According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience mental illness. However, 57% of those adults do not receive mental health services that can help reduce daily suffering and help individuals move towards recovery. The structure of mental health care is complex and difficult to navigate, especially for those who may be struggling to cope with mental illness.
The main objective of user research was to identify the major barriers that individuals encounter when seeking mental health care. I conducted secondary research utilizing webpages and articles from reputable national healthcare organizations, to gain a wider understanding of mental illness and the state of mental healthcare. While there are many issues surrounding access to mental healthcare, the research phase helped me to narrow the scope of this project.
Since mental health tends to be a sensitive and personal topic, it was crucial to focus on leading the discussion with empathy and compassion. Each participant was asked a series of interview questions focused on their individual experiences with accessing care in the past, support from peers or family members, and the biggest challenges they encountered.
I created an affinity map to organize the major findings and recognize common concerns from interview participants. Two main types of users became apparent through the use of empathy maps: the first user seeking care for a long-term mental health condition, and the second user seeking care for a short-term situational mental health concern.
The two categories of users from the empathy maps helps lay the foundation for two personas. It was important to include two personas with different characteristics, since mental illness affects individuals of any and all backgrounds.
Through the process of brainstorming, I decided to create a website that walks users through the process of understanding their mental health and shows the user how to take practical steps to get treatment for mental health concerns. The product should be focused on what is relevant to each individual, and provide information about what to expect at each point in seeking and receiving treatment.
Iterating through pen and paper sketches allowed me to quickly test out a range of web screens, and visualize how those screens could potentially connect together.
I created low-fidelity screens and wireflows for the routes that would be the most common on the site. The main focus was to minimize the amount of content on the screen, and create screens that followed a logical flow. I utilized the tool Overflow to connect the screens for this low-fidelity prototype.
The mission of Compass is to help individuals navigate the complexities of mental healthcare, and feel empowered to take steps towards healing. Compass should be clear and intentional with all communication. There should be a balance of professionalism to increase trust in the product, and optimism to help individuals feel capable of accessing care. Moving forward in the design process for Compass, I focused on the following attributes: simple, trustworthy, encouraging, effective, inclusive.
User testing was conducted throughout the design process, and led to minor changes to assist the user in navigating the site. For example, “back” buttons were added and an underline in the navigation bar to show which page the user is on at any given time.
In final user testing, Compass received positive feedback regarding design and function. Users expressed positive sentiments regarding the visual design, and found Compass to be calming and comforting. Most said that the content was easy to navigate, and noted that they were not overwhelmed by the content.