๐ง๐ผ designed pocket health coach โ boosting daily check-ins by 35%
Started as an Intern and tookover the design of โhCareโ app from 0-1, from researching the problems to designing for implementation till v4.042
of the app.
My Role
UX Engineer (Product Design & App Development)
Team
1 Product designer, 2 Product managers, 2 Nutritionists & 3+ developers
Timelines
14 months
Features such as Inclusive Signup flow and Food & Activity journal setup have shipped to 15+ IHL clients
, impacting 1,500+ internal and external users
bringing around INR 1500000 ($37000) ARR
in revenue.
Note: To comply with confidentiality, I have omitted and obfuscated sensitive information in this case study.
It all started...
Imagine having a personal health coach with you 24/7, right in your pocket. That's what we set out to create with the hCare app.
What's hCare, Actually?
hCare is a mobile app from India Health Link combining health data, connected devices, and virtual care services to make healthcare more accessible, convenient, and personalized.
Research & Discovery
Feasibility Study
Conducted in-depth interviews with 25 users across different age groups, activity levels, and health conditions to assess demand for nutrition/fitness tracking capabilities. Used affinity mapping to analyze responses and identify common pain points and desires.
change of plans
discovered that 68% of users abandoned other health apps within a week because they felt lectured to
rather than coached.
this led changes in the app's tone and approach.
Focus Groups
We didn't just want to create another app - so we facilitated two focus group sessions with 6 nutritionists and dieticians each. Employed the double diamond approach - first diverging with open-ended discussions around ideal food logging flows, then converging on crucial requirements.
Mobile Ethnography
Sometimes, the best insights come from watching, not asking. Performed a structured analysis of 8 popular nutrition/fitness apps and conducted a two-week mobile ethnography study with 12 participants to observe their daily nutrition and fitness routines.
Design Solution
Signup That Welcomes You
Created an intuitive onboarding experience with customizable interests, health goals, and fitness level assessment.
No More Boring Food Diaries
Translated research insights into an intuitive Food Journal interface with suggestion cards to inform users about their diet as per expert recommendations and users' set goals. Designed for calorie tracking
and nutrition logging
.
I thought food logging were all about numbers, but this feels more like having a friend who knows what they're talking about.
User after testing the food logging feature in beta release
Scores, now easier than NBA points
IHL had a custom algorithm that calculates the health score based on health data. I designed intuitive cards to display the score, status, and key metrics.
Insights beyond Numbers
Instead of just numbers, I wanted users to know IN WORDS how they were doing comparably. Created visual insights showing trends and personalized feedback about their progress.
discovered my illustrator side
discovered my love for illustration
when i used to work nonchalantly on lottie and after effects more than in figma ๐
F in [F]eedback is Fun
I knew giving feedback about new features shouldn't be boring, so I designed a playful feedback interface that the that even the QA Testing team enjoyed, leading to CEO approval.
Impact
The Food Journal and related nutrition/fitness logging features have been successfully launched within the latest version of the IHLCare app.
Key outcomes:
- 35% increase in app engagement metrics like daily active users and time spent
- 20% uplift in premium subscription conversions for advanced health analytics with journaling.
- Highly positive user feedback (4.7/5 rating) on the intuitive experience
Takeaways
Users a.k.a Humans are creatures of habit. To avoid confusion, changes need to be published slowly and with great care. Testing designs to evaluate the best-performing solution is essential to introduce changes which workโand not for the sake of the change itself.
Want a deeper dive?
Get in touch to schedule a presentation.