Objective
Design an app that will help people reduce stress by incorporating anxiety reducing exercises into their daily routine.
Brand Identity Overview
I wanted the app to feel very calming and relaxing but also have a bit of a medical feel to add some credibility.
Colors and typography
Headings
Body/Paragraph
Colors
Dashboard
This is the first screen the user sees when they open the app. On the left side, they can add up to 5 quick access exercises for them to be able to start right away. On the right, users can see several different widgets including being able to log their current stress levels as well as what their overall average is over a certain period of time.
Main sections
The app has 3 main areas. There is a library of practices, a calendar to help stay on track, and written content to educate users on the science around the causes of stress as well as how to control it.
Practice categories
The exercises and practices are broken down into 6 categories. Each category contains audio, video, and written content.
Individual practices
Each practice includes the ability to rate and comment. Users can share their thoughts on each practice to find which ones work best for them.
Calendar
Users can create a schedule to help them say on track. They can also see which days they completed or missed a scheduled practice.
Education section
Users can learn more about how and why these practices work as well as the causes of stress and the science behind it.
Users can track their progress
As users continue to use the app, their progress is tracked so that they can start to see trends and learn which practices work best for them. The graphs are created using Flot.
Partner versions
These are white-label versions of the app that companies and organizations can distribute to their employees and members. I design a custom theme for each one.
Sales and Marketing Website
The website is used both for marketing as well as a location to buy and manage partner versions of the app. I also designed and built a co-branded store for users to buy products offered by authors featured within the app.
User Reviews
Reviews from the Apple App Store
“I have found this app to be absolutely amazing …within one month of using the core exercises my stress level has decreased dramatically… I now have great tools with reminders to deal with life’s daily stresses…would definitely recommend this to everyone…kudos to the creator!!“
“This app is more than a way to manage stress. It’s a method and set of tools to help you achieve emotional, mental, and physical balance. Content from some of the brightest scientific, spiritual, and philosophical minds in the field allow you to choose a plan that fits your views. Really well done!“
Case Study
Boulder Valley School District
In a study of teachers and administrators from the Boulder Valley School District, 90 participants filled out both before and after surveys. A total of 58 participants completed the core program of 28 days of practices using the app and 32 participants did not use the app.
The app users experienced an average reduction in stress level of 20% during the period while those who did not use the app had less than 6% reduction. About 43% of those who completed the DeStressify program had very dramatic improvement in stress levels (2 to 5 points better on a 10 point scale.) Additionally, those who did not use the app were 3.5 times more likely to have had increases in stress over the period.
Participants rated the app 7 out of 10 in both overall satisfaction and likelihood to recommend to a friend and 7.5 out of 10 in ease of use.
