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Sakhi
A Wellness App for Homemakers
Project - Personal Project
Duration - 1 month
Role - Desk Research, User Interviews, Survey, Affinity Mapping, Mid-fi prototypes, Hi-fi prototypes, Testing​
Tools - Figma
Designing a self-care app for homemakers that supports their well-being, by understanding their unique needs and challenges.
Understanding the Problem
Many homemakers face significant challenges, including stress, loneliness, and burnout due to the demanding nature of their responsibilities. However, there is a lack of easily accessible and tailored resources that integrate seamlessly into their busy routines to effectively manage these issues.
Objectives for Research
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Understand the challenges faced by homemakers.
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Identify their emotional well-being needs.
Data about the well-being of homemakers
Understanding the Context
Numerous studies have documented that household chores and responsibilities are one of the main determinants of homemaker’s stress. There are several factors which leads to this, and some of them are social isolation, repetitive and demanding tasks, lack of financial independence and lack of personal fulfillment.
The psychological well-being of homemakers is also affected by gender equality, codependency, and lack of independence and freedom (M.Durak et al., 2022). It is also emphasized that women who do not work outside the home in paid employment have a greater risk of experiencing higher mental health problems.
User Interviews for Understanding Homemakers Needs
I conducted 4 interviews with homemakers from India, of 25-35 years of age. Some of the key takeaways from the interviews were:
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They struggle with taking some time out for their well being.
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Finding time to relax, exercise, or pursue personal interests is a significant challenge for them.
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Achieving a balance between their roles as homemakers and individuals is a constant struggle.
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They expressed a desire to prioritize self-care without feeling guilty or neglecting their family's needs.
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They don't have an outlet from where they can find support, or a safe space where they can openly share their emotions.
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They are not aware of any resources which can guide them to manage their stress and burnout.
Results from the Survey
The survey was designed to understand homemakers daily routines and stressors, self-care practices, awareness of wellness, and willingness to embrace technology to support their well-being. The survey was taken by 15 homemakers aged from 24-56.
Number represents the number of responses to that question.
Time for their well-being
Major stressors in their everyday life
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Many homemakers lacked dedicated time for Rest.
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Self-care ranked low on their list of priorities.
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The majority lacked resources and understanding regarding their well-being.
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Meditation and Yoga were popular practices among them.
Identifying Strengths and Gaps in the Market
The mental health app market is booming, with diverse offerings catering to various needs and preferences. I identified some of the best rated apps for mental health and did a comprehensive analysis. This analysis dives into four popular apps – Calm, Headspace, Sanvello, and Happify – by understanding their strengths, weaknesses, target audiences, and unique features. I incorporated some features like community and mindfulness based on these.
I found Sanvello as one of the top apps, offering an extensive range of features even in its free version. While many wellness and mental health apps cover essential features, they often overlook addressing the specific challenges faced by homemakers, such as the significant issue of rest deprivation among Indian homemakers.
Generating Ideas from Insights
Ideation
To simplify the user experience I delved into understanding how their pain points (stress, burnout, loneliness and lack of rest) could be effectively addressed. Through research and thorough analysis, I identified opportunities to design features that directly target these pain points, ensuring a more intuitive and user-friendly experience for homemakers. ​
Home page
Rest page
Community Page
Self Care page
Vlogs page
Proposed Solution which addresses the pain points directly
After the initial sketches, I transitioned to creating high-fidelity prototypes of the app's design. The idea was to facilitate more accurate user testing and feedback collection. All the features of the app are targeted towards the pain points of homemakers.
How can I address the pain point of 'Lack of Rest' among homemakers?
Inspired by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith's insightful book on the topic, which outlines seven distinct types of rest. Through this my aim was to empower them to make informed decisions in their daily routines and prioritize rest as an integral aspect of their well-being.
Rest
I came up with this feature, which is one of the important aspect of this app.
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Users can select what kind of rest they would like to do.
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There are some cultural specific self care activities based on time.
7 types of Rest
Activities based on the type of rest
Homemakers can also add their own activity for rest
Daily Journal - Helps with mental well being
A daily journal would enhance the well-being of by providing a dedicated space for reflection, gratitude, and self-expression through their thoughts, emotions, and experiences, leading to increased self-awareness, stress reduction, and improved mental clarity.
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Users can write and save journal entries with the option of adding images, or recording audio entries.
Community - Helps with lack of support
The community feature facilitates a supportive space where homemakers can connect with others facing similar experiences, enabling them to share insights, advice, and challenges. Through this they can form valuable connections, exchange ideas, and provide mutual support, fostering a sense of solidarity and empowerment within the community.
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Discussion forums and chat groups for users to connect with others.
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Anonymous sharing options for users who do not want to reveal their identity.
Mindfulness and Meditation - Helps with stress and burnout
Through guided sessions, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques, users can enhance their mental well-being, reduce stress, and improve focus, fostering a sense of calm and balance in their daily lives.
Vlogs - Helps with awareness
The vlogs cover a wide range of topics, including tips for homemaking, self-care routines, organizational strategies, and inspirational stories, providing users with valuable insights and motivation to thrive in their daily lives.
Reflection - Helps keeping track of emotions
The mood reflection enables users to track and analyze their mood changes throughout the day. They can also see their mood trends over a fixed time interval, revealing the most dominant mood throughout the week during that period.
User Testing
Objectives:
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Test the ease of navigation.
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Test whether the main features of the app are intuitive to use or not.
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To understand if the homemakers find the app useful and if they can see themselves using it regularly.
Findings:
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Users found the basic flow and experience of the app to be straightforward and intuitive.
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There was a user need for more detailed information about the meditation practices.
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Users requested that the time of the vlogs be prominently displayed on their respective cards for easier reference.
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The community feature was well-received by users, as they found it similar to Facebook groups, which provided a sense of connection within the community.
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Users expressed confusion with the weekly reflection feature, and asked for clearer instructions.
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Currently, users' rest activities are not tracked within the app. I asked the users if they'd prefer to have their activities tracked. Some users expressed interest in a feature that would allow them to submit this information, which can promote accountability and awareness of their rest habits.
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Learnings from the Project
I'm very happy with the rest feature as it was thoughtfully designed to align with Indian cultural norms and preferences by adding tasks which are more relevant to Indian homemakers. One of the pain point that homemakers have is lack of recognition, but due to limitations I could not address that. I also discovered early implementation of a design system would have streamlined the UI design process for me. I also encountered challenges with copywriting, as you have to convey information concisely to users. But despite these hurdles, the project has been immensely rewarding.
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