150 Hour Experience:
SWell App

The initial stages of the design sprint were marked by a meticulous understanding of the problem at hand: the escalating concerns surrounding student wellness at Duke. On my team, we each delved into comprehensive research, conducting interviews with students, faculty, and experts at the Wellness Center. My surveyed Duke students with a Google form and analyzed metrics to uncover 1.) what Duke students wanted and 2.) what the experts thought would be feasible and conducive to bolstering wellness on campus. This empathetic approach allowed us to uncover nuanced challenges faced by students in maintaining their well-being, from academic stress to social isolation.

 

Next, our team was at the ideation stage and brainstormed countless potential solutions to enhance student wellness. I presented the concept of a gamified student wellness app and my team members agreed that this emerged as a promising idea. The gamification element would tap into the competitive spirit inherent in students, encouraging them to participate in campus-wide wellness challenges for points and prizes. The allure of rewards would serve as a powerful incentive, making wellness activities more engaging and enjoyable.

 

The prototyping phase required all hands on deck, as we translated our conceptual framework into a tangible prototype. This involved creating a user-friendly interfaces on Figma, designing visually appealing challenges, and integrating a point system that would foster a sense of achievement. The prototype underwent rigorous testing within the team and, subsequently, with a select group of students. Their feedback proved invaluable in refining the app's features and ensuring its seamless integration into the Duke student experience.

 

As the design sprint progressed, the collaborative nature of the process became increasingly evident. The diverse expertise within the team, ranging from user experience designers to wellness experts, facilitated a holistic approach to problem-solving. Each team member brought a unique perspective, enriching the ideation and decision-making processes. The synthesis of these varied viewpoints not only strengthened the final product but also underscored the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in product design.

 

For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of the design sprint was witnessing the evolution of our solution. From a mere concept on paper to a functional prototype, the journey highlighted the iterative nature of design thinking. I checked the iterations of the app, ensuring that it resonated with our target audience aesthetically and functionally. I also was in charge of crafting our mission statement to confirm that it effectively addressed the identified wellness challenges students were interested in. My team and I relied on the significance of user-centric design and conducted user interviews and testing to do so. During this process, I gained a deep understanding of the needs and preferences of the Duke student body. This human-centered approach not only informed the app's features but also instilled a sense of ownership in me and felt impactful for future users and students.

 

In the end, the design sprint experience was one of the most fun experiences I had at Duke and definitively made me want to continue to pursue entrepreneurship. It not only provided a practical framework for addressing complex issues, but also helped me understand the importance of collaboration, empathy, and iterative design in the realm of product development. Our app was selected for future implementation, but since we were seniors the following year, we unfortunately did not have time to incubate the project. I think that the lessons I learned during the design sprint will undoubtedly serve as a guiding beacon for creating meaningful and impactful solutions in the ever-evolving landscape of product design.