LiftUp: A Concept for Positive Impact
Valeriia platova, Samantha Selva, Thomas Niclot, Anzumana Sander
TEAM
September 2024
DATE
Do you remember what it was like to be a teenager? I certainly do. It’s a phase when we take our first steps toward independence, navigating the complexities of life. Along the way, there are inevitable ups and downs, and during the tough times, having a supportive environment is crucial.
But is that support always available? In today’s world, teenagers face a myriad of mental health challenges, including stress, anxiety, social isolation, bullying, and the ever-present pressures of social media. Our team Samantha, Anzumana, Thomas and me — had 5 full days to explore these issues in depth and develop a meaningful solution.
But is that support always available? In today’s world, teenagers face a myriad of mental health challenges, including stress, anxiety, social isolation, bullying, and the ever-present pressures of social media. Our team Samantha, Anzumana, Thomas and me — had 5 full days to explore these issues in depth and develop a meaningful solution.
Research, Visual Design, UI, Presentation
ROLE
LiftUp
UX/UI Design
UX/UI Design
PRODUCT
Research
We began our design process by conducting secondary research, gathering key statistics on the topic of teenage mental health.
What we discovered was eye-opening:
To better understand the problems and frustrations of modern teenagers, we conducted an online survey with 30 participants aged between 13 and 18 years old, which provided us with some insights. Here are the key findings:
What we discovered was eye-opening:
- Globally, one in seven 10–19-year-olds experiences a mental disorder, accounting for 13% of the global burden of disease in this age group.
- 83% of teens will experience at least one traumatic event in adolescence.
- Depression, anxiety and behavioural disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
To better understand the problems and frustrations of modern teenagers, we conducted an online survey with 30 participants aged between 13 and 18 years old, which provided us with some insights. Here are the key findings:
What exactly makes teenagers feel uncomfortable at school, and how do they cope with feelings of loneliness while longing for connection? To explore this further, we conducted 4 in-depth interviews. Through our interviews, we discovered that teenagers we spoke with faced significant challenges in their relationships with parents and teachers. Their families were often unsupportive, and in some cases, even abusive. In school, teachers frequently failed to act professionally, sometimes responding with aggression when students sought help or asked questions. Lacking support from these key figures, many teens turned to friends — both online and offline — or even relied on AI assistants for guidance and understanding.
of teenagers consider school the biggest source of stress in their lives
of teenagers consider family the biggest source of stress in their lives
48%
20%
of teenagers rarely or never have someone with whom they can talk
20%
of teenagers do not share their problems with their family
85%
User Persona
Problem Statement
Teenagers need a safe and reliable way to share their problems and receive emotional support because they are vulnerable to aggressive behavior in school and family and lack trustworthy adults in their environment to turn to for help.
Ideation and Task Flow
When the problem is clear, time to ideate! First, we needed to prioritize the features for our website. With so many ideas from our group, we used the MoSCoW Method to help us identify the most essential tools to include. We decided to develop an app that connects teens to a comprehensive support ecosystem, including school and out-of-school psychologists, hotlines for emotional support, and even emergency contacts like police. The app will start with a chatbot for small talk, which can identify issues and provide real-time access to supportive professionals. It will also offer options for in-person appointments with professionals ready to help teens navigate their challenges.
The main task flow:
The main task flow:
01
Log In
Emma enters an app and loggs in using unique student number
02
Home screen
Emma arrives to the home screen. In this scenario, Emma choses Chat option to discuss her issues.
03
Chatbot
Chatbot appears as the initial point of contact, functioning as a filter to identify the problem and provide solutions.
04
Chatbot interaction
Emma describes the problem and provides evidence if necessary.
05
Chatbot suggestions
The chatbot presents the following options: chat with a psychologist, schedule an appointment with a psychologist, share your story anonymously with the option to receive support from real people.
06
Psychologist online
Emma chooses Chat with psychologist. They have a conversation. When the isue is done, Emma closes the conversation.
Mid-Fi Prototype:
07
Follow-up
An app asks if Emma needs follow-up (additional conversation, appointment with therapist or check-in in a few days). Emma chooses the follow-up and ends up the chat.
To validate our concept, we reached out to our target audience to gather their opinions. The feedback we received was positive, with many expressing that the idea is promising. However, teens would need to use the app firsthand to build trust in the product.
Time to add color and bring our product to life!
Time to add color and bring our product to life!
Design
We have selected a bright and cheerful color palette along with a contemporary pop font. The intention was to create a trustworthy and youth-friendly environment where teenagers will enjoy spending their time.
High-Fi Prototype
User Testing
After making the high-fidelity prototype, we tested it with our target audience.
Overall, the design was praised for its quality, good branding, and a style that fits the app well. The colors and illustrations were also appreciated. However, one person raised a concern about whether the branding supported or weakened the seriousness of the topic being discussed.
Overall, the design was praised for its quality, good branding, and a style that fits the app well. The colors and illustrations were also appreciated. However, one person raised a concern about whether the branding supported or weakened the seriousness of the topic being discussed.
Next Steps and Key Learnings
There is still plenty of work to do. We need to finish the remaining screen designs and carry out more rounds of user testing with a broader group of teenagers to collect detailed feedback on usability, features, and overall design. Working with educational institutions will also be essential for promoting the app and providing onboarding sessions for teens.
This project has been a great experience for our team. We discovered the importance of prioritizing ideas, even when they all seem valuable, and focusing on one issue to truly understand the problem.
I’m proud to be part of a project focused on developing a UX design solution that helps teens navigate today’s challenging world and feel better!
This project has been a great experience for our team. We discovered the importance of prioritizing ideas, even when they all seem valuable, and focusing on one issue to truly understand the problem.
I’m proud to be part of a project focused on developing a UX design solution that helps teens navigate today’s challenging world and feel better!