UX/UI CASE STUDY

Mind Walk

Mindfulness & Emotional Wellness App

An interactive mobile experience that helps users manage stress, build healthy habits and develop emotional intelligence through mindfulness and gameplay.

Duration 4 Weeks
Role UX/UI Designer – with mentor Razvan Necreala
Industry Health & Wellbeing
Platform iOS & Android
Tools Figma, Miro, AI, Ps, G Forms & Sheets
Year 2024
Mindi
MEET MINDI

Your Emotional Wellness Companion

A playful guide designed to help users build emotional awareness, reduce stress and create healthier habits through mindfulness and gamified experiences.

Stress
Presence
Burnout
Reflection
Anxiety
Growth
PROJECT FOUNDATIONS

Project At A Glance

A mindfulness experience built from real user research, focused on stress reduction, emotional awareness and habit building.

34
Survey Participants
57%
Female Users
28
Average User Age

Why Mind Walk?

People struggle with stress, emotional overwhelm and staying present in daily life. Mind Walk transforms mindfulness into a playful and engaging daily habit through challenges, reflection and emotional growth.

My Role

UX Strategy User Research UI Design Prototyping

Design Process

Research
Define
Design
Test
USER RESEARCH

Understanding The Problem

Research findings that shaped the Mind Walk experience and guided design decisions.

Research 01

Understanding Stress

How do you manage daily stress?
  • Walking
  • Journaling
  • Meditation
  • Breathing Exercises
  • Talking with Friends
Insight People already know healthy coping methods but struggle to practice them consistently.
Research 02

Monetization Validation

96%

Would pay for a wellbeing app

Insight Users perceive emotional wellbeing as valuable enough to pay for.
Research 03

Most Requested Features

  • Introspection Techniques
  • Meditation Practices
  • Micro Breaks
  • Breathing Exercises
Insight Users want practical tools rather than passive content.
Research 04

Corporate Potential

82%

Would use the app if offered by an employer

Insight The product has potential for workplace wellbeing programs.
EMPATHY MAP

Inside The User's Mind

Understanding how users think, feel, behave and communicate through research insights.

Says

What Users Say

  • I need a supportive environment.
  • I enjoy simple games that don't consume too much energy.
  • I want to belong to a community.
  • I need something easy to fit into my routine.
Thinks

What Users Think

  • Professional guidance increases trust.
  • Personalized content feels more engaging.
  • Milestones help maintain motivation.
  • Practical tools are more valuable than theory.
Does

What Users Do

  • Lose motivation quickly.
  • Overthink and procrastinate.
  • Get distracted easily.
  • Struggle to maintain routines.
Feels

What Users Feel

  • Overwhelmed by responsibilities.
  • Anxious about making mistakes.
  • Emotionally drained.
  • Often isolated during stressful periods.
Insight

Key Insight

Users are not looking for another meditation app. They need a playful emotional companion that helps them stay consistent, feel supported and build healthier habits.

RESEARCH SYNTHESIS

From Interviews To Product Decisions

After conducting interviews and card sorting sessions, recurring patterns emerged that directly influenced the product strategy.

Stress & Anxiety

  • Fear of making mistakes
  • Social interactions feel overwhelming
  • Hard to switch off and recharge
  • Pressure from relationships and work
  • Feeling isolated during stressful periods

Play & Curiosity

  • Enjoy simple games
  • Like mental challenges
  • Love teamwork experiences
  • Need playful interactions
  • Fun increases participation

Community & Safety

  • Need safe spaces
  • Want supportive communities
  • Sharing helps reduce stress
  • Need trust before opening up
  • Professional guidance matters

Motivation

  • Rewards encourage consistency
  • Progress tracking matters
  • Milestones feel meaningful
  • Discounts increase engagement
  • Recognition boosts motivation

Design Opportunities

Gamified Challenges
Custom Shadow Avatar
Reward System
Safe Community Space
Guided Mindfulness Tools
Progress Tracking
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

Finding The Market Gap

We analyzed leading wellbeing apps to identify opportunities, differentiate the product and uncover market gaps.

01

Guided Mindfulness

Meditation and breathing exercises have become standard features across the wellbeing market.

Mind Walk combines mindfulness with gamified emotional growth.
02

Romanian Localization

Most competitors target international audiences and generic experiences.

Localized content creates stronger emotional connection and trust.
03

Shadow Avatar

No major competitor visualizes emotional growth in a meaningful way.

Users create a companion that evolves with their emotional journey.
04

Community Features

Users often feel isolated while dealing with stress and anxiety.

A safe community creates belonging and support.
05

Reward System

Most wellbeing apps rely mainly on streaks and notifications.

Rewards and milestones encourage long-term engagement.
View Full Competitive Matrix Competitive Analysis Matrix
USER PERSONAS

Who Are We Designing For?

Three primary user groups emerged from the research, each with unique motivations, frustrations and wellbeing goals.

Primary User

Miriam Benedict

45 • Mother of 3
Stress Family Habits

Goals

  • Reduce stress
  • Build healthy habits
  • Manage emotions

Pain Points

  • No time for herself
  • Hard to stay consistent
  • Feels overwhelmed
Secondary User

Ben Willson

25 • QA Tester
Anxiety Confidence Growth

Goals

  • Improve social confidence
  • Gain emotional control
  • Feel more secure

Pain Points

  • Social anxiety
  • Fear of mistakes
  • Low self-esteem
Secondary User

Alina Tănasă

35 • Entrepreneur
Burnout Balance Productivity

Goals

  • Work-life balance
  • Build healthy routines
  • Reduce stress

Pain Points

  • Workaholic tendencies
  • Burnout risk
  • Lack of downtime
View Full Persona Profiles
INSIGHTS

What We Learned

Research revealed emotional patterns, motivations and barriers that directly shaped the Mind Walk experience.

01

Consistency Is Hard

Most users already knew mindfulness techniques but struggled to practice them regularly.

02

Stress Was The Main Trigger

Managing stress and emotional overwhelm was the primary reason people looked for wellbeing solutions.

Mindi

Build Your Shadow Friend

A personalized creature that reflects your emotions, fears and strengths. Instead of fighting difficult emotions, users learn to understand and grow with them.

03

People Need Motivation

Users wanted progress, rewards and a sense of achievement to stay engaged.

04

Traditional Apps Felt Passive

Many users found existing mindfulness apps repetitive and difficult to stick with.

PRODUCT STRUCTURE

Transforming Insights Into Structure

Research findings were translated into navigation systems, task flows and product architecture that support users in building mindful habits with ease.

01

Task Flows

Mapping the most important user journeys: onboarding and completing a Daily Mind Game.

02

Product Structure

Defining how content, navigation and user journeys work together to create a seamless user experience.

Information Architecture

Information Architecture

The product was organized around four primary areas:

  • Daily Mind Games & Challenges
  • Community & Social Interaction
  • Progress Tracking & Rewards
  • Marketplace & Premium Content

User Journey Mapping

The final journey was designed to minimize friction and encourage habit formation.

  • Simple language selection
  • Fast onboarding experience
  • Immediate access to daily activities
  • Clear progress and achievement feedback
  • Easy return to unfinished challenges
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