My Role
Team Lead, UX Designer, Researcher, UI Designer, UX Writing
Timeline
9 days
Team Size
6 People
About
SleepSmart is an application that focuses on the environment in which the user sleeps. It recognises the place you are in and automatically connects with the devices, providing personalised settings to create a better sleep environment. The user can also tailor the environment settings to their specific needs and save them for future sleeps.
My Contribution
As a user experience designer, I conducted research on sleep habits and user needs, leveraging this knowledge to design intuitive pathways and wireframes. In my role as a UI designer, I applied design principles, including color theory and typography, to create captivating interfaces for our Design System.
Project Overview
The Challenge
People struggling with sleep issues need a personalized sleep app to become more aware of their sleep patterns and motivated to improve their sleep quality.
Statistics show that sleep disorders affect millions of adults, leading to productivity loss and reduced well-being.
Goals
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Help users understand their sleep patterns
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Personalise sleep recommendations
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Improve sleep hygiene
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Enhance sleep environment
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Support sleep goal tracking
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Foster sleep routine adherence
Constraints
Before integrating AR and IOT technology into our app model, we had to ensure that we had a thorough understanding of the AR and IOT technologies, despite having limited time.
My Design Approach
We adopted an Agile framework alongside the Design thinking approach to ensure rapid delivery and continuous learning from valuable feedback.
01 Empathize
Validating the Problem
The initial phase was to conduct extensive research in order to comprehend the problem's scope and determine whether or not it actually exists. Based on our research, we discovered that:
34.8%
Americans report less than 7 hours of sleep
7-9hrs
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends adults sleep 7 to 9 hours per night
55%
Americans report less than 7 hours of sleep
60%
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends adults sleep 7 to 9 hours per night
50-70M
Americans report less than 7 hours of sleep
1 out of 3 Adults
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends adults sleep 7 to 9 hours per night
37%
37% of adults between the ages of 20 and 39 report short sleep duration (ASA, 2021).
40 %
40% of adults between the ages of 40 and 59 report short sleep duration (ASA, 2021).
Understanding Sleep
Once we understood that the problem exists the next step was to learn and understand everything their is about sleep. Even though we know the importance of sleep it and what is it it was time to dig a little deeper and leaving our assumptions aside.
Things that we researched on:
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What is sleep?
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Why it is important?
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Techniques for a good sleep
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Sleep Stages
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Adequate amount of sleep required as per age and gender
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Factors and Reasons Affecting Sleep
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Types of Sleep Deprivation and Disorders
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Remedies for Sleep Deprivation and Disorders
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Symptoms of Sleep Deprivation and Disorders
Note: We conducted this research on FigJam to collaborate together and get as many insights and information as possible to start with.
During our research, we discovered that sleep is influenced by two distinct categories of factors: internal and external. These factors have a significant impact on an individual's sleep quality and overall well-being. By understanding and addressing both internal and external elements, we can develop effective solutions to enhance the sleep experience and promote optimal rest.
Identifying the Target Audience
Through the secondary research we found out that the adults face the most sleeping issues:-
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Primary Target Audience - 25 to 50
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Gender: Both males and females.
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Secondary Target Audience - 18+
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Location: Urban or suburban areas with access to smartphones and technology.
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Professionals and busy individuals with demanding careers or hectic schedules.
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Students and young adults experiencing irregular sleep patterns due to academic stress or lifestyle choices.
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Individuals with sleep disorders seeking solutions to improve sleep quality.
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Health-conscious individuals who prioritize wellness and exercise.
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Older adults managing age-related sleep disturbances.
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Technology users comfortable with using apps for sleep tracking and improvement.
Primary Research - Exploratory User Interviews
Methodology
We opted to conduct remote user interviews with 5 participants and chose them on the basis of their sleep severity issue, to undertsand how each of them deal with their sleep issues.
User Interview Questions
Empathy Map
Based on the responses we got we created an empathy map that will guide us in understanding the pain points of the users
Pain Points and Key Insights
Our analysis of the target audience for the sleep app revealed common pain points that affect a wide range of individuals. It became evident that both internal and external factors play a significant role in people's sleep quality and overall well-being.
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Internal Factors: Sleep disturbances are often caused by factors such as high stress levels, demanding schedules, and irregular sleep patterns commonly experienced by professionals and busy individuals.
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External Factors: Lifestyle choices, including technology usage, can impact sleep quality. Students and young adults, in particular, face challenges due to academic stress and social activities that disrupt their sleep routines.
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Sleep Disorders: A significant portion of the target audience is actively seeking solutions for managing sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and chronic sleep deprivation, which adversely affect their overall health.
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Health and Wellness: Health-conscious individuals, including fitness enthusiasts, recognize the crucial role that quality sleep plays in optimizing their physical and mental performance.
Market Research - Competitive Analysis
After identifying the common factors affecting individuals' sleep quality, the next crucial step was conducting comprehensive market research. This entailed evaluating the existing sleep apps available in the market, analyzing their reviews, and assessing their efficacy.
Through this diligent market research, we gathered valuable insights into the current sleep app landscape. Armed with this knowledge, we are better equipped to develop a sleep app that addresses the pain points identified earlier while leveraging the strengths and opportunities that emerged from our analysis of the existing market.
Opportunities
Our market research highlighted significant opportunities within the sleep app industry:
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Sleep Environment Focus: Existing apps overlook the impact of the sleep environment on sleep quality. Our solution aims to address this gap by emphasizing the role of ambient lighting, temperature, and noise levels in optimizing sleep.
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Personalized and Tailor-Made Options: Current apps lack adequate personalization features. Our solution seeks to offer customized recommendations and settings tailored to individual sleep needs and preferences.
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Immersive Experience: Many sleep apps lack an immersive user experience. Our solution incorporates augmented reality (AR) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to create an engaging and serene sleep environment for users.
02 Define
How might we?
Based on the insights I gained from the Primary and Secondary research, I started defining my core problem statement
#User Story 1 (Internal Factors)
As a busy professional with high stress levels and difficulty falling asleep, the user experiences disruptions to their sleep. They are aware that stress and an active mind contribute to their sleep troubles, but they lack knowledge about effective strategies to unwind and relax before bed. They are actively seeking a sleep app that can provide guidance and support in managing their internal factors to achieve a restful night's sleep.
#User Story 2 (External Factors)
For individuals who are light sleepers easily disturbed by external factors, the user faces challenges in maintaining uninterrupted sleep. They recognize that external factors like noise, light, or temperature fluctuations negatively impact their sleep quality, but they are uncertain about how to address these issues effectively. They are actively searching for a sleep app that can help them tackle these external factors and create an optimal sleep environment.
03 Ideation
Brainstorming and Idea Generation
These solutions on External factors and the goal was to provide restful sleep by controlling the surroundings
These solutions on internal factors were designed with the goal of providing the user with restful sleep by offering effective strategies and techniques to address their specific sleep challenges.
We also conducted a survey at this stage to make sure that their is a market for people who want to focus on their external environment while sleeping
Final Desicion
By capitalizing on the identified opportunities we discovered from market research and primary research, that their is a market for apps that focuses on external environment. Surprisingly, no existing app in the market caters to this crucial aspect. Recognizing this gap, we made a strategic decision to develop proposed solutions that holistically target both internal and external factors to enhance users' sleep quality.
04 Develop
User Flow
To ensure a seamless and user-friendly experience, I created a well-defined user flow for the SleepSmart app. The user flow begins with the user downloading the app from their respective app store and proceeding to sign up. This step allows us to personalize their experience based on their preferences and sleep goals. Once signed up, the user is directed to the setup screen, where they are prompted to take a full-length picture of their room. Leveraging image recognition technology, the app automatically detects the devices present in the room. It then provides personalized settings based on the detected devices, which the user can further customize or use as they are.
Information Architecture
I created a user-friendly information architecture for the SleepSmart app, focusing on organizing the features into a logical hierarchy. The basic architecture includes sections like Sleep Tracking, Sleep Insights, Sleep Progress, Relaxation Content, My Profile, and Homepage with Recommendations.
Additionally, a streamlined MVP architecture prioritizes core functionalities such as Sleep Tracking, Sleep Insights, and Relaxation Content. By structuring the app's content and features thoughtfully, we aim to provide users with a seamless and intuitive experience, enabling them to navigate the app effortlessly and access valuable sleep-related resources.
Lo-Fi's
As soon as I had a clear understanding of the flow, I developed low-fidelity (lo-fi) prototypes to validate the user interface and interactions. These low-fidelity prototypes were developed to establish the app's fundamental layout and flow, allowing for early user feedback and testing.
The focus of the low-fidelity prototypes was to capture the app's essential features and displays. They outlined the app's structure and content using simple wireframe diagrams, fundamental shapes, and placeholder text. The focus was on delineating the overall navigation, screen transitions, and fundamental visual elements as opposed to intricate design details.
Style Guide
The SleepSmart app's style guide was carefully crafted with the app's purpose in mind. It features a soothing dark mode interface to align with the concept of sleep, accompanied by captivating 3D illustrations that help calm the mind. The design follows a 4-column grid layout, with rounded components and the "Nunito" font for a modern and approachable look. This style guide ensures a consistent and immersive visual experience, reflecting the app's focus on enhancing sleep quality.
Hi-Fi's
In the hi-fi designs for the SleepSmart app, I incorporated AR functionality for personalized tips based on room pictures and IoT integration for seamless control of connected devices. Mind-focused features like guided meditation, relaxing music, and mindfulness videos were also included. These elements create an immersive experience, optimizing the sleep environment and promoting a calm state of mind.
05 Prototype
What does the app offers?
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AR functionality: Users can take pictures of their room, and the app provides personalized tips for optimizing the sleep environment based on the captured images.
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IoT integration: The app seamlessly connects with IoT devices in the room, allowing users to control connected devices such as smart lighting or temperature control systems directly from the app.
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Mind-focused features: The app provides guided meditation sessions, relaxing music playlists, and mindfulness videos to promote mental relaxation and help users achieve a calm state of mind before sleep.
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Sleep Tracking: The app monitors and analyzes the user's sleep patterns, providing detailed insights into their sleep duration and quality.
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Sleep Insights: Users receive valuable insights and recommendations based on their sleep data, helping them identify areas for improvement and optimize their sleep routine.
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Sleep Progress: Users can track their sleep progress over time, visualizing their sleep patterns and observing trends to gauge their overall sleep quality.
App Prototype
06 Test and Reflection
Testing Results
We conducted Guerilla testing with 4 users to determine how user-friendly the app is and these were the following results we found-
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Task Completion Rate: Users successfully completed 90% of the assigned tasks, indicating a good level of usability.
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Efficiency: Users took an average of 1 minute longer than expected to complete tasks, suggesting potential areas for improvement in the app's navigation and interface.
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Error Rate: Users didn't encounter any major errors and were able to find their way through own their own
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User Satisfaction: Participants provided a satisfaction rating of 4 out of 5, suggesting that the app is great as an MVP but their is room for enhancements to meet user expectations.
Reflection
Things that worked well in the SleepSmart app:
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Comprehensive Approach: The app effectively addresses both internal and external factors that impact sleep, providing users with a holistic solution.
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User-Friendly Design: The user flow, information architecture, and style guide were thoughtfully designed to prioritize usability and create an engaging experience.
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Innovative Features: The incorporation of AR functionality and IoT integration adds a unique and immersive dimension to the app, enhancing the sleep environment.
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Valuable Features: Sleep tracking, sleep insights, mind-focused content, and personalized recommendations offer users valuable tools and resources for improving their sleep quality.
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Visual Appeal: The dark mode design, 3D illustrations, and cohesive style guide create a visually appealing and calming atmosphere, aligning with the app's purpose.
Areas for Improvement in the SleepSmart app:
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Enhanced Customization: Providing users with more options for personalization and fine-tuning their preferences will allow for a more tailored sleep experience.
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Improved AR and IoT Integration: Refining the accuracy and effectiveness of AR room analysis, expanding compatibility with a wider range of IoT devices, and ensuring seamless integration will enhance the app's functionality.
Our design process was driven by a commitment to continuous improvement and user feedback. By creating a prototype, we had the opportunity to test our designs and gather valuable insights from users. Their feedback helped us identify areas for improvement and refine the design before proceeding with development. This user-centered approach ensures that the final product aligns with user expectations and delivers an optimal experience.