Empowering therapy seekers to better explore and express their thoughts through guided and interactive journaling
Safety first
While the app may engage in human-like conversation, it is not a substitute for a therapist and cannot provide professional advice. To prevent harmful interactions. safeguards were put in place to remind users to seek professional help when in need.
Generate personalised summaries for self-reflection or sharing
Once they have sufficient entries, users can easily generate summaries to gain valuable insights into their mental wellness journey. These summaries can be used for self-reflection or shared with their therapist to improve communication. Each point in the summary links back to the original journal entry, accessible by tapping on the # icon.
Choice of entry modes catering to different preferences
1. Journal
Most similar to traditional journaling where subtle prompts offer gentle guidance only when triggered by users.
2. Chat
For those who are less familiar with journaling, this alternative helps users discover new perspectives on their thoughts and feelings through engaging in natural conversations.
3. Voice
For users who find it easier to express themselves verbally, they can let their thoughts flow freely with real-time voice journaling in a familiar Singlish accent.
Play the video above to see EBI in action! (36 seconds) 🔊
EBI was chosen as an acronym for Emotional Baggage Interface, offering a subtle and approachable way to describe our app's purpose. Additionally, the Japanese word 'ebi (えび)' translates to 'prawn,' adding a touch of whimsy and relatability to our mascot.
Mental health challenges affect a significant portion of the population, and accessible support is crucial for well-being. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a widely used therapeutic approach that focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns and behaviors. As part of CBT, journaling is often recommended to facilitate self-reflection and track progress. However, when journaling tools are ineffective, they can lead to frustration and hinder progress.
To understand more about the role of journaling in therapy, we spoke to 4 therapists from various practices. Our initial assumptions were twofold:
Therapists frequently assigned journaling as a form of 'homework' and actively monitored the progress.
Therapists could be a valuable channel for widening our reach compared to targeting individual users.
However, our findings revealed a more nuanced reality. We discovered that, while therapists recognize the potential benefits of journaling, it is rarely a mandated practice. Instead, it is employed selectively, tailored to individual client needs and preferences. Therapists emphasized that journaling is one tool among a diverse arsenal, and its efficacy varies significantly.
This insight led us to pivot our focus, recognizing that directly targeting individuals would allow us to create the most impactful and accessible solution. By prioritizing the end-user experience, we aimed to build a strong user base by directly empowering individuals to take control of their self-reflection and progress.
To understand the needs and behaviors of our target users, we conducted online interviews with 16 individuals who have sought or are currently seeking therapy, and/or have experience with journaling (including those who have stopped recently).
Our analysis revealed several key themes:
Challenges with habit formation
Users frequently cited feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to begin with journaling. Some also described journaling as feeling like a chore, hindering its therapeutic value.
Desire for deeper insights and reflection
Users expressed a strong need for tools that provide deeper insights into their thoughts and feelings, including identifying trends they might not otherwise recognize. Tracking progress, both positive and negative, was also highly valued.
Need for social connection
Users desired opportunities to share their stories and reflect with others. Limited time with therapists was a recurring concern, highlighting a need for alternative avenues for connection and support.
user testing
Validating our solutions with real users
To ensure our solution effectively meets user needs, we conducted user testing with 9 participants from our initial interview group. In addition to formal testing sessions, we encouraged them to use the app independently over time to assess its long-term effectiveness.
Through this process, we identified a few usability issues:
Journal
Users attempted to tap the "Inspire Me" button before writing any content, but it is designed to be only activated after text input.
Chat
Users reported that it felt like a "never-ending conversation" due to the chatbot's persistent follow-up questions.
Voice
Due to technical limitations, there a 15-minute time limit after which reconnection is required although the conversation is still saved. This was perceived by some users as an error.
Additionally, we also received some positive feedback:
8 out of 9
felt this app would greatly benefit their mental health journey
Primary
Secondary
Neutrals
Users attempted to tap the "Inspire Me" button before writing any content, but it is designed to be only activated after text input.
Button is greyed out initially and only activates after the user has typed in some content. A tooltip was also introduced explaining how it works.
Due to technical limitations, there a 15-minute time limit after which reconnection is required although the conversation is still saved. This was perceived by some users as an error.
A friendly notification appears 1 minute before expiry, giving users the option to extend their conversation. If time runs out, a playful message assures users that their progress has been saved.
This project isn't just a concept; it's a solution poised to make a tangible difference in the lives of people on their mental health journey. Our successful pilot launch saw the rapid acquisition of 140 users, demonstrating the immediate appeal and need for EBI. We were also recognised as one of the top 5 teams out of 23 in the hackathon, securing $20,000 in funding to further fuel our mission.
Building on this promising start, we are thrilled to announce a significant partnership with a public hospital, whom we are actively collaborating with to customize the app for their patients. This not only validates the practical application of our app within a real word setting but also enables us to extend our reach, making a positive impact on a wider population seeking mental health support.
takeaways
Be a painkiller, not a vitamin
Through this process, I learned that impactful design focuses on being a "painkiller" – directly addressing a critical need for a specific user group – rather than a mere "vitamin," which is just a nice-to-have. This requires understanding user struggles within their natural context, going beyond superficial feedback in artificial testing environments where where they may not be able to directly articulate their true needs.
Embracing pivoting and flexibility
Our initial strategy to reach users via psychologists faced a significant obstacle: a lack of established credibility hindered their willingness to recommend our unproven solution. This forced a crucial pivot, shifting our focus to directly engaging end-users within the limited timeframe. This change in direction, driven by real-world feedback, ultimately led to invaluable insights and the traction that unexpectedly opened the door to our collaboration with a public hospital.
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