Empathia needed to modernize its EAP systems to look more appealing and easier to use. The project aimed to create a guided system, a browsing interface, and a quiz-like feature, making mental health and health resources easily navigable and user-friendly.
HR Employee David
David is a 34-year-old HR Manager responsible for managing the EAP system and accessing reports. He is interested in teaching the EAP system to users and applies EAP items as a traditional user. His pain points include difficulty engaging employees, managing technical issues, and ensuring the confidentiality and privacy of employee data. David works from the office using a desktop and handles many HR duties at a mid-size company.
Extrovert Employee Cicely
Cicely is a 32-year-old manager at Toyota, who frequently updates herself about the EAP system to manage work-related emotional stress. She suffers from emotional stress from work, is open to asking questions from HR, and appreciates online privacy. Her pain points include not receiving regular updates about the EAP system, privacy concerns, and finding relevant resources. Cicely uses a laptop at the office and home, preferring quick access to information.
Introvert Employee Lucas
Lucas is a 45-year-old line worker at Clorox, who avoids seeking help and looks for quick information online. He suffers from physical and emotional stress, avoids talking about emotional stress, and looks for quick information without much effort. His pain points include struggling with physical and emotional stress, limited knowledge about available resources, and unfamiliarity with websites. Lucas uses an older desktop in a factory shared office.
Sheepish Employee Nieve
Nieve is a 34-year-old non-binary employee who works remotely at home and coffee shops. They are shy and hesitant to seek mental health support, feeling like they suffer from Imposter Syndrome. Nieve prefers text/email communication and appreciates online privacy. Their pain points include uncertainty about the legitimacy of the EAP service, fear of being judged, and limited knowledge about the EAP system. Nieve uses a laptop and iPhone.
Grieving Greg
Greg is a 52-year-old construction worker who recently lost his wife. He is seeking discreet emotional support and prefers online resources due to perceived shame. Greg’s pain points include difficulty finding discreet resources, limited availability, and managing grief-related symptoms. He uses a laptop and iPhone at construction sites.
Busy College Caulyne
Caulyne is an 18-year-old college student balancing academic responsibilities with personal life. She is interested in resources for stress and time management, preferring online resources due to a busy schedule. Her pain points include difficulty finding relevant resources, limited availability during business hours, and managing a limited budget. Caulyne uses a laptop and iPhone at class, library, and dorm.
Online-Only College Emily
Emily is a 25-year-old non-binary online student looking for career development and stress management resources. They balance academic responsibilities with part-time work and prefer online resources. Emily’s pain points include limited availability during business hours, feeling overwhelmed and stressed, and seeking career development resources. They use a laptop and iPhone for online courses and work.
Worn College Elder William
William is a 47-year-old social worker pursuing a degree in psychology while balancing work, family, and academic responsibilities. He is interested in resources for academic support and work-life balance, preferring online resources. William’s pain points include juggling full-time work and academic responsibilities, maintaining work-life balance, and feeling isolated in classes. He uses a laptop and iPhone at class, library, and home.
Medical Student Sarah
Sarah is a 33-year-old medical student managing a high academic workload and financial stress. She is interested in resources for academic support and personal wellness, and participates in extracurricular activities. Sarah’s pain points include managing student loan debt, balancing academic responsibilities with personal wellness, and feeling overwhelmed by medical school. She uses a laptop and iPhone at class, library, and parents’ home.
Wireframing and Prototyping
For wireframing and prototyping, I used Figma to create detailed wireframes and interactive prototypes. The process involved creating low-fidelity wireframes to outline the basic structure and layout of the EAP system, focusing on key screens such as the dashboard, guided system, browsing interface, and quiz feature. While I understand the importance of wireframes and the process with the client, it was determined that due to the structure of how the client was making decisions, wireframes were only done internally amongst the team and not shared with the client. I iteratively refined the designs based on stakeholder feedback to improve usability. Interactive prototypes simulated user interactions and flows, used for usability testing and demonstrating design concepts to stakeholders. Design refinements were made based on testing feedback to ensure user-friendliness and project objectives were met.
Testing and Iteration
Usability testing was conducted, revealing that improvements were needed in navigation, content relevance, interactivity, and accessibility options. Visual design elements were adjusted based on polarizing feedback. Iterative adjustments were made in collaboration with developers in an agile environment, leading to increased user satisfaction and engagement.
