Project Timeline
Winter 2023
8 weeks
Role
UX Designer
Product Designer
Researcher
Project Type
UI/UX Design
AI Design
Tools
Figma
Midjourney
Arduino
Overview
Problem
Adequate hydration has a paramount importance on human health. Being conscious of appropriate consumption behavior can be difficult. It is vital to maintain proper liquid intake habits to improve overall health.
Solution
HydraPal is a dual-component digital and physical companion that rethinks hydration monitoring and fosters awareness of healthy routines. The digital app seamlessly integrates AI technology to provide users with personalized insights and recommendations, optimizing liquid intake choices and routine for better health. Complementing the app is an optional wearable tech that further eases the tracking by automatically detecting, weighing, and logging drinks to the app providing a truly hands-off experience in tracking daily intake without manual entry. HydraPal breaks conventional boundaries of data-tracking applications; it minimizes the onus of data input and unfolds a simulation that entices users to engage in a consistent hydration routine to nurture the health of their digital companion, mirroring the positive impact on their own health.
Design Roadmap
Process
Research
We conducted background research in the space of hydration and nutrition tracking to understand challenges and opportunities that our solution should address. We performed in-depth interviews with potential users from diverse backgrounds to understand their needs, challenges, behaviors, and goals. A competitive analysis was also done to gain insights into the market landscape and our product placement.
Competitive Analysis and Interviews
Interview Affinity Diagram
Competitor Relevance and Applicability
Health App
Apple Health app allows users to log precise water and nutrient intake, but requires manual calculations and offers no interpretation of the data.
Waterllama
Waterllama app encourages hydration through tasks of filling animal patterns, with no penalties for missed goals. It only tracks water, not nutrients.
Ulla
Ulla is a physical sensor that flashes to remind users to drink water, but it lacks a clear intake goal.
HidrateSpark
HidrateSpark combines an app and smart bottle to track precise liquid intake, but only logs beverages consumed from the bottle.
User Insights
90% of participants value health and recognize the importance of hydration habits but less than 40% of participants consciously try to be healthy
Among participants trying to be conscious about their health, many had a problem with their choice of liquid wanting to drink less coffee and alcohol. Almost all of the participants also reported to drinking less water than a healthy level but question on the conversion between alternative drinks.
100% of participants are aware of intake tracking products but 0% of participants use any existing products
Participants who are conscious of their hydration levels claimed to either track through the number of bottles consumed or rough estimates. Most of the participants hoped to be aware of their precise intake and whether they are at healthy levels but do not use any tracking products because of the external effort commitment to record as well finding difficulty in knowing the precise amount for non-clarified drinks.
Motivation
Most participants did not feel motivated to follow set intake routines because responding to individual circumstances in daily life disrupts routines without visible consequences
Consumption patterns are often in flux and disturbed in daily life by the main factors of exercise, business, pleasure, and diet. Participants decide on their choice of drink and amount to best satisfy the at the moment need but hope for motivation or reminder to stay healthy.
Knowledge
Unconscious about health because of a lack of understanding on nutrients and scientific standards
80% of participants follow the common misconception that humans only need 1 to 2 liters of water per day which falls significantly short of the scientific standard of 2.7 - 3.7 liters per day.
Personas
Ideation
Visualizing Concepts
Sketched design concepts to help visualize and brainstorm different forms and functions for our product
Refined Design Concept
Refined idea of product flow and key features
Wearable
Smartphone
Digital Companion
Reflection of User’s Health Status
Prototyping
Prototype Testing and Iterations
After solidifying our design concept, we created lo-fi paper prototypes and conducted user walkthroughs with 5 participants to get feedback on the usefulness of the concept and features.
Based on user feedback, we iterated our design to mid-fi screens making the applicable changes.
Key Experience 1: Recording intake and viewing details
Before
I am not sure whether my intake was successfully recorded and feel it is an extra step to click into viewing details of the beverage
It’s not clear how my intake balance is and what I should drink more
After
First, we iterated the home screen to feature the digital companion and an overview of the user’s different intake which helps users to understand their hydration status and individual beverage breakdown. Then we added a response screen after scanning the beverage to both indicate that the liquid was successfully detected allowing users to verify and to show users nutrition details about the beverage.
Key Experience 2: Look up analytics and adjust goals
Before
I am confused about how I should interpret the long term intake
I am unsure about my nutritional health and how I should adjust my goals accordingly
After
Based on the feedback, we created a comprehensive metrics page to contain more wholistic information about users’ intake behavior and breakdown. We also added an AI suggestion chat box where users can ask questions for clarification on their intake and nutrition as well as receive more direct feedback on what to intake.
Final Design
Refined Prototype
Home Screen + Digital Health Companion + Scanner
Summary
Split home screen features the digital health companion on top and critical intake levels on the bottom. Users can expand top screen for an interactive experience viewing the digital pal’s state and direct comments on behavior. The bottom screen allows users to view numerical hydration progress and performance. Users can easily record new intake with the camera scanner option which updates all values and the digital pal’s appearance.
Rationale
We included a reward and penalty system of the digital companion’s appeared health to motivate users on long term hydration tracking and usage of the product. The top split screen makes use of our AI integration to provide easy to understand suggestions for users who have difficulty understanding the metrics or their tracking data. The scanner is made to simplify the recording process.
Friends Plaza
Summary
Users can see all of their friends’ digital health companion and their respective states in an open plaza. If a friend’s pal is in an unhealthy condition, users can water their pal and it will remind the other user.
Rationale
The social component of the app allows users to compare their health pal to each other providing mutual encouragement and competition.
Goal Adjustment
Summary
According to suggestions or users’ own interpretation, they can adjust the goals of each intake group which also shows a calculated recommended amount according to the users’ profile.
Rationale
We emphasize on helping users to understand their hydration behavior and progress to make the correct adjustment to their goals accordingly.
Metrics
Summary
Users can access bigger picture of their hydration behavior over different periods of time in more depth. App calculated insights also helps users understand their performance relatively.
Rationale
We separated the metrics page from critical information on the home page because we found through interviews that users with fitness expertise would find this detailed information helpful while more everyday users would prefer a simplified read of important metrics to know.
AI Nutrition Bear
Summary
An integrated AI chat bot assists users with any question covering health and hydration in general, app instructions, and overall suggestions.
Rationale
Many users in our research found that setting plans and making healthier hydration choices requires specific understanding. The AI chat bot makes use of learning models and gpt to make recommendations in an easy to understand way similar to a nutrition doctor or private instructor.
Impact
Outcome
Users were able to record intake 80% faster with the wearable and 40% faster with just the app than similar products
80% of users tested expressed that they would be motivated to continue using the product
75% of experienced health and nutrition professionals felt that the product would effectively aid their hydration and health tracking routine
Reflection
What I learned?
To the everyday user, using health and hydration solutions requires mainly two factors: motivation to stay on track and knowledge of what actions to take. The process of ideating a simple to use product which motivates users to continue using while providing accurate and informative professional guidance in nutrition was challenging.
Next Steps
Improve accessibility options. As it stands now, the product lacks implementations for handicap usage. Future updates with voice-based interactions would ensure compliance with accessibility guidelines and enhancement of user experience.
Explore interactions with digital companion. The health pal digital companion currently only reflects the users health and hydration status. We would look into allowing users more freedom with customizing their unique digital companion through decorative clothing and accessories.
Expand to other health and nutrition intakes. HydraPal could make an addition by tracking food and supplements to factor in all intakes by users and generate a more wholistic picture of user’s health and nutritional balance.