the way for user testing and new features, like dedicated spaces for partner resources within the app.
