How might we help people feel more in sync with their menstrual cycle?
Role
Designer
Timeline
10 weeks
Tools
Research / Figma / XD
Problem Space
Menstruation can affect women and other folks in a variety of physical and emotional symptoms, especially in the phase after ovulation or right before their period. Tracking menstruation can help reduce the element of surprise, but also can provide as a gauge to how a person might be feeling at that time.
Methods
Qualitative and Quantitative Data
- Qualitative Interviews with 4 Users
- Online Survey 12 participants
- Research Studies, Papers, Articles
Insights
- Depression is a reoccurring theme.
- Stress makes symptoms worse
- Internalized stigma and shame
- Motivation to make the best of feeling good
- Feels their best just before ovulation
What is the impact of a menstrual cycle on confidence?
Interviews
Goal: To better understanding the various pain points, behaviours and motivations that take place during the menstrual cycle, while gaining insight into how PMS current affects a person.
“Each month, there is an up, and then there is a down. It’s hard to stay consistent, no matter how healthy I try to be!”
With the help of a survey, we were able to get an idea of attitudes around PMS, monthly impact of PMS, and how cycles are currently being track.
How often have premenstrual symptoms negatively affected your confidence?
How might we help people feel in sync with their bodies and their menstrual cycles so that they feel in control of their lives?
Where do we start?
By mapping out the most simple approach, we have the opportunity to create trust and ease through. To emphasize simplicity, we create a task flow as to how 5 dates can be set with 1 tap.
Ideation
Wireframes
By mapping out the most simple approach, we have the opportunity to create trust and ease through. To emphasize simplicity, we create a task flow as to how 5 dates can be set with 1 tap.
The Brand
Designed with simplicity in mind, uwave follows a minimal, inclusive and customizable approach with the goal of satisfying the stylistic needs of a variety of preferences. Other period tracking apps are usually colored with pinks or purples and using cursive flowery imagery. I wanted to acknowledge the power of the cycle and not decorate it with irrelevant floral, butterfly or other flowing imagery.
With the help of a mood board, adjectives, and some ink and paper, I continued the idea through the creation of a workmark. By writing out other potential words that fit the mood, I experimented on ideas as they came: Expanding and relating to other abstract thoughts; trying different synonyms; Allowing the ideas to flow and not judging ideas that are too similar to other brands.
Through the appreciation of the word ‘Tide’, I was excited by the correlation to the concept of oceanic Tides; The power motions of the sea that correlate with the moon. Tide, a popular detergent, doesn’t really fit the brand though. Quick – what relates to the tide? Waves. And these being ‘your’ waves, then, ‘you’ makes sense. that’s how uwave came to.
The main brand colour is based on a very rich dark indigo that teeters on the edge of dark royal purple, creating a very subtle middle ground of Blue and Red – without bringing the idea of Red to the immediate design.
Design Impact / Future Thinking
By making assumptions based on conversations and considering societal factors such as internalized stigma, the insights gained through both methods of research did not only validate the hypothesis but helped reinforce the value proposition of empowering women and all folks who experience monthly disruptions related to their menstrual cycles.
I personally resonated with the problem space through designing a period app that was inclusive to all people who menstruate by not replicating the same pink floral visual identifiers of other products. When deciding to use a product, I prefer the choice to choose, and not be prescribed formulaic defaults. Historically speaking, women have had their menstrual health and products controlled by governing bodies other than themselves so in 2021, user-controlled customization goes without saying.
Future Thinking
For the sake of this project and pushing the imaginative scope, the main device platform is intended for android so that it can embrace the vibrant open-source culture – Ideally, uwave would help serve the community by providing an educational mentorship space that encourages an all ages females in tech approach.
How did your design intervention help or propose to help the business and users?
By creating UI that is simple and allows for user control on it’s visual appearance, uwave positions itself uniquely in a market of pink apps and retains customer brand loyalty without assuming a ‘one-size-fits all’ approach