UX/UI DESIGN | 0-1 | pRODUCT DESIGN | MOBILE APP
BiteBuddy: Your Best Friend in Eating Disorder Recovery
BiteBuddy: Your Best Friend in Eating Disorder Recovery
Project Type
Independent project from Google UX Design Certificate
Project Type
Independent project from Google UX Design Certificate
Duration
July - September
2022
Duration
July - September 2022
My Role
UX Designer
wireframing
prototyping
usability studies
design iteration
accessibility consideration
My Role
UX Designer
wireframing
prototyping
usability studies
design iteration
accessibility consideration
UX Researcher
user research
persona
UX Researcher
user research
persona
Overview
Overview
01 Objective
01 Objective
To manage eating disorder recovery and provide resources
To manage eating disorder recovery and provide resources
Bite Buddy is an app to help people navigate to a healthier relationship with food. This app empowers users to take control of their journey, whether they're seeking knowledge about eating disorders or a supportive tool for recovery.
Bite Buddy is an app to help people navigate to a healthier relationship with food. This app empowers users to take control of their journey, whether they're seeking knowledge about eating disorders or a supportive tool for recovery.
02 Challenge
02 Challenge
Eating disorders are impacting more people and it's hard to recover
Eating disorders are impacting more people and it's hard to recover
Eating disorders, a growing issue in today's society, impact people of all ages. Overcoming an eating disorder is challenging and requires time, perseverance, and professional support. No worries, Bite Buddy is here to help!
Eating disorders, a growing issue in today's society, impact people of all ages. Overcoming an eating disorder is challenging and requires time, perseverance, and professional support. No worries, Bite Buddy is here to help!
Design Problem
Design Problem
How might we help people struggling with eating disorders to access more resources and be empowered during their recovery?
How might we help people struggling with eating disorders to access more resources and be empowered during their recovery?
03 Solution
03 Solution
BiteBuddy: Your Reliable Friend in Eating Disorder Recovery
BiteBuddy: Your Reliable Friend in Eating Disorder Recovery
BiteBuddy is an app to help people struggling with eating disorders by improving access to mental healthcare and increase knowledge. Let's take a quick look at the primary features of our reliable friend here.
BiteBuddy is an app to help people struggling with eating disorders by improving access to mental healthcare and increase knowledge. Let's take a quick look at the primary features of our reliable friend here.
Connect
Connect
Feeling lonely in your recovery journey? Use BiteBuddy to connect with your peers and experts in this field!
Feeling lonely in your recovery journey? Use BiteBuddy to connect with your peers and experts in this field!
Get Help
Get Help
Worried about the lack of resources? BiteBuddy introduces you to education and professional support specialized in eating disorders.
Worried about the lack of resources? BiteBuddy introduces you to education and professional support specialized in eating disorders.
Track
Track
Need motivation to make changes? Track your changes visually and have fun with BiteBuddy's reward system.
Need motivation to make changes? Track your changes visually and have fun with BiteBuddy's reward system.
Let's take a look at how I got here.
Let's take a look at how I got here.
Research
Research
01 User Research
01 User Research
Recovering from an eating disorder is difficult. To understand users' challenges during recovery, I conducted semi-structured interviews with 5 participants who were
age 18 and older
experiencing or had experienced eating disorders
willing to provide informed consent for participation
Recovering from an eating disorder is difficult. To understand users' challenges during recovery, I conducted semi-structured interviews with 5 participants who were
age 18 and older
experiencing or had experienced eating disorders
willing to provide informed consent for participation
02 User Research Insight
02 User Research Insights
Lack of Motivation
“I know what I should do, but I just don’t have the motivation…making changes is really challenging.“
Loneliness
“I feel lonely most of the time - I don’t know if other people are really experiencing similar things.”
Lack of Knowledge
“Awareness is the initial step to change. However, I lack knowledge about where I'm at and what I should do."
Lack of Motivation
“I know what I should do, but I just don’t have the motivation…making changes is really challenging.“
Loneliness
“I feel lonely most of the time - I don’t know if other people are really experiencing similar things.”
Lack of Knowledge
“Awareness is the initial step to change. However, I lack knowledge about where I'm at and what I should do."
03 Meet Our Users - Persona
03 Meet Our Users - Persona
Meet Blair! Based on real users and research, Blair represents many struggling with eating disorders.
Blair needs a recovery buddy. They crave an app to track progress, boost motivation, and manage symptoms, ultimately getting them on the road to a healthier life.
Meet Blair! Based on real users and research, Blair represents many struggling with eating disorders.
Blair needs a recovery buddy. They crave an app to track progress, boost motivation, and manage symptoms, ultimately getting them on the road to a healthier life.
Ideation
Ideation
01 Initial Concepts
01 Initial Concepts
Turning pain points into solutions! Understanding our users gave me a better idea about the requirement of BiteBuddy's design. I brainstormed several ideas as the initial concepts.
Turning pain points into solutions! Understanding our users gave me a better idea about the requirement of BiteBuddy's design. I brainstormed several ideas as the initial concepts.
Track Changes
Track changes and progress in users' feelings and eating behaviors.
Reward System
Utilize a fun reward system to enhance motivations for users.
Get Support
Join online community to connect, share, and get support. Connect with ED specialists.
Education
Provide educational resources on eating disorders and coping skills, such as articles and exercises.
Track Changes
Track Changes
Track changes and progress in users' feelings and eating behaviors.
Track changes and progress in users' feelings and eating behaviors.
Get Support
Get Support
Join online community to connect, share, and get support. Connect with ED specialists.
Join online community to connect, share, and get support. Connect with ED specialists.
Education
Education
Provide educational resources on eating disorders and coping skills, such as articles and exercises.
Provide educational resources on eating disorders and coping skills, such as articles and exercises.
Reward System
Reward System
Utilize a fun reward system to enhance motivations for users.
Utilize a fun reward system to enhance motivations for users.
02 Design Solution
02 Design Solution
Wireframes
Wireframes
These initial concepts provide an important guideline for me to move forward with solutions to address user pain points. With the first iteration, users can track their progress, increase knowledge, and connect with others through BiteBuddy.
These initial concepts provide an important guideline for me to move forward with solutions to address user pain points. With the first iteration, users can track their progress, increase knowledge, and connect with others through BiteBuddy.
Track Progress
Track Progress
Track feelings and progress in a handy and interactive way.
Visualize changes throughout the journey to improve motivations.
Homepage
Homepage
Feeling Check-in Record
Feeling Check-in Record
Know More About Eating Disorder Recovery
Know More About Eating Disorder Recovery
Increase knowledge about eating disorder through articles, videos, and podcast.
Exercises for learning coping skills to manage eating behaviors.
Education
Education
Coping Skills
Coping Skills
Form New Connections
Form New Connections
Allow connections with
Licensed therapists
Other Users
A 24/7 AI assistant
Allow connections with
Licensed therapists
Other Users
A 24/7 AI assistant
Multiple ways to form new connections
Multiple ways to form new connections
Options to choose who to talk to
Options to choose who to talk to
Now it's time to put Bite Buddy to the test! I built a low-fi prototype to connect the flow of key features: feeling check-ins, meal logging, community connection, and getting education.
Why low-fi? It lets me test the core user journey early on, identify any roadblocks, and fine-tune Bite Buddy before investing tons of time.
Now it's time to put Bite Buddy to the test! I built a low-fi prototype to connect the flow of key features: feeling check-ins, meal logging, community connection, and getting education.
Why low-fi? It lets me test the core user journey early on, identify any roadblocks, and fine-tune Bite Buddy before investing tons of time.
Prototype
Prototype
01 Usability Testing
01 Usability Testing
The usability studies was conducted to gather users' feedback about the low-fidelity prototype. During the session, the participants were asked to perform several key tasks and then share about their experiences with BiteBuddy.
The usability studies was conducted to gather users' feedback about the low-fidelity prototype. During the session, the participants were asked to perform several key interactions and then share about their experiences with BiteBuddy.
Participants
6 participants who had issues with eating or showed similar symptoms.
Participants
6 participants who had issues with eating or showed similar symptoms.
Format
Moderated via Zoom
30 minutes for each session
Format
Moderated via Zoom
30 minutes for each session
Findings
Findings
Participants need an easier way to access past conversations.
Participants hope to archive and retrieve therapists' profiles easily.
Participants need a more convenient way to enter a meal log.
Participants need more positive affirmations and feedback whenever they complete a task.
Participants need an easier way to access past conversations.
Participants hope to archive and retrieve therapists' profiles easily.
Participants need a more convenient way to enter a meal log.
Participants need more positive affirmations and feedback whenever they complete a task.
02 Design Decisions
02 Design Decisions
Usability testing revealed areas for improvement, so I went back to the Figma board. The result? An improved design that perfectly aligns with user needs and delivers a delightful user experience.
I iterated the design according to insights gained from the usability testing. Specific changes were also made to help BiteBuddy be better aligned with users' needs and render a more enjoyable user experience.
03 Improvements in the High-Fidelity Prototype
03 Improvements in the High-Fidelity Prototype
Improvement #1: Easy access to past conversations
Easy access to past conversations
Users can view their past conversations with therapists, the AI friend, and other users no matter what pages they’re at. This feature help better address the user pain point “Loneliness“.
Users can view their past conversations with therapists, the AI friend, and other users no matter what pages they’re at. This feature help better address the user pain point “Loneliness“.
Before usability study: inconvenient to access past conversations.
Before usability study: inconvenient to access past conversations.
After usability study: access past conversations from any page.
After usability study: access past conversations from any page.
Improvement #2: Direct access to therapist directory in the “Community” page
Improvement #2: Direct access to therapist directory in the “Community” page
Therapist directory is included on the "community" page to ensure that users can easily locate therapists there.
Therapist directory is included on the "community" page to ensure that users can easily locate therapists there.
Before usability study: users need to access the therapist directory under “Talk to someone“
Before usability study: users need to access the therapist directory under “Talk to someone“
After usability study: users can directly find the directory in the “Community“ page
After usability study: users can directly find the directory in the “Community“ page
Improvement #3: In the meal log, food categories were added for users to choose
Improvement #3: In the meal log, food categories were added for users to choose
In addition to typing the meal log, users can also select food from the food categories. This allows quicker and easier meal log entry.
In addition to typing the meal log, users can also select food from the food categories. This allows quicker and easier meal log entry.
Before usability study: users can only type when making meal log entry
Before usability study: users can only type when making meal log entry
After usability study: there are existing food options available for quicker and easier entry
After usability study: there are existing food options available for quicker and easier entry
Rewards or positive statements after users finish tasks.
Rewards or positive statements after users finish tasks.
I decided to incorporate a reward system with uplifting messages and growing a virtual tree with every completed task. The more users use Bite Buddy, the more their tree flourishes, reflecting the amazing progress!
I decided to incorporate a reward system with uplifting messages and growing a virtual tree with every completed task. The more users use Bite Buddy, the more their tree flourishes, reflecting the amazing progress!
Before usability study: no encouragement when users complete an exercise
Before usability study: no encouragement when users complete an exercise
After usability study: Users get positive messages and rewards for completing tasks or submissions to nourish a visual "Progress Tree".
After usability study: Users get positive messages and rewards for completing tasks or submissions to nourish a visual "Progress Tree".
04 Accessibility Considerations
04 Accessibility Considerations
Input assistance
Users don’t need to type when making a meal log entry - they can select from the existing options.
Multiple medium
Allow multiple ways for users to connect with others, including video, audio, and messaging.
Icons
Icons and images are used extensively to aid navigation.
Input assistance
Users don’t need to type when making a meal log entry - they can select from the existing options.
Multiple medium
Allow multiple ways for users to connect with others, including video, audio, and messaging.
Icons
Icons and images are used extensively to aid navigation.
05 Key Mockups
05 Key Mockups
BiteBuddy connects users with resources and community and improve self-reflection to aid their eating disorder recovery. Users can use it to record their feelings and behaviors, form new connections, and learn practical skills.
BiteBuddy connects users with resources and community and improve self-reflection to aid their eating disorder recovery. Users can use it to record their feelings and behaviors, form new connections, and learn practical skills.
06 What users are saying
06 What users are saying
As I finished the final design, I shared the prototype with those participants again to gather their feedback. Let's take a look at how users feel about BiteBuddy!
As I finished the final design, I shared the prototype with those participants again to gather their feedback. Let's take a look at how users feel about BiteBuddy!
Elle
“Bite Buddy is so special as it can connect us with people sharing similar struggles – without the expense of stigma and our personal privacy.”
Elle
“Bite Buddy is so special as it can connect us with people sharing similar struggles – without the expense of stigma and our personal privacy.”
Kayla
“I’ve been clueless about whom I should talk to… Bite Buddy allows me to access professional therapists and people who can support me.”
Kayla
“I’ve been clueless about whom I should talk to… Bite Buddy allows me to access professional therapists and people who can support me.”
Reflection
Reflection
01 What I learned
01 What I learned
Ditch the Preconceived App!
Starting with a blank slate was tough – I made the mistake of having concrete ideas about the final product in the beginning. However, then I realized that the best features come from solving real user problems. Bite Buddy should focus on what truly matters: empowering users on their recovery journey.
Ditch the Preconceived App!
Starting with a blank slate was tough – I made the mistake of having concrete ideas about the final product in the beginning. However, then I realized that the best features come from solving real user problems. Bite Buddy should focus on what truly matters: empowering users on their recovery journey.
02 If I have more time, I will…
02 If I have more time, I will…
Collaborate with mental health professionals to develop professional educational resources exclusive for BiteBuddy
Make the rewards system more fun and engaging
More customized options
Collaborate with mental health professionals to develop professional educational resources exclusive for BiteBuddy
Make the rewards system more fun and engaging
More customized options
