CASE STUDY 03
Cheerie
Project Overview:
Cheerie is a conceptual wellbeing app designed to help users challenge negative thinking through positive reinforcement and guided support. The project explores how a friendly, character-led experience can encourage healthier mindset habits and improve emotional wellbeing.
Developed over six weeks, this case study covers the end-to-end design process from research and ideation to visual design and feature development, resulting in a cohesive product concept with a clear user experience and visual identity.
01 / Setting the scene
Task
Design and create a solution that tackles a major problem.
Background
A negative mindset can be one of the most common and self-sabotaging obstacles in both personal well being and professional growth. Statistics suggest a significant portion of our daily thoughts are negative and repetitive, with figures like 80% negative and 95% repetitive being commonly cited, impacting mental health by increasing stress, anxiety, and unhappiness. Global data shows rising worry and stress, with nearly 40% of adults reporting significant worry daily, linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
Solution
A personal cheerleader app that is designed to tackle, prevent and dispel negative thinking and negative thoughts with a positive alternative to improve personal wellbeing in the user.
Timeline
From the initial task briefing this project was over a timeline of 6 weeks.
02 / Research & Brainstorming
Research & Planning
I began by mind mapping the concepts for the application and what features the app would have. I came up with the concept of a virtual tamagotchi like app. However instead of the user taking care of the virtual pet the virtual pet would take care of the user or in this case a cheerleader.
Brainstorming
Refining this concept further, I aimed for the app to be an outlet for users for when they are feeling down or having a negative mindset and through positive affirmations or exercises and other methods the app would trigger positive thinking and allow the user to benefit from the increase in mood and well being and combat negative thinking and thoughts.
Brainstorming
Based on user research and secondary research into positive mindsets I set out to define users as part of the iteration and planning process to design features for user needs and in turn create solutions. I created a “Who, what and when” and a series of personas that were made to represent the users wants and needs.
03 / Ideation
Secondary Research
I started off by gathering and creating a visual mood board to both identify and develop a visual language and also visual tone of voice. I wanted to convey cheerfulness and positivity in the visual language for the application and the design of the mascot cheerleader character. I explored cartoony and mascot style illustrations and illustrations with bright cheerful colours. I choose these as they have the most appeal and would naturally attract new users with bright colours and a appealing character design.
Initial responses
I experimented with using type and shape to convey the themes of cheering and positivity. I experimented with how best to convey this tone of voice using simple type and layouts alongside using bright impactful and attention grabbing colours in order to promote the message to users.
04 / Concept Generation
Concept Generation
When it came to developing the concept of the app into a visual app wanted the cheerleader character to be front and centre and be the central figure through the app when the user interacts with the app. The Cheerleader would also be somewhere on the screen guiding the user.
Concept iteration
Based on these initial sketches and concept brainstorming I created a wireframe and concept screens of what the app would look like and how the cheerleader character might interact with the user and how the functions of the app would be presented to the user on the app.
05 / Visual Iteration & Feedback
Visual Iteration
Designing the visual language and aspect of the apps brand I designed the visual using bold type with rounded edges to invoke a loud cheerful tone of voice as well as using bright colours that have mass appeal. Early on the name Cheerie formed as the name of the app as an easy and brand name. In many first iterations the two Es in “Cheerie” would resemble two eyes and a face. I started incorporating this motif into the design of the Logo for the app as it added a playful and cheerful charm to the visual language but also hinted on the virtual character aspect of the app.
Character Concept:
When it came to designing the cheerleader for the app I started with creating many designs that incorporated many aspects from cute mascot characters. I aimed to design a cheerleader character that was simple, distinct and that would easily be recognisable and stand out. I had 50 possible designs, I conducted a survey for users to pick a design. From this survey I identified key findings, I originally intended for there to be just one character for the cheerie app but main users expressed wanting the ability to choose and also more than one of the designs was popular.
Character Iterations:
Based on the survey I changed from having one cheerie mascot to a roster that the user could choose from. I short-listed the roster down to eight mascots based on the popularity in the survey. Initially I tried to keep the characters as close to their concept sketches. Based on feedback I developed the first version of the designs to be more bold and distinct. I aimed to make the characters more appealing and have more visual harmony between each character but making them distinct from each other with different colours and silhouettes.
06 / Final App
App Onboarding:
The app onboarding is designed to introduce the user to the concept of Cheerie and the Cheerie app functions. I aimed to design the on boarding in a way that created a connection with the user and give the user the feeling that their Cherie character was their own personal cheerleader. The onboarding has the ability for the user to select their Cheerie of choice. The aim is for the user to have the ability of choice and pick their preferred character. Using the user’s preference for the character would encourage the user to use the app more often due to the character’s appeal.
App Meditation:
Meditation has been proven to have positive benefits such as stress reduction, improved focus and emotional wellbeing. I included this as a feature on the app as it would help with a positive mindset. The cheerie character would assist the user in mediation with positive encouragement.The user has the ability to enable this feature when they like, The user can control the time of the meditation. The cheerie app will also place music for the user during the meditation to aid the user in meditating. The user can also nominate the Cheerie to schedule meditations.
App Good news feed:
One of the challenges of this case study is the negativity present in social media and other media outlets being promoted to users. The Cheerie app has a positive news feed which enables users to receive curated stories and positive news that encourages users to think positively. This feature can be suggested by cheer when the user feels down or is feeling worried for the future. This would provide the user with a positive news story for the user to read and encourage them to think more positively and highlight the positive events in the world.
07 / Posters & Promotion
Promotion:
The promotion for the Cheerie app is for attracting new users. The first is a poster campaign; one a print poster. This functions to attract new users and gain new users through please visuals and cute design.
Interactive Promotion:
The promotion for the Cheerie app has two applications for attracting new users. The first is a poster campaign; one a print poster and the other would be a live poster which functions as a demo of the Cheerie app. Featuring on the cheerie giving compliments to users as they walk past.
User Journey:
The other Cheerie promotion would be a compliment card. This card would be filled out by users of the cheerie app who are encouraged by their cheerie app to spread cheer to other people and cheer them on. This card would feature a positive message and a Qr code for the app.
Results
Final Results
Next Steps & Reflections
Next Steps
My next steps for this project would be firstly to conduct more user research as with a brief of this nature the more user feedback and research the better. Using this research I would further develop the Cheerie apps features and screens to align with user needs and improve functionality.
I would also develop the live post further to increase the variety of the characters and feedback and complaints it can give to passers by. I would also focus on expanding the animation of each of the cheerie mascot characters to increase their range of movement and animations when using the app. Overall I would my next steps would be further development of the Cheerie app and refining its functions and interface to be more efficient and user friendly.
Reflections
Looking at the project as a whole, I believe that more user research should have been conducted during the early stages. The app still requires further development to incorporate its full range of intended functions and features each of which would benefit from user insight and validation. Currently, the character animations are missing, and this significantly impacts the user experience.
Fully animating the characters would enhance the app’s responsiveness and provide more engaging and encouraging feedback for users. Additionally, the live digital poster and complement card are underdeveloped and would benefit from further iteration and refinement. These elements received less attention due to the primary focus being placed on the app’s development.