Melanin Oasis
Overview
This case study explores the comprehensive product design journey of Melanin Oasis, a mental health application dedicated to providing emotional and physical support to people of color throughout their lives. Covering the entire process from ideation to user research, interface design, and prototype development, the study showcases pivotal insights, challenges, and solutions in crafting a holistic and inclusive digital platform for mental well-being.
Timeframe: 2022
My Role: Lead UX Researcher + Designer
Problem: Black people face significant barriers in accessing mental health support due to a lack of dedicated resources, qualified therapists, and safe spaces tailored to address their unique experiences and needs within the context of their racial identity.
Approach: The approach comprised conducting focus groups {10 people}, user interviews {20 people} , and a survey { Google Form Survey} to gauge users' comfort levels regarding individual therapy versus group therapy and their thoughts on the matter.
Methods Utilized: Generative Research, Persona Development, Rapid Prototyping, User Testing, Competitive Analysis and Affinity Mapping.
Solution:
Based on user feedback and multiple rounds of iterations and testing, I integrated the following features and ideas into the next round of design iterations. My approach to continue iterating and testing is driven by my desire to ensure that I'm considering all perspectives and meeting the needs of all users.
The features and ideas integrated into Melanin Oasis are grounded in research insights
A Black therapists directory
Affordable Therapy options
Accessible mental health resources
Educational workshops and events
A judgment-free space
Peer support meet-ups were followed I’m currently in the process of interviewing more Therapists
Method: Affinity Map
Findings:
Group Therapy : Based on testing, users expressed discomfort with sharing personal information in a group setting and indicated a preference for individual sessions where they felt more comfortable.
Mood Tracker : The majority of users found the "mood tracker" feature valuable for identifying patterns in their day-to-day emotions and believed it could assist in pinpointing the underlying causes of negative feelings.
Community: Users expressed a desire for a supportive community that provided a safe space where they could openly discuss their mental health and access educational resources.
Additional challenges users expressed about their mental health journey during user interviews included:
Difficultly relating to their therapist
Challenges in finding a Black therapist in their area
Affordability of talk therapy
Access to mental health resources
Locating a safe space to openly communicate their feeling
Project Reflection
During the user testing phase, I learned that users were not comfortable with a group therapy component. They felt more comfortable in a 1:1 setting and preferred to leave the group settings for events.
Initially, I made the assumption that group therapy would be a hit feature. I had to pivot and create a space for group support in another form.
Next Steps
I’m currently in the process of interviewing more Therapists. I want to make sure I’m getting all perspectives- to make sure all needs of users are being met.
Also, we’re in the process of creating our kickstarter. More Features. More Testing. More Iteration.
