UX UI Case Study
Evaluu: a feedback-based app that enhances mental health within the Italian working environment
About the project
Evaluu is a feedback-based app that enhances mental health within the Italian working environment. It facilitates sharing opinions among coworkers and identifying frustrating and rewarding team tasks. Evaluu supports project management and talent-based task assignments, contributing to improved mental well-being and productivity.
Problem Space
In Italy, work-related stress leads to unhealthy habits and mental health issues for over half of workers. Many feel unable to discuss these concerns openly, relying solely on family for support due to the stigma surrounding mental health. Companies lack adequate support services, leaving employees without the necessary resources. There's a critical need for accessible solutions to promote mental well-being in the workplace.
Goal
My goal is to understand and address the mental health challenges faced by Italian workers, aiming to improve overall well-being in the workplace.
Role:
UX/UI Designer, Researcher, Prototyper
Timeline:
3 Weeks, 2024
Tools:
Figma, OpenAi, Slack
Os:
Android
Learning about the problem
According to Microsoft's 2021 Work Trend Index report, 73% of workers want flexible working arrangements for the future.
According to a report by MindWork - BVA-Doxa, only 28% believe that their company has an inclusive organizational culture.
Over 9 out of 10 people want the company to deal with psychological well-being.
However, in 67% of Italian companies, the psychological support service is not present.
Less than 4 out of 10 people would share problems related to anxiety, insomnia, depression, or personal problems with their boss.
Determining what I think is the problem
I believe that communication systems promoting well-being and inclusivity within companies are still insufficient in Italian working environments. I'll know if this is true if all of my interviewees will talk about difficulties in sharing ideas or problems with communication with their colleagues or higher-ups.
Research Methodology: User Interviews
By conducting the user interview I was able to gather insights from Italian workers regarding their mental health experiences in the workplace, understanding their motivations, behaviors, and frustrations.
-
Currently employed in Italy
Adults aged between 25 and 45 years
Varying levels of work experience
Represent a diverse range of job roles and positions
Experienced work-related frustration or mental health problems like burn out or similar
-
Outline of interview questions. Some questions have been slightly changed or adapted to the needs of the interviewee. Each interviewee was informed about the course of the interview, its purpose, and time. Everyone voluntarily agreed to record or note down the conversation. Each interview was preceded by a short introductory conversation.
Problem space specific open-ended questions:
How would you rate the environment between employees at your current job?
What makes you feel happy about your work?
Is the topic of mental health present in your work environment? How? Why?
What value do you give to your free time?
What could you improve in your work-life balance?
Do you feel free to take your holidays freely?
What is the most stressful part about your job?
Does work affect your sleep or nutrition? Why yes, Why not.
Who do you talk to about work-related problems?
How comfortable do you feel discussing mental health concerns with your colleagues or supervisors?
Can you recall and describe a situation when you had a problem and tried to talk to someone at work about it?. How was it received?
What changes would you like to see in your workplace to better support mental health and well-being?
Can you tell me about a situation where you felt treated differently because of your gender?
What would you be like at work if you belonged to a different gender than yours?
What would you like your work to look like in the future?
How could your work environment be more inclusive?
-
In addition to the user frustrations and challenges uncovered, I also learned valuable lessons about conducting effective user interviews:
Active Listening: The importance of active listening became evident during the interviews. By fully engaging with participants' responses, I gained deeper insights into their experiences and needs.
Avoiding Leading Questions: I recognized the significance of asking open-ended questions to encourage participants to share their genuine thoughts and experiences without leading them towards a specific response.
Minimizing Biases: To ensure the interview process was unbiased, I made a conscious effort to minimize my own biases. This approach helped create a more neutral and open environment for participants to express themselves authentically.
Summary of interviewee profiles
Summary of interviewee profiles
Extracting Pain Points, Behaviors, and Motivations from Interviews to Develop Meaningful Themes
Reflecting on how I could solve the problem...
Understanding the user needs by creating the persona
Verifying assumptions
Creating User Stories and Task Flow
After understanding the problems and needs of my users better, I developed a list of user stories, and then I categorized them into different epics. For my main epic, I chose “Feedback and Communication” since it was the biggest group that I created based on my interviews. Finally, I developed 10 user stories from this epic, which directly contributed to selecting the main features of my solution.
-
As a young professional in Italy working from home I:
want a communication platform SO THAT I CAN collaborate more efficiently with my colleagues
want a anonymous feedback system SO THAT I CAN track the progress and work improvement without being exposed
want virtual team-building activities scheduling platform SO THAT I CAN feel more engaged and connected while working from home.
want a solution to voice my concerns and suggest improvements SO THAT I CAN have a collaborative work environment.
want clear career pathway plan SO THAT I CAN stay motivated and focused on my professional development.
want innovative collaboration tools SO THAT I CAN enhance teamwork and productivity in a virtual work environment.
want clear career progression SO THAT I CAN have a clarity in future growth within the company.
want regular performance evaluation meetings SO THAT I CAN improve at work and grow professionally and personally.
want networking events SO THAT I CAN to feel more comfortable with my colleagues and feel less lonely.
want a company activity platform SO THAT I CAN engage with others and create meaningful relationships.
-
As a young professional in Italy working from home I:
want communication channel SO THAT I CAN collaborate more efficiently with my colleagues
want a constructive feedback system SO THAT I CAN grow professionally and personally.
want virtual team-building activities SO THAT I CAN feel more engaged and connected while working from home
want access to support services SO THAT I CAN cope with work-related stress and anxiety effectively.
want flexible work hour arrangements SO THAT I CAN regain control over my schedule and improve work-life balance.
want recognition beyond monetary rewards SO THAT I CAN feel valued and appreciated.
want opportunities for skill development SO THAT I CAN feel long-term job satisfaction.
want a platform to voice concerns and suggest improvements SO THAT I CAN work in a collaborative work environment.
want clear career progression pathways SO THAT I CAN stay motivated and focused on my professional development.
want innovative collaboration tools SO THAT I CAN enhance teamwork and productivity in a virtual work environment
want access to mental health support services SO THAT I CAN address work-related stress and maintain well-being
want stability amidst organizational changes SO THAT I CAN maintain job satisfaction and productivity.
want clear career progression pathways SO THAT I CAN have a clarity in future growth within the company
want opportunities for cross-functional collaboration SO THAT I CAN enhance professional development.
want regular performance evaluations SO THAT I CAN track progress and identify areas for improvement
want access to mentorship and networking opportunities SO THAT I CAN advance my career.
want a supportive and inclusive work culture SO THAT I CAN foster creativity and innovation.
want adequate resources and tools SO THAT I CAN perform my job effectively.
want more flexible company policies SO THAT I CAN adjust my lifestyle.
want to reduce work-related stress SO THAT I CAN focus on personal well-being.
want to have the option to adjust my level of commitment SO THAT I CAN focus on other aspects of my life as well.
want ways to connect with others SO THAT I CAN avoid loneliness.
want effective time management tools SO THAT I CAN have a healthy lifestyle.
want an adequate rest SO THAT I CAN prevent burnout.
Collecting and analyzing UI inspirations for my solution
Defining solution
Creating Wireframes
Testing
After conducting usability testing on the app, I found that users found it easy and intuitive to use. However, some users had trouble with the word "evaluation" as it had negative connotations for some and confused the content of the app for most users.
Additionally, the placement of the "Start Evaluation" button on the main board was confusing to some users, and it wasn't clear what type of evaluations they would be beginning. The use of arrows with call-to-action buttons also caused confusion instead of helping users. Finally, I recommend simplifying the first page of the survey to improve user experience.
-
Task 1 starting page
5/5 users understand the purpose of the app
4/5 users understand how to proceed to the next page
1/5 user finds the starting button a bit confusing due to its position close to the image/logo
5/5 finds the use of the text helpful in understanding the goal of the app
5/5 have good first impression about the app
Task 2 understanding the main dashboard
5/5 users find dashboard page interesting and well organized
4/5 users understand better the goal of the app after looking at the dashboard
5/5 users would move across the dashboard easily
Task 3 start the evaluation
5/5 users find confusing the use of the word “evaluation”
2/5 users find the word evaluation too negative and judgemental, they would feel that they are being evaluated/rated
5/5 users would prefer the wording “feedback” as more positive
4/5 users find confusing the button “start evaluation’ - it is not clear what they are going to evaluate, is it going to be a new evaluation or one of the pending - not sure
task 4 start a survey
5/5 users like the use of progress indicator with %
5/5 users like the display of the survey
5/5 find the use of arrows and action buttons to be confusing
5/5 users like the use of labels, icons and number of steps
task 5 completing the survey and coming back to the dashboard
5/5 find the survey to be easy to follow
5/5 find the survey interactive and interesting
5/5 users say that survey is well organized and easy to follow
1/5 users would like to have a section dividers between the questions for better reading
Iterating
Delivering
Key Learnings
In creating a feedback app for mental health in Italian workplaces, key priorities included user empathy, privacy, and usability. Understanding mental health challenges guided an app design that encourages open dialogue and respects user privacy. Usability testing ensures the app is intuitive and continuously improved based on user feedback.
Through this UX experience, I gained valuable insights into UX design and about myself. I learned a range of skills from design methodologies to soft skills and professional development. Here are some key learnings:
-
User Empathy and Mental Health Awareness: Understanding the unique challenges and sensitivities related to mental health in the workplace, which guided the design decisions to ensure a supportive and non-intrusive user experience.
Feedback Collection and Privacy: Implementing robust feedback collection mechanisms while prioritizing user privacy and confidentiality, considering the sensitive nature of mental health discussions.
Clear and Empathetic Communication: Emphasizing clear and empathetic communication in the app's interface to encourage open dialogue and reduce stigma associated with discussing mental health in a professional context.
User-Centric Design: Prioritizing user needs and preferences in the design process to create a feedback app that is intuitive and easy to use for professionals.
Usability Testing: Conducting usability tests with target users to gather feedback and iterate on the app design, ensuring it meets user expectations and enhances user experience.
Feedback Loop: Recognizing the importance of incorporating user feedback into the design process to continuously improve the app's usability and functionality.
Information Architecture: Developing a clear and organized information architecture that allows users to navigate the app efficiently and find relevant features easily.