LAIF
Wellness App
Entrepreneur Case Study
By late 2021, 63% of Peruvians, including adults, adolescents, and children, are struggling with overweight or obesity. Additionally, finding reliable information about professionals’ credentials, prices, and specialties remains a significant challenge.
The decision
I had always believed in the power of balance and the importance of a nutritious diet. This endeavor gave birth to LAIF, a platform dedicated to promoting holistic well-being. Recognizing the centrality of nutrition in achieving overall health.
The
Objective
The Objective
Build a system to help people find nutritionists online
that can trust and avoid human contact
Project Overview
My Role:
Product Manager, UX/UI Designer
Team (7):
1 UX/UI Designer, 2 UI Designers,
2 Developers, 2 Business Partners
Duration:
1 Year
Company:
Laif
Project Planning
PHASE 1
Discovery
(2 months)
Research
Findings:
Thematic Analysis
Pain Points
User Needs
User Persona
Scenarios
Customer Journey
Service Blueprint
PHASE 2
Design Strategy
(3-4 months)
Brainstorming
Affinity Map
Sitemap
Wireframes
Exploration
Test Concept
High Fidelity
Mockups
Documentation
PHASE 3
Development
(6 months)
Scrum Adaption
Backlog Priorities
Sprints
Download App
Discovery
Understanding the problem
To build a great product we need to understand what patients value most in a nutritionist service and a how they find this service.
Surveys conducted with five nutritionists in Peru revealed that the majority of people interested in nutritionist services are women (80%), and 80-95% of these women are seeking to lose weight.
Research Plan
Goal: know better our user and Identify what elements bring trust for a nutritionist service online.
Hypothesis:
1.Clear credentials, in-depth bios, and client testimonials are key to online nutrition service trust.
2.Photos and videos of the nutritionist can build trust by showcasing expertise and personality.
Research Questions:
1.What builds trust with nutritionist clients (credentials, bios, security, reviews)?
2.What promotes engagement in a nutritionist service?
Philosophy: Interpretivism > Qualitative methods.
Data Collection Method: Online interviews.
Participants: 6 participants, 25-45 yrs (all woman).
Hellen
Julia
Zuellen
Blondie
Karolay
Susan
Hellen
Julia
Zuellen
Blondie
Karolay
Susan
Findings
Thematic Analysis - User Interviews
RQ1 – Trust with nutritionist clients is built through:
A combination of credentials, detailed bios that highlight specialization and methodology, ensuring security of client information, and positive reviews from satisfied clients. Studies and years of experience are less relevant.
RQ2 – Engagement in a nutritionist service is promoted through:
Regular follow-up appointments, achieving measurable results, providing educational resources to empower clients, and demonstrating empathy and kindness to build a supportive and understanding relationship.
Pain Points
Emotional
1.
Stress: Overload of tasks and lack of time for in-person consultations.
2.
Anxiety: Difficulties with changing habits.
Discipline
1.
Self-Discipline: Lack of self-control and motivation.
2.
Friends and Family: Negative influences and lack of support.
Nutritional Service Engagement
Nutritional Service
Engagement
1.
Follow- up: Insufficient monitoring and support.
2.
Results: Lack of measurable outcomes.
3.
Learning: Inadequate nutritional education and places to go.
4.
Empathetic Kindness: Absence of a compassionate and understanding.
These identified pain points will serve as the foundation for defining key user needs, guiding the development of effective solutions.
User Needs
Fundamental Priorities
1. Searching:
- Easy nutritionists discovery
- Availability
- Online Service
2. Emotional:
- Stress management tips
- Clear and simplified meals
- Program planning and clear guidance
3. Discipline:
- Motivation and accountability
- Practical discipline tips
4. Nutritional Service Engagement:
- Basic nutritional education
- Empathy and Understanding
- Measurable outcomes
- Regular Follow-Ups
- Regular Progress Updates
Supplemental Priorities
1. Emotional:
- Reassurances and support
- Time management education
2. Discipline:
- Supportive Environment
3. Nutritional Service Engagement:
- Accountability
- Positive Reinforcement
Potential Preferences
1. Discipline:
- Expressing dietary needs
- Seek support
- Handle social pressure
2. Nutritional Service Engagement:
- Strategies for social eating
- Support systems
By identifying pain points and user needs, we build our persona and define usability needs that focus on enhancing the user experience through more intuitive and efficient solutions.
Key User Persona for Study
Susan
AGE
34
College graduate
Marriet
Manager
Lima – Perú
S/ 4000
High
AGE 34
EDUCATION College graduate
OCCUPATION Manager
LOCATION Lima – Peru
INCOME S/ 4000
TECH LITERATE High
I strive to lead a healthy life, focusing on better eating habits, but often I’m unsure of how to do it.”
Background
Susan is a 34-year-old marketing manager living in Lima, Peru. Struggling with her weight due to a busy work schedule, she is committed to losing weight and improving her health.
Goals
- Lose weight to look and feel great about herself.
- Learn how to eat right.
- Improve her health.
Information Seeking Styles
- Susan frequently uses apps and online resources to find reliable information and support for her weight loss journey.
Usability Needs
- She values personalized recommendations, efficient search functions, and community support to stay motivated and on track.
- Easy online appointment scheduling with local nutritionists.
- Intuitive navigation and visual aids for recipes and meal planning.
- Logging meals and timely reminders about healthy habits and upcoming appointments.
- Program Dashboard, activity feed, learning videos and progress tracker.
Scenario 1: Susan's Nutritionist Search with Laif
1.Struggling with
Weight Gain
Susan notices in the mirror her belly looks bigger, and she doesn’t like it. She remembered her friend recommended LAIF to search for healthy recipes and find nutritionists who specialize in weight loss.
2.Download LAIF
Susan decides to download Laif. The app allows her to book appointments online, saving time for her busy schedule.
3.Search for Nutritionists
Susan reviews a nutritionist’s profile, which includes user reviews and success stories. Impressed by the credentials and positive feedback, she decides to book a consultation.
4.Appointment Details
After work, Susan reviews her appointment details and prepares a list of questions for the consultation. The app provides her with nutritionist forms and appointment reminders, ensuring she is well-prepared.
Scenario 2: Susan’s Health Journey with Laif
1.Daily Meal Planning
Susan wakes up and checks her smartphone. She opens the Laif app to review her personalized daily meal plan and logs her breakfast. The app provides visual aids for her recipes, making meal preparation easy and enjoyable.
2.Healthy Lunch Recipes
While having breakfast, Susan uses the app’s search function to find new healthy lunch recipes that fit her dietary preferences and nutrition goals. She saves a couple of options to try later in the week.
3.Educational Video
On the way to work, Susan Watches a mindful eating video on the app during her commute, which tracks her progress and offers educational content.
4.Reminders and Progress
At 10:00 AM, Susan gets a reminder about her nutritionist appointment and can view or reschedule it. After dinner, she reviews her day’s progress and receives a bedtime reminder to drink water and prep meals, feeling confident in her health journey.
“Due to NDAs with partners, I’m unable to share the customer journey or the blueprint from the client interviews. Thank you for your comprehension.”
Business Decision
With the complexity understood, we decided to develop the product in two phases, prioritizing the first scenario: “Susan’s Nutritionist Search with Laif”
DESIGN
Brainstorming
(1-2 weeks)
Participants (6): 3 Designers + 1 Developer + 2 Business Partner
Conducted: 3 Workshops
Affinity map:
Recipe Search and Recommendations
- Filters for dietary preferences.
- Recommendations based on goals and interactions.
Nutritionist Directory
- Detailed profiles with credentials, user reviews, and success stories.
- Filter by specialization, goals and time preferences.
- Promotions.
Personalized Onboarding
- My favorites section.
- Recommendations based on goals and interactions.
Preparation and Follow-UP
- Pre-appointment forms and questionnaires.
- Post-appointment reminders and notes.
- Reschedule features
We built all sitemap sections based on our usability needs. Although for this case study we’ll focus on the nutritionist directory happy path.
Wireframing
As part of my design process, I start with a quick draft, relying solely on the knowledge I have in mind. This approach fosters creativity and allows for an initial exploration of ideas without constraints.
Competitive Analysis
Then I reviewed similar platforms, in this case, other doctor directories and booking apps, to gain insights and inspiration. I also consider both local and successful international examples.
To be considered in the initial phase
Discard in initial phase
Discard in initial phase
Favorite savings
Access to my dates
Filters position
Professional card
Location data, price, and availability
Chat and notification shortcuts.
Professional card
Home menu
Language, nationality
Taglines and buttons
Professional card
Chat and access to my dates shortcuts
Business Decision
Our partners are now focusing on B2B. Consequently, we offer discounts to our business allies.
Design Exploration
I explored three additional options and add a promotional banner to align
with the business decision.
Original
Exploration 1
Promotions
Prioritize CNP (certificate)
Menu
Notifications
Exploration 2
Promotions
Prioritize Specialization
Menu
Notifications
Exploration 3
Prioritize CNP (certificate)
Unnecessary information
Notifications
Exploration 2
was selected.
Test Concept
Through five additional interviews, we tested the appointment scheduling and session joining processes. Based on the findings, we refined our screens.
Directory
User Problems:
They wish to search by price.
Can’t easily join their session.
Can’t find the chat, a feature
they pretend to use often.
Before
(Exploration 2)
After
After
Quick access to the agenda
Quick access to chats
Add price filter
Bio
User Problems:
The user want to chat with
the nutritionist.
Details on nutritionist
policies and reviews.
The booking button must
always be visible.
Before
After
Chat button
Enhance the bio data
Static booking button
Calendar
User Problems:
Clear hours of operation
Timezone clarity
Before
After
Availabile hour range
Timezone
Checkout
User Problems:
Confirm booking date.
Their account data needed.
Business Problems:
Want to raise awareness
of Laif’s benefits.
Show the savings amount.
Before
After
Promotional banner
Summary detail
Account data
Final Result
After testing the concept, I updated the designs to high fidelity and conducted additional tests with potential clients and stakeholders. Additionally, we developed the first version of a design system.
Directory
Search engine
Online appointments
Follow-Up
Post-appointment reminders and notes
Bio
Detailed profiles with credentials
Reviews and success stories
Empathetic Kindness: Know your nutritionist
Calendar
Flexible calendar
Timezone visibility
Checkout
Available promotions
Detailed service description
Payment options
Search engine
Online appointments
Follow-Up
Post-appointment
reminders and notes
Detailed profiles with
credentials
Reviews and
success stories
Empathetic Kindness:
Know your nutritionist
Flexible calendar
Timezone visibility
Available promotions
Detailed service
description
Payment options
Design Documentation
Sample: Micro-interactions
This case study showcases design documentation for micro-interactions, highlighting their role in enhancing user experience.
Directory
Interactions
FILTER BUTTON: LIFESTYLE
Gesture: Tap.
Trigger: Tap on the filter lifestyle button.
Feedback: Display options such as vegetarian, vegan and omnivore.
Rules:
- The specialists screen will updated based on the selected filter.
Mode:
- Normal: Gray letters
- Selected/Active: White letters on a black chip.
NUTRITIONIST CARD
Gesture: Tap.
Trigger: Tap on a nutritionist card.
Feedback: Display the bio screen.
Rules:
- Navigate to the bio screen.
- All element in the card are valid except the favorite icon and the agenda icon
The same design process was applied to recipes, promotions, favorites, configurations, and micro-interactions to meet Scenario 1's usability needs.
Development
Product Management
My Role: Product Manager.
Team (4): In charge of 2 developers, 2 designers.
Scrum Adaption: Applied to a small team.
Backlog Priorities: Scenario 1 from discovery phase.
Sprints: Conduct weekly reviews.
If you wish to purchase a service outside of Peru, you can use PayPal for transactions. Currently, this service is available in Spanish only.
Conclusions
- Finding a great nutritionist is only the first step; ongoing engagement and support are crucial for success in nutrition programs.
- A successful nutritional service engagement must consider the follow-up, results, learnings and empathetic kindness as its pillars.
- Building trust with clients is based on recognition, problem-solving approach, studies and years of experience. The latter two are less relevant.
- Conduct surveys, interviews, and focus groups to understand potential users’ needs, preferences, and pain points. This data is essential for designing a user-centric app.
- Users prefer photos over videos for nutritionist profiles.
- User feedback is vital for enhancing usability and refining tools.
Learnings
- To support our users in developing healthy eating habits, we need to create tools for self-guidance such as meal logging, a program dashboard, an activity feed, educational videos, and progress tracking.
- Stakeholders must align with user needs; otherwise, their proposals can mislead the platform’s goals.
- Developing effective tools is essential to maintaining user and nutritionist engagement throughout the program.
Limitations
- We needed to prioritize the usability needs of Scenario 1, despite clear pain points in Scenario 2, to build parts of the system that resolve those issues.
- Managing a small team can be exhausting, and without the right processes, small mistakes can lead to significant delays.
- Due to budget constraints, we were unable to implement cybersecurity measures across the platform at this time.
Recommendations
- Since the app will handle sensitive health information, robust data security measures must be in place. This includes encryption, secure user authentication, and compliance with regulations.
- Users prefer personalized recommendations based on their health data and goals. Incorporate features like customized meal plans, workout routines, and progress tracking.
- Maintain ongoing research efforts, such as UX evaluations and focus groups, to gather data and continuously improve the user experience.
- Include more accessibility features such as voice commands, text-to-speech.
- Staying updated with market trends ensures that the app evolves according to user needs and remains competitive.
- To enhance user engagement and provide real-time health data, consider integrating the app with popular wearables and fitness trackers.
