COMPLEAT PLAN
Designing a comprehensive, adaptive, and user-centered wellness app from concept to prototype
PROJECT TYPE: Mobile App
ROLE: Lead UX/UI Designer
INTRODUCTION
PROBLEM & OPPORTUNITY
Over twenty-five years ago, I made a commitment to transform my health. That personal journey fueled a curiosity that led me to pursue a PhD in nutrition, where I dove deep into the science of what truly supports lasting wellness. With this knowledge, I started a fitness business to help others achieve similar results. But I kept thinking: how could I reach even more people? How can I make behavioral change more accessible and sustainable? That’s when the idea for a wellness app started taking shape—a tool to make science-backed nutrition, fitness and behavioral guidance accessible to busy, everyday people who just need a place to start and a clear path forward.
Naturally, I decided to tackle this problem in my very first capstone project as a UX/UI designer in training at Springboard. The secondary research I conducted (via Google Scholar, Statista, Pew Research Center, JSTOR ,Project MUSE, PubMed, Medline, ProQuest, etc) resonated strongly with what I had witnessed working as a nutrition and fitness professional. Several key points emerged:​​​​​
1
Healthy lifestyles are desirable but difficult
Most people want to live healthier lives, but consistently implementing these habits proves challenging. Despite high levels of motivation, health behavior change often fails because daily routines and ingrained habits are hard to shift.
2
"Lack of time" is the bigest obstacle to healthier living
Lack of time stands out as a top barrier, especially for busy individuals juggling work, family, travel, and other responsibilities.Other barriers include lack of motivation, confusion of conflicting information and the perception that health behaviors require significant effort.
3
Apps have the potential to help improve health
Mobile health (or mHealth) apps offer an accessible and potentially powerful way to overcome some of these barriers, helping people track progress, set goals, and access information at their convenience. The accessibility and personalization that technology allows could make healthy behaviors easier to adopt.
4
The health app landscape is overwhelming and confusing
However, the market is oversaturated with health apps, and users often feel overwhelmed by the volume of choices. This results in decision fatigue, where people may abandon their search or settle for apps that only partially meet their needs.Many apps also focus on single aspects of wellness, such as fitness or nutrition, rather than addressing health holistically. This fragmentation makes it challenging for users to get a complete solution.Paradoxically, some apps, while aiming to simplify health habits, end up being time-consuming or complicated to use, deterring users from consistently engaging with them.
The gist of this secondary research was that a truly effective health app would need to simplify the experience, reduce decision fatigue, and offer a comprehensive approach to wellness. By addressing the whole person and being user-friendly, apps could better support users in making sustainable behavior changes. Guided by this idea, I set upon conducting further, primary research, with the objective of creating an app that would effectively enable busy, wellness-minded individuals not only achieve, but stick to a healthier, happier, and more balanced lifestyle in the long run.
ROLE & CHALLENGE
For this project, I took on the full lifecycle of creating an app from scratch - from conducting extensive research and performing user interviews, to designing the app’s interface and experience. This end-to-end approach allowed me to dive deep into each stage of the design process, from understanding user needs to wireframing, prototyping, and iterating based on feedback. Throughout, I had invaluable mentorship from my Springboard advisor, who guided me with insights that enriched my understanding of UX principles and design thinking, ultimately shaping a more user-centered and polished final product.
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Working within a tight time limit as part of an intensive bootcamp and handling all aspects of the project alone meant prioritizing essential features over extensive functionality. These constraints required me to manage my time and resources effectively, make efficient design decisions, and stay focused on creating a minimal viable product.
DISCOVERY
AUDIENCE
Prior to beginning primary research, I screened for potential users who lead busy, modern lifestyles and have an interest in wellness. These individuals were either actively participating in wellness activities or planning to start soon, and most had tried wellness apps to some extent. This approach allowed me to focus on users with real desire to improve their health but who may face challenges like time constraints or the struggle to maintain consistency, even with the support of wellness apps.
METHODS
To recruit participants, I leveraged social media (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Slack) and reached out through my personal and professional contacts (e.g., family, relatives, friends, acquaintances, clients). As mentioned earlier, I began with a short screening survey to identify individuals who meet my audience criteria (i.e., focusing on those with busy lifestyles and an interest in wellness). Seventeen (17) individuals responded to my screener, 59% of whom wanted to continue with a further interview. From them I selected 5 participants (3 women and 2 men) who fit the target profile for my app.
I then conducted 30 to 45-minute, remote, semi-structured interviews via Zoom, which allowed for a mix of open-ended questions and guided discussion, giving participants the flexibility to share their experiences and challenges with wellness in-depth, while also ensuring I covered key topics. These insights provided a deeper understanding of their needs, motivations, and pain points.
SYNTHESIS
Affinity Mapping
I began synthesizing my research findings using affinity mapping. This method allowed me to virtually organize the qualitative data from the interviews by grouping similar behaviors and insights into categories, sub-categories, and themes. Affinity mapping was particularly effective because it helped me make sense of a large amount of information and see patterns emerge naturally. By clustering related ideas and comments, I could identify the most common pain points, motivations, and needs among users. This process made it easier to translate diverse user experiences into actionable insights, guiding me towards a more user-centered design.
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Empathy Mapping
With these clustered themes in mind, I transitioned into empathy mapping to break down each theme by the perspectives of “saying,” “thinking,” “doing,” and “feeling,” allowing for a more holistic view of users’ experiences, desires, and frustrations. By understanding the emotional and cognitive landscape of each user type, I could better empathize with their unique wellness journeys and motivations.
User Personas
Empathy mapping laid the foundation for developing two distinct user personas, each with unique goals, pain points, and needs. The first persona, Alex Strong, is an experienced fitness enthusiast who values tracking metrics like workouts, calories, and performance over time. This user is motivated by progress tracking and optimizing results. The second persona, Mia Torn, is a novice in fitness, more interested in connecting with the emotional and mental aspects of wellness. This user seeks motivation, guidance, and a more supportive approach to building healthy habits rather than focusing on data.
Senior Manager
Alex Strong
Age: 47
Work: Senior Manager
Family: Partnered, kid-free
Location: Washington, DC
Character: Planner
Freelancer
Mia Torn
Age: 40
Work: Freelancer
Family: Partnered, with kid/s
Location: Sofia, BG
Character: Caregiver
Being healthy enables me to do the things that make me happy, like traveling or hiking.
Being healthy means being balanced, present in the moment, and able to empathize.
Bio
Alex is a healthy, middle-aged professional in the prime of his life. He has been successful at changing his health for the better. He used to struggle with maintaining a healthy weight - lacking physical activity, eating chaotically, and/or drinking too much - but changed course after a health scare. He is determined to stay in control of his health and wellness in order to be able to do the things that make life worth it for him.
Bio
Mia is a busy freelance professional in her early 40s. She has dabbled in health and wellness in the past but those habits didn't stick. She often struggles with motivation and discipline, and is distracted by a hectic work and family schedule. She is overwhelmed by the sheer volume of conflicting wellness advice out there. Mia aspires to live a more balanced life in order to feel more energetic and present in her relationships with others.
Frustrations
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Too many apps/devices
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Lack of integration
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Lack of holistic health overview
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Lack of credible information
Frustrations
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Little knowledge or experience with health tech
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Lack of motivation, discipline, and structure
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Busy work and family schedule
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Overwhelming or conflicting wellness information
GOALS
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Maintain healthy habits
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Approach wellness holistically
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Age with grace without pain
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Enjoy life to the fullest
GOALS
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Build better health habits holistically
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Stay focused following a plan
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Feel more balanced and energetic
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Be present in relationships with others
TRAITS
TRAITS
TECH SAVVINESS
Multi-device
Uni-device
App addict
App dabbler
Always
Unplugged
TECH SAVVINESS
Multi-device
Uni-device
App addict
App dabbler
Always
Unplugged
Budget
Low
High
Budget
Low
High
PLANNING
Low
High
PLANNING
Low
High
MOTIVATIONS
Incentive
Fear
Control
Achievement
Social
Family
MOTIVATIONS
Incentive
Fear
Control
Achievement
Social
Family
WELLNESS TOOLS
Apps & websites
Tracking devices
Personal training
Medical or expert advice
Social media
WELLNESS TOOLS
Apps & websites
Tracking devices
Personal training
Medical or expert advice
Social media
JTBD Analysis & HMW Questions
For these two personas I conducted a “Jobs To Be Done” (JTBD) analysis, which helped me clarify the core tasks and outcomes each user seeks to accomplish, and ultimately, frame key issues as “How Might We” (HMW) questions. These HMW questions provided a more targeted approach to problem-solving. For example, insights from the experienced wellness seeker persona led to questions like “How might we provide a comprehensive dashboard that integrates multiple wellness metrics for a holistic view of personal health?”, “How might we offer flexible tracking and planning options to fit into varied and busy schedules?”, or “How might we facilitate meaningful expert feedback that feels personalized and actionable for experienced users?.” For the novice persona, key questions were “How might we guide users in building a balanced wellness routine one step at a time, starting with simple, achievable goals?”, “How might we create a welcoming, supportive community that encourages users to stay motivated and connected?”, and “How might we provide accessible expert advice that resonates with beginners, offering them confidence and clarity as they start new habits?”. Despite the differences, however, key insights across both personas pointed toward an app design that would ensure customization, a comprehensive experience, habit-forming support, simplified guidance, and differentiated feedback for different levels of awareness and experience.
Senior Manager
Alex Strong
Age: 47
Work: Senior Manager
Family: Partnered, kid-free
Location: Washington, DC
Character: Planner
Freelancer
Mia Torn
Age: 40
Work: Freelancer
Family: Partnered, with kid/s
Location: Sofia, BG
Character: Caregiver
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How might we integrate health & wellness metrics into a single, holistic view?
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How might we offer flexible tracking to fit busy schedules?
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How might we guide beginners with simple, achievable goals?
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How might we create a supportive community to maintain or improve motivation?
SOLUTIONS
After discussing JTBD and HMW questions for both personas with my mentor, I decided to focus my solutions on the less experienced audience, thinking that if I could effectively meet the needs of this audience, I would create a foundation that could also support more experienced users over time as the MVP evolved. By focusing initially on simplicity and habit building, the app would establish core features that could later expand to include more advanced tracking and customization options suitable for seasoned wellness enthusiasts.
DESIGN
DATA ARCHITECTURE
Before diving into early sketching and wireframing, I conducted a quick heuristic analysis of three (3) major market competitors - Fitbit, MyFitnessPal, and Cronometer - to ensure that my app’s design would be grounded in usability’s best practices. I also developed a site map and user flows to establish a clear structure and flow for the app.
Site Map
User Flows
This site map provided a high-level overview of the app’s main sections and features, helping me organize content logically and ensure that each section connected seamlessly. Meanwhile, my user flows mapped out the key paths users would take to complete taste, such as setting wellness goals, viewing plans, or tracking progress.
Onboarding Flow
View Plan Flow
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Progress Feedback Flow
Legend
LO-FI DESIGNS
Sketches & Low-Fidelity Wireframes
Given this foundational work, sketching and wireframing became more focused and effective. I drew initial concepts on paper, then scanned and organized them digitally, visually arranging them along the already defined user flows.
MID-FI DESIGNS
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes & Wireflows
This allowed me to see the sequence of tasks clearly and identify potential gaps or redundancies. In turn, scanned sketches became the blueprint for more refined wireframes and wireflows, translating rough ideas into more precise layouts capturing both primary user paths (red routes) and potential edge cases.
VISUAL DESIGN
Brand Identity & Mood Board
With wireframes, wireflows, and data architecture established, I was ready to shift my focus towards visual design, ensuring my app would not only function smoothly but also resonate aesthetically with users. To build a cohesive visual experience, I first developed a brand identity for the app as an accessible, trustworthy health coach - combining expertise with a disciplined yet supportive approach, and defined by qualities like comprehensiveness, cleverness, generosity, balance, and sustainability. I named the app “ComplEat Plan” to convey a holistic wellness journey, with “eat” underscoring nutrition’s importance and “plan” emphasizing the structure essential for lasting health. This foundation guided the creation of a logo that encapsulated the brand’s essence in a recognizable, memorable symbol. Next, I created a lightweight mood board to capture the visual tone and emotional feel, selecting colors, typography, and imagery that aligned with the brand identity.
Style Guide
From there I established a basic style guide to standardize these elements across the design, detailing everything from color palettes and fonts to button styles and spacing rules. This style guide served as a visual roadmap that ensured consistency and cohesion, while at the same time evolving thoughtfully through design iterations.
HI-FI DESIGNS
High-Fidelity Mockups
Ultimately, I crafted high-fidelity mockups that translated my brand’s vision into a more polished and cohesive interface.
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Prototype
The transition from hi-fidelity mockups to a fully interactive prototype involved carefully linking screens to simulate realistic user flows, capturing how users would navigate through tasks and interact with each feature. To prepare for usability testing, I incorporated feedback from prior design stages, adjusted interactions for smooth functionality, and polished visual elements to closely resemble the final product. This process transformed my static mockups into a working prototype, offering a tangible and immersive experience ready for real user insights, with the goal of validating design choice and uncovering areas for further improvement.
Click below to view my ComplEat Plan prototype:
VALIDATION
USABILITY TESTING & ITERATION
In the first round of usability testing, I focused on gathering users’ initial impressions of the app's visual appeal and structural clarity. I conducted five (5), approximately 30-minute remote testing sessions with likely app users, which included a short briefing, specific task performance, and follow-up debriefing. By observing real-time interactions, I uncovered several underlying usability issues, ranging from one critical (encountered by most) to a few cosmetic (encountered the least) . The only critical issue was an unresponsive back button. Major issues focused on clarifying elements like plan definition, duration, start date, or distinguishing between report and progress tracking. Minor issues revolved around the choice of progress bars, recipe views, and date pickers, while normal issues included cosmetic adjustments and button visibility.
Addressing this feedback, I iterated the app design and then conducted a second round of remote, moderated, 30-minute testing sessions with a different group of five (5) individuals. This time around users had even fewer difficulties or disagreements with the app’s design and architecture. In fact, all of them praised the simple, clean, and uncluttered interface, as well as the elegant and pretty visual design. Text, icons, and imagery were deemed clear, legible, and enticing, and there were no errors encountered while clicking through the UI. Key areas of improvement had to do with more complex, conceptual issues within the app, including further emphasizing the app’s “completeness”, incorporating more contextual guidance for users, and refining semantics by re-evaluating specific icon labels for better understanding.
CONCLUSION
This project has been an invaluable learning experience, deepening my understanding of how to align user needs with intuitive design. It strengthened my design skills in usability, user empathy, and strategic decision-making, preparing me to create thoughtful, impactful products in the future. ​​
KEY LESSONS
Importance of user-centered design
I learned that deeply understanding user needs and behavior is essential for creating a meaningful, supportive experience - especially for a wellness app that aims to create real change.
Value of iterative design
By continually refining based on feedback, I saw firsthand how iteration strengthens the final product, highlighting the need for flexibility in addressing both usability and conceptual issues as they arise.​​
Balancing information with simplicity
Designing for wellness required striking a balance between providing valuable information and keeping the interface intuitive, so users feel guided but not overwhelmed.
Clarity of purpose
​I recognized the importance of clearly communicating the app’s core purpose and unique value, as it directly impacted user engagement and perception of its benefits.
Effective onboarding and customization
​​​Developing an effective onboarding process and emphasizing customization options (like journaling) are crucial to helping users see the app as a tool that adapts to their needs, enhancing user commitment and success.
Attention to detail
From semantics to button visibility, I saw how even minor details impact user experience, making consistency and clarity essential to a polished design.
FUTURE STEPS
​Given more time, I would emphasize the value of a comprehensive wellness plan to ensure users fully grasp the app’s unique offerings. Additionally, I’d further highlight the journaling feature, clarifying that it’s the essential way for users to personalize the app to their unique needs. Finally, I’d create detailed yet succinct onboarding instructions, guiding users smoothly into the app’s core features and functionality from the start.