The Background

Living with a chronic illness affects millions of Americans, requiring complex daily health management that extends beyond medical care into all aspects of life. According to the CDC, 6 in 10 U.S. adults have at least one chronic disease, and 4 in 10 manage multiple conditions. This means that over 133 million people face challenges balancing health monitoring, personal care, and household tasks while navigating the physical and mental toll of their conditions. Current solutions often target specific conditions or focus on certain demographics, such as seniors, which can leave gaps in comprehensive support for those who don’t fit these categories.

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The Audience

Independent individuals with chronic illnesses who struggle to ask for help and need understanding community support plus energy tracking tools to get assistance before reaching crisis points.

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The Solution

A peer support app that empowers people with chronic conditions by connecting them to a compassionate community, with proactive energy tracking and automatic help alerts so they never have to ask.

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The Process

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Empathize

Human Research

I conducted in-depth interviews with 10 participants (ages 20–65), each managing a range of chronic conditions including chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, heart disease, Lyme disease, diabetes, and mental health challenges.

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Interview Questions

1. What's your age range? (18-25, 26-35, 36-50, 51-65, or 65+)

2. Tell me about any chronic health conditions you're managing.

3. What are your biggest day-to-day challenges in managing your health?

4. If you could wave a magic wand and create the perfect solution to help manage your healthcare, what would that look like?

5. How do you currently get help or support in managing your health?

6. What tools or services have you found that actually help?

7. What's worked well for you and what hasn't? Why?

8. Have you ever tried to get professional help with daily health-related tasks?

9. If you've tried hiring help before, how did that go?

10. What would make you feel comfortable getting help from someone?

11. Do you have any specific accessibility needs?

12. Is there anything else you'd like to share about managing your health that we haven't talked about?

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Competitive analysis reveals that two out of three top competitors, primarily focus on senior care, leaving individuals between the ages of 20-45 with chronic conditions underserved. None offer real-time support or foster a true sense of community.

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Define

Affinity Mapping research shows that participants expressed a strong desire for independence and effective self-management, but face daily challenges due to systemic healthcare barriers, isolation, and the burden of managing complex conditions alone.

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Most important takeaway: Many are reluctant to ask for help, preferring support that feels proactive, non-judgmental, and personalized. Key unmet needs include affordable, consistent care, trustworthy assistance, and tools that reduce isolation while maintaining a sense of control.

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User Persona

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How might we help people like Samantha receive timely, appropriate support during MS flare-ups without requiring her to explicitly ask for help each time?

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POV Statement

Develop

Storyboard

Based on insights from Samantha’s story and others like hers, I began visualizing how a more compassionate, low-effort support system might look in practice.

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Sitemap

I started mapping out the navigation with a focus on making help feel effortless and non-judgmental. I wanted users to receive the support they need without having to ask and to manage their energy without spending more of it.

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User Flows

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Moodboard

I chose colors like marigold, coral, and cream to reflect the feeling of a soft sunrise, bringing warmth, gentle energy, and a sense of renewal. These colors are meant to uplift users who may be low on energy without feeling overstimulating.

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I chose Capriola for its friendly, approachable style that feels warm and human, reflecting the compassionate tone of the app. Inter was selected for its clean, modern readability, ensuring clarity and accessibility for all users across all devices.

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Typography

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Low Fidelity Wireframes

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Deliver

High Fidelity Wireframes

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Prototyping

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Usability Testing

Participants were invited to test two User Flows:

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1. A new user signing up and completing onboarding utilizing AI support.

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2. A returning user accepting an offer and leaving feedback for a completed visit.

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Analysis

During usability testing, it was observed that users frequently clicked on "Sign Up" instead of "Login." This indicates a potential confusion or a mismatch between user expectations and the interface design. Users may perceive "Sign Up" as the primary call-to-action due to its prominence or wording, even when they intend to log in. I also discovered an error in prototyping that resulted in the search bar linking via text instead of the search bar itself.

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Iterate

Based on usability testing, I focused on refining moments of friction that disrupted the user flow. This included adding an automatic closure to the request window after actions like accepting help or leaving feedback, and designing a simple, viewable profile for caregivers so users feel informed before accepting support.

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Key Takeaways

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