Vitality
Role
Graphic/UX Designer, Researcher
Client
Wellbeing+Emotion Lab Loyola University
Date
May 16, 2025
Project Type
Brand & Mobile App
Project overview
Introduction
The WELL lab’s program of research is guided by a salutogenesis framework that guides their research focused on optimizing affective and cognitive function to cultivate positive health and wellbeing outcomes across the lifespan. They support open and transparent science practices and take a multi-method approach to addressing research questions. Dr. Rebecca Silton, our main point of contact, had the idea of Vitality, and our team of 11 executed her vision. The Target Users: College students ages 18–25 who want a mental wellness app that supports mindfulness and fitness, fits into their morning or evening routines, and integrates with wearables.
Concept and approach
Diving in
How might we design a solution that empowers users to enhance their vitality, enabling them to fully savor and appreciate positive experiences in the present moment, while fostering the development of sustainable, healthy habits that lead to measurable improvements of wellbeing? Our team collaborated closely and quickly to do competitive and comparative research to gather insights on how to make Vitality different from what currently exists in the app market. These garden-inspired assets represent the fluid, complex, and ever-changing nature of emotion. They move beyond the idea of boxing a user into a single feeling, celebrating instead how emotions are dynamic, layered, and constantly overlapping.
Conclusion and findings
Outcomes
We identified and analyzed the current competitors in the field of health and wellness services, as well as conducted user surveys and interviews. Our research indicated a strong desire among participants ages 18-25 to implement meditation and mindfulness exercises, fitness, and connecting the app to a wearable. We created an app that was flexible and customizable to user goals, minimal with visual imagery, is extremely personal and intuitive. Our key takeaways and final design included: - Prioritizing ease of use and accessibility - Avoiding reliance on self reported data - Promoting long-term user engagement and retention - Including popular features but insure they address user needs
