One of the business problems Headspace has is its intense competition in the meditation app market. With the growing popularity of meditation and mindfulness practices, several other apps, such as Calm and Insight Timer are all competing for users' attention and loyalty.

Here are a few of my keynotes:

I developed a user persona that embodies the feedback and opinions shared by actual Headspace users in my interviews and survey responses. Consistently referencing this persona throughout the design process ensured my solutions aligned with users’ core needs and effectively addressed their issues.

Using the insights I gathered from my research, I developed new features such as personalized timelines, reminders, durations, and a check-in feature that would provide users with greater flexibility, convenience, and customization.

My goal with these features were to help users establish and maintain a consistent meditation habit—regardless of their busy schedules or level of experience—and help users received course recommendations that feel tailored to their unique circumstances.

The new challenge was to map out how the new features would integrate into Headspace's existing product without disrupting its current design patterns. I used a sitemap to identify new screens that would be added for the features.

Most notable change was the addition of the Recommendation tab, which would house both the new check in feature and personalized course recommendations for each user.

Starting my designing process with sketches would also allow me to explore several alternatives quickly for choosing the direction of the new features. I adopted patterns and elements that are consistent with what already exists and that users are already familiar with within the Headspace app.

Throughout the project, I continued to gather user feedback to identify areas for improvement and refine the features over time.

For this feature, I prioritized simplicity and clarity. I focused on having a clean and straightforward user flow with clear and concise instructions to ensure the entire process of finding the right course for users’ meditation needs is as simple and intuitive as possible.

Users just simply answer a few questions as to how they’re feeling and based on their responses, the app would recommend a few meditation courses that fit their current needs or mood.

I conducted usability tests with 5 regular Headspace users to ensure the new features would make sense to them and see if various tasks related to those new features could be completed. Research findings were 100% of users were able to successfully complete the given tasks and a 96% task error-free rate with few minor revisions.

Like any new habit, the toughest part is always sticking with it so I’ve designed some new features to make it a bit easier. Here’s a look at how these features would personalize the Headspace experience and help users in making meditation a part of their regular routine.