Smoking is a significant problem in Germany, leading to preventable deaths and healthcare expenses of over 25 billion euros each year. However, existing cessation apps are unsuccessful in retaining user engagement.
Cloudy is not just another quit smoking app!
It’s your companion in your exciting journey to establish an empowering and self-determined solution for your smoking habit.
End-to-End Product Designer
2023
Wellness & Health
2 Weeks
Figma, Photoshop
Challenge
Cloudy is a smoking habit management app with empowering aspects of gamification.
The Result
The Cloudy addiction management app project yielded very positive outcomes, aligning with its mission to support individuals in overcoming addiction challenges effectively. User feedback consistently conveyed a sense of increased support and motivation in their addiction recovery journeys, validating the app's effectiveness. Moreover, the unique storytelling approach featuring characters Cloudy and Sunny resonated with users, making their addiction recovery journey more engaging and gamified. This approach helped users stay committed to their goals and provided a sense of accomplishment.
Process
Research & Analysis: To delve deeper into the issue, we conducted a survey, interviews, and competitive analysis. The survey gathered quantitative data, revealing nicotine addiction as the most widespread among our respondents. Interviews with individuals aged 28–38, dealing with nicotine addiction, shed light on the difficulties they faced, especially with existing apps that often fell short of their expectations.
User Persona: Our user persona, Adam, emerged from this research. Adam, a long-time smoker in his mid-30s from Berlin, had made prior unsuccessful attempts to quit smoking. His goals revolved around a healthier lifestyle, better fitness, and a sense of accomplishment. However, he grappled with concerns about long-term health consequences, the cost of cigarettes, and the fear of attempting and failing to quit.
User Journey: Adam's journey became the focal point. The problem statement reads: "Smokers seeking to redefine their habits require a supportive structure for habit changes that empowers instead of demotivates." We aimed to create a tool that fostered positive progress, avoiding guilt-inducing features.
Barinstorming & Ideation: Crazy 8s and the MoSCoW Method were employed to generate ideas and prioritize features. The MVP statement was crystallized.
Key features included avatar customization, goal setting, and consumption tracking.
Lo-fi Prototype: The Lo-fi prototype featured three screens: Home, Profile, and Lounge. It incorporated elements like a cigarette tracker, health insights, and a community chat.
Concept Testing: Positive feedback from concept testing prompted us to refine the app further. Users' suggestions helped us enhance the cigarette tracker and clarify the purpose of the Lounge section.
Subject Matter Interview: An interview with a subject matter expert from a rehabilitation ward provided valuable insights. Notably, relapse rates were high among those trying to quit, emphasizing the importance of community support and avoiding shaming messages. Feedback from concept testing and the SME interview informed crucial changes, including a friendlier tone, improved gamification elements, and removing potential triggers.
Mid-fi Wireframes: The Mid-fi wireframes introduced changes like a cloud-based cigarette tracker, a cravings tracker, and the introduction of "adventures" and "powers" to empower users.
Usability Testing:
Usability testing revealed that users found the app easy to navigate but had questions about gamification. An onboarding process was identified as essential to enhance user understanding.
Cloudy and Sunny: the Storytelling:
A unique storytelling approach was developed as part of the onboarding, involving characters Cloudy and Sunny on a mission to cool down a metaphorical volcano representing users' cravings and smoking habits.
Brand Attributes & Moodboard:
A moodboard and brand attributes were established to maintain a consistent visual style.
Styleface:
We then created a comprehensive style guide meticulously crafted to uphold brand consistency, with a harmonious blend of typography, color palettes, and design elements. This style guide serves as a visual roadmap, ensuring a cohesive and impactful brand presence.
Hi-fi Wireframes:
The hi-fi wireframes featured screens for Home, Dashboard, and Profile, integrating elements like a cigarette tracker, cravings tracker, and personalized powers.
The Prototype:
The prototype brought Cloudy to life, offering a tangible experience of the app's features and functionalities. attributes were established to maintain a consistent visual style.
Conclusion
Learnings:
The project taught us the importance of storytelling, character development, and understanding users beyond traditional UX/UI parameters. It was a rewarding journey, and we look forward to further developing Cloudy into an app that genuinely benefits users.
Thank you for reading, and please feel free to share your feedback or questions about our process or Cloudy. We would love to hear from you.