PROBLEM
Modern adults face challenges in sustaining meaningful relationships due to competing demands on time, mental health struggles, and social expectations. While focused on self-improvement, many struggle to maintain trust, communication, and connection with partners amidst these pressures.
Primary research survey quotes confirming the different struggles when maintaining a relationship.
(50 Respondents to the question “What's the hardest thing in maintaining a relationship?”)
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What does past studies say?
How might we support individuals in sustaining healthy relationship routines amidst personal and social challenges?
DESIGN PROPOSAL
RECOA provides a space where people can build routines and habits for their personal relationship using smart recommendation system of exercise and activities and provide external help when needed will achieve a healthy relationship.
Relationship goals communication between partners
RECOA fosters open dialogue by allowing partners to set and share weekly relationship goals. This feature helps align intentions, encouraging mutual growth and understanding through clear communication.
Creating small daily-interaction between partners
The app promotes connection through daily interaction prompts, offering simple, meaningful activities that strengthen the bond between partners without overwhelming their routines.
Daily mood tracker between partners
Users track their emotional well-being daily, with data visualized to identify trends. Alerts notify partners when an emotional threshold is breached, encouraging timely empathy and support.
Option for timely external help
“No one wants to go straight to therapy”
When emotional challenges exceed the couple’s capacity, RECOA provides access to external resources such as therapists or counseling services, ensuring users feel supported beyond the app.
DEVELOPMENT
Benchmarking
There are multiple digital platforms focused on improving relationship health. I audited three apps to identify opportunities for improvement. To position Recoa, I plotted the attributes found in these competitor platforms to define a new experience that instills trust, encourages thoroughness, and champions clarity & credibility.
Data Mapping
The weekly intentions and daily mood tracker's data from user's input enhance RECOA’s experience by personalizing the journey.
Defining task flow
Information Architecture
Paper Prototype
With clear opportunities, and information architecture in mind, I began sketching paper prototypes for testing on users.
Users indicated that the application feels too formal and restricting at times, whilst being in a relationship should be fun and enjoyable. This leads me to consider a more open-minded solution, offering multiple options and pathways for users.
Digital Prototype
With the rough paper sketches and initial feedback as our base, I created digital wireframes for user testing through Figma prototyping.
Users indicated that screens could be broken down further. This included both screen interactions and content.
Users indicated that screens could be broken down further. This included both screen interactions and content.
Home page
Goal input
Goal confirm
Exercise cover
Step-by-step
Mood tracker
Mood tracker
Appointment
Design System
Evolving the designs into a higher fidelity, I created two visual systems expressing distinct goals and characteristics.
Based on the feedback received, I chose to develop Tranquil, embracing the personal journey in building interpersonal relationships. To enhance cohesion and accessibility, I reconsidered color, typography, and different states design.
FINAL PROTOTYPE
