Maliha Lakhani

March 2020

COVID-19

Contact

Skills

Branding

Prototyping

User Research

UX/UI

UX/UI

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Challenge

Problem

Since COVID-19, I’ve noticed a divide in communities and a lack of compassionate connections.

Insight

Through research, a lot of people feared the unknown, the hysteria of COVID-19 - the duration, the social and economic impact, food shortages, limited testing, effect on mental health, elderly getting sick, the risks of spreading the virus and loss of contact with the community.

Solution

Create a mobile app that allows users to build a community through crisis. Features: forum feed, resource map, live chat & video therapy. When a user loads the app, they will be asked for their login information and location. The app will cater information and resources based on their location.

Process

I began this project by putting myself in the shoes of my users. I read articles on the internet as well as on social media. I conducted user surveys to see what were some concerns and how COVID-19 has been impacting lives. I got 70 responses from individuals across the US to even individuals in the UK and Pakistan. I really wanted to understand what my users were feeling during this pandemic. I wanted to connect with them and when I did, it all made sense. As a graduate with a B.A. in Asian American Studies, I learned often in times of difficulty, people are able to combat or get through struggles when they form a community. The main feature which also acts as the home page is the forum feed. This feature allows users to interact with members of their community whether it is helping the elderly get their groceries or even suggesting working from home opportunities.

Design System

I used a pastel coral blue as the primary color. I wanted the app to have a calming color and to convey the message that community building reduces stress and anxieties. The main feature I wanted to focus on was the forum feed as it would be the tool for communication amongst the users based on their location. The features displayed in the app needed to be user friendly for users of all ages so I kept the design simple and used icons for the navigation menu. For the filter option, I decided to use check bubbles as it was the most straightforward. I decided to have icons on the map opposed to words as they would indicate the kinds of resources available to the users. Lastly, I felt that having a welcome or introduction screen prior to the live chat or scheduling screen would make it less confusing for users and that it would allow them to understand what the particular features are.

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