Designing Moodist: Fostering Emotional Wellness Through Community and Empathy

Project Overview
“Moodist” is a mood tracking and emotional wellness app designed to foster a sense of community and empathy among users through innovative messaging features. The project aimed to solve the challenge of inconsistent engagement often faced by mood tracking apps by creating a space where users feel understood, connected, and empowered to share their emotional journey.

Role & Responsibilities
As the lead product designer, I was responsible for conceptualizing and implementing messaging features, conducting user research, and iterating the design to create an experience that promotes sustained user engagement.

Duration
7 Weeks

Role
Product Designer, UI/UX Designer

Tools
Figma, Miro

Demo/Prototype
Live Prototype

Understanding Emotional Wellness and User Engagement

To create a compelling user experience, I began by diving deep into the world of mood tracking and wellness apps through secondary research and a literature review. This revealed that many users struggled with sustained engagement due to privacy concerns, usability issues, and a lack of personalization. Users expressed the desire for more interactive and empathetic features, such as easy ways to connect with loved ones and share emotions.

Research Goldmines:
Online literature and websites, Academic Journals, App Store reviews & user insights, Competitive Analysis

Key Questions during my research:

  1. What are the common challenges users face with existing mood tracking apps?

  2. What features do users find most beneficial in mood trackers?

  3. How could messaging motivate users to regularly use mood tracking apps?

“Digital tools enable continuous mood tracking, offering a more accurate and detailed picture of mood fluctuations over time compared to traditional methods.” 

– (BMJ Mental Health) 


“You might have one day when you’re feeling so good that you don’t feel like doing a survey on psychological symptoms.”
– Jukka-Pekka Onnela


“This app was recommended to me by my therapist as a way for my spouse and I to share our feelings/emotions throughout the day...The only thing I really want from this app that I can’t seem to be able to find, is a way to see my spouse’s past feelings. […] Having a way to go back and look, as a reference point, would be extremely helpful.”

– @MCDaniels01 (The App Store)
 ★★★★☆ 


“Despite the proliferation of MH apps, the majority of them fail to gain traction, and sustained use is even rarer.” 

– Dorothy S. Peters

“Empathy is crucial... When users feel understood and validated, they are more likely to engage actively...”

– Quenza
 


“Users are more engaged with apps that offer content variation, customizability, and intuitive interface design. Personalization plays a significant role 
in maintaining user interest.” 

– (Frontiers in Digital Health) 


• Consistent self-reporting is a challenge for long-term engagement in mood tracking or emotional reporting tools.

• Social support and community features boost engagement by fostering connection and empathy.

• Users highly value privacy controls, particularly when sharing sensitive emotional information.

Key Research Insights


Designing for Connection:
Crafting User Flows and Core Features

Mapping the User Journey:

Drawing from user insights, I identified key moments where users could benefit from emotional connection and support. The focus was on creating opportunities for users to easily share their moods, receive encouragement, and engage with others in meaningful ways. By integrating messaging features at these pivotal points, the app fosters a sense of community and ensures users feel supported throughout their experience.

Visualizing Opportunities for Connection: 

To explore how users might interact with the new messaging features, I sketched out various layouts and scenarios. These visualizations revealed key opportunities for enhancing user connection and highlighted potential challenges early on, allowing for quick adjustments to ensure an intuitive and supportive user experience.
 


Fostering Engagement Through Core Features: 

The MVP focused on integrating messaging features that allow users to share their emotions and progress with friends, loved ones, or therapists, creating a network of support. By prioritizing social interaction, the app encourages consistent participation, helping users build lasting emotional wellness through community.

*initial concepts in my sketchbook for Moodist’s mood tracking and messaging features

  • Personalized Mood tracking system

  • Ability to share current mood or quick stats with loved ones

  • Messaging features which incorporate transmission of mood tracking results

Building an Emotionally
Resonant Brand

Company Name & Visual Style:

To make Moodist feel approachable and trustworthy, I designed a clean, minimalist visual style with a hint of retro colors. This aesthetic, combined with the app’s focus on emotional wellness, creates an environment that is comforting, easy to navigate, and inviting for users to explore their emotions and connect with others.

Color Palette:

  • DARK BLUE (#00003E)
    Strong, calming primary color used for backgrounds or main elements.

  • ORANGE (#FF4A22)
    For buttons, highlights, and interactive elements to signify positive actions and fresh energy.


PRIMARY COLORS


  • LIGHT PINK (#FFD4D5)
    Soft accent color that provides a whimsical and retro touch for highlights & softer elements.

SECONDARY COLOR


  • CREAM (#FFF7E9)
    For backgrounds and secondary elements when unifying additional “emotion colors”*

  • WHITE (#FDFCFB)
    For backgrounds when further contrast is needed.


NEUTRAL COLORS


  1. UI is friendly and calming, with a touch of whimsy to reflect the humorous and psychological nature of the brand. Rounded corners and floating elements reflect this, making it welcoming and playful.

  2. Cards are used to parse sections of information for the user in a way that is modular and quickly understood.

  3. Floating elements and layers add a level of tactile play and encourage user interaction.

UI Direction:

Laying the Foundation for Increased Engagement

Bringing Ideas to Life: 

To build a user-friendly experience, I transformed the initial sketches into low-fidelity wireframes, shaping the app’s interface with clarity and simplicity. These early prototypes ensured that messaging features were positioned intuitively, making them easy for users to access and engage with.

Prioritizing Key User Paths: 

Defining red routes—critical user flows—during the wireframing process was essential to ensure that the most important tasks are streamlined and intuitive, directly enhancing the overall user experience by prioritizing 
ease of access and efficiency.



Red Route 1 - Check-In and quick-share current mood with a Friend

A:

B:

Red Route 2 - Messaging Flows

A: Replying to existing message (David)

B: Creating New Message and sharing mood with friend (Emily) using in-message UI

Red Route 3 - Replying to Request from Therapist

Validating Emotional Responses: Testing with Real Users

Remote Usability Testing, Round 1:


In the first round of remote testing, I presented the wireframes to real users to uncover any challenges they faced with the messaging features and to gather feedback on the overall experience. This testing phase provided valuable insights into how users interacted with the app and highlighted areas for improvement, ensuring that the design felt intuitive and engaging.

Users appreciated the welcoming and straightforward interface but expressed a need for clearer navigation within the messaging system. They also highlighted a desire for a direct contact feature with therapists and improved integration of messaging options within the community page.

User Feedback Highlights:

Refining the Experience:
High-Fidelity Prototypes

Refining Key Features


Based on insights from the first round of testing, I transformed the initial wireframes into high-fidelity mockups. These updates included replacing the “x” button with a back button in the messaging interface, redesigning the “Tools” icon for clarity, and introducing a direct therapist contact feature, all aimed at enhancing user navigation and support options.

Deepening the Connection
through Iterative Testing

Usability Testing, Round 2: 


In the second testing phase, I presented the high-fidelity mockups to users to confirm that the design adjustments addressed their previous feedback. This round was essential in validating that the updates improved the user experience and resolved the challenges identified earlier.

• Users responded positively to the clearer navigation and the newly added therapist contact feature.

• They also expressed a need for clearer distinctions between group and individual messaging, as well as visual elements to better represent emotions within the interface.


Usability Testing Round 2 Key Findings:

Optimizing Features
Based on User Feedback

After reviewing feedback from the second testing round, I refined the high-fidelity screens and completed the final prototype. This version incorporated all key user suggestions, blending straightforward mood tracking with effective messaging features designed to promote consistent engagement and foster long-term user connection.

I refined the emotions tracking options in Moodist by adding illustrated icons, making emotion selection more intuitive and engaging. Additionally, I introduced an “Other” option for users when no predefined emotion fits, ensuring that all emotional states can be accurately captured.

I refined the messaging menu UI by clarifying icons to clearly differentiate between sharing current mood and time-framed stats, improving user navigation and understanding.

I enhanced the mood share card by adding contextual text to clarify the differences between sharing mood and stats, along with clickable information icons for users seeking more details. These updates were made to boost user confidence in safety, control, and privacy, ensuring a transparent and reassuring experience.

Based on user feedback, I improved the new message UI and contact search features by making the search bar more visible and clearly separating group chat options from individual recipient fields, enhancing usability and clarity.

Translating Insights into Lasting Impact

The final design of Moodist integrates messaging features that build a sense of community and empathy, giving users full control over how and with whom they share their information. This approach addresses privacy concerns, especially important in a space where emotions are deeply personal. By creating a secure and supportive environment, the app encourages users to regularly engage with their moods and connect with others, promoting long-term user engagement.

Core Insights and Impact:

• Engagement and Usability: Simplified data entry methods and personalized insights are essential for maintaining long-term user engagement.
• Privacy and Security: Providing users with control over what they share, who they share it with, and when, differentiates the app from its competitors and builds trust.
• Social Support and Holistic Features: Incorporating social features like community chats and therapist contact options enhances the app’s value and user retention, while providing a comprehensive user experience that meets diverse needs.

Reflections and Growth

Throughout the development of Moodist, I learned that designing for emotional wellness extends beyond intuitive layouts or polished visuals; it requires creating genuine, empathetic connections. Initially, my focus was on delivering a functional mood tracking system. However, as I engaged with real users and observed how they interacted with the app, I came to understand the importance of building a sense of trust and safety within the digital space. This realization shifted my approach, prompting me to prioritize features that foster meaningful interactions while respecting users’ need for privacy.

By the end of this project, my understanding of user engagement deepened. I grew as a designer by embracing a more holistic perspective—one that integrates empathy, security, and community into the core of the experience. This journey reinforced that great design is about empowering users to feel supported, heard, and connected, transforming technology into a tool for emotional growth.

Thank you for reading my case study! ☺️ Would you like to get in touch? 👉

kevinscottdavis.gw
@gmail.com

Kevin Scott Davis,
Product Designer