Design Note: “This Design Needs Love” is intended to explore and conceptualize design ideas only, not perfect them. Designs are time-scoped and only reach mid-fidelity.
Problem
Our cars have check engine lights to alert us to problems. Our products and software give us progress tracking, error reporting, and customer support services. Why can’t we translate those features to the human experience?
What if we used automated and self-reported data to infer a person’s mental state and provide interventions to address issues? What if we had a check engine light for our own mental health?
Opportunity
Create an application that records both self-reported statuses and biometric data via a linked wearable (e.g. Oura Ring or Apple Watch).
Biomonitor Tracking
Heart rate and rhythms
Blood pressure
Implied stress (from blood pressure and heart rate)
Self-reported Tracking
General feelings and mood
Sleep and energy
Alcohol, food, and drug/medication use
Skin complexion, hair, and other physical attributes affected by stress
Social interest and reactions
Use the data to develop baselines for how a person feels and functions, and then alert that person to data that falls outside the norm. Use the data week-over-week to track overall stress and mental state and use collected data to show correlation or imply causation. Finally, provide interventions, relief actions, or allow a user to connect with a therapist to help balance out negative mental states.
Application
Home Screen with “Check Engine” Status
This screen is like a vehicle’s dashboard. It lists an aggregated status of your current mental state and lists issues and successes based on data in the previous week.
Depending on the severity of the user’s mental state, the app could then prioritize different interventions to reduce stress.
Daily Status Updates and Self-reporting
Upon first entry into the app each day, the app would surface a simple feelings check to maintain regular self-reported statuses to match any automated biometric statuses.
If a user chooses, they could add a variety of other statuses to help the app paint a more holistic picture.
Reporting
A user could dive into any specific alert or data point to discover trends and understand implications of their lifestyle.
Each metric provides its own historical tracking and alert.
Integrated Therapy Services
The app would surface interventions based on the severity of the user’s mental state. Akin to a ZocDoc service, the user could browse mental health professionals, read bios and information, and directly contact their office to schedule an appointment or video call.
Mental Health Goal Tracking
In addition to accessing mental health professionals, the app could suggest less intrusive interventions to help reduce negative mental states. One idea is a daily goal tracker that helps a user complete self-care and stress-reducing activities.
Future Considerations
How to surface actionable intelligence
The app will need to be sophisticated in how it correlates data and proposes actions. Causation is implied, so it can only operate as an awareness and suggestion system.Mental health professional involvement
To complete the support process for users, mental health professionals will have to sign up to be a part of the service and without critical mass of their involvement, the app can only operate as an information tracker. However, it could simply list mental health professionals and act as a referral system.Generating enough data
The app would work most effectively if paired with a wearable biomonitor, such as an Apple Watch or Oura Ring. This is important for tracking stress through biometric data. Without one, the app could only rely on self-reported data, which makes tracking issues less holistic and more reliant on extensive self-reporting. A user would have to be highly incentivized or self-motivated to fill out enough information for the app to make suggestions.