Clarity at glance

For LePal app, I worked with beta users to identify usability issues for its 8 core features and introduced new features to improve the usage experience for the mobile app.
‍This was a part of internship that lasted for 2 months with the growth team, the first month was research phase and the second phase was the design and testing phase.These periods involved regular stakeholder meetings, feedback and quality check sessions to ensure the design was aligned with product vision.

The landscape

WHAT IS LEPAL APP?
LePal is an AI-powered mental health game app. Targeting younger generation (12 - 20) the goal is to use gamified features to make self care more fun and consistent.

~"Gen Z users prefer affordable mental healthcare, which schools struggle to provide"~
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WHAT WAS THE SCENARIO?
As the LePal team progressed from Alpha to Beta, they wanted to improve as they grow. The users had higher expectations but the metrics revealed a hard reality, dwindling retention rates leading to less conversion from users

OUTCOMES‍

⬆️ 18%
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‍Increase in engagement and time spent on the app screens for all the features

⬆️ 30%
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Increase is SUS system usability scale satisfaction
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👤 500+

App downloads after beta lauch

Uncharted territory

LePal's low conversion rates indicated friction with their features
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01

Lack of clear strategy of the purpose of each feature led to users getting confused on how the platform benefits them.

02

Technical glitches, slow responses times and high clicking rates affected the performance of these features.

03

The features were underutilized and there were additional expectations from the users for engaging content.

Why is this a challenge?

As users installed the app, we found out that they stopped using the app after a few first days. The metrics revealed lesser engagement and decrease in understanding the difference between features as the users explored the app.

Empathy expedition

To understand what we already knew, We gathered background information on the users. To figure out what we didn't which was the reasons for retention rate we contacted existing app users by conducting user interviews for feedback. Lastly I prompted users to do certains tasks on the app as they thought aloud on their experience while using the real time.

~"Its not what they say, its what they do"~

📱

10+ Usability tests and think alouds by participants to improve existing features.

🧑🏽

10+ user interviews to understand what users expect for additional value to the features.

📝
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80+ participants for surveys to gauge what users already do for mental health treatment
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Illuminating insights block by block
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‍Using the app was like getting invited to a grand party where guests arrive to find a dull, empty foyer with no music.
‍After having data points on 8+ features, I decided to prioritized all of them on the basis of section, issue, priority, possible solution, issue type and number of users affected. These also helped me align the product roadmap accordingly.
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Information hierarchy: To analyze how users perceive information, I added a few headers and made the grid more evident, added more font sizes by organizing the content. I chose these visual design elements because the colors, and fonts were already in line with the existing design systems, this way users can be eased in on the UI update.

‍Purpose of the features: It was important for users to understand why they should use a feature and reward them for committing, I added gamification rewards, and add descriptors for users so they know what each feature means by conducting testing.

Taking inspiration from habit tracking and language learning app, I made it visually clear of the rewards where users could imagine the progress and be motivated.

Our data revealed users only use the app during stressful times and there was a need to engage more with the app, Gamification, Referral benefits and social proofing were some of the strategies to boost engagement and also invite more users to the platform.

For the beta, phase these were some of the promised developments that could be completed by sticking to the scope in a timely manner.

The sightseeing

Homepage

• Structure to layout aided users to reduce cognitive load
• Added social accountability
• Feature description text gives more user clarity

AI therapy chat
‍• Mini games to elevate user mood
• Resources sources for more user transparency
• Mutliple gateways to nudge users to the right features

Community Page
‍• Social Accountability
• Connect with like minded individuals
• See friends based on your interests and mutuals.

Notifications

• Easy share for app invitation
• Plugging connecting to community

Learnings I will take forward to my next adventure
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💡

I understood not only to find existing problems but also to ask questions and take initiative on a growth strategy that the leadership is undertaking so my designs meet with the vision.

🖼️

When applicable to be as creative as one can be, users prefer innovation and it adds to their curiosity.

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🧑🏻🤝🧑🏿

Group effort always brings success home, one person cannot have the “best” ideas everytime, and combined insights from the team lead to a better outcome.

Time to reflect...
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I believe every opportunity brings experiences that go well and there are challenges. I think my growth team was the best but I do believe I was hoping more communication from the leadership team. These experiences will shape my oncoming adventures. Overall, it was a lot of fun to meet with passionate bunch of people.

How did I drive retention for a mental health start-up by improving usage experience for their consumer app?

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How did I improve seller shipping experience on this platform?