Bloom
A mobile application designed to help users build healthy habits and track personal growth through intuitive interactions and delightful micro-animations. Bloom creates a supportive environment for users to nurture their wellbeing.
Role:
Lead Designer (Team of 2)
Duration:
February 2024 - April 2024
Tools
Figma
Adobe Illustrator
Miro
Figjam
The Challenge
Why Another Health App?
The health and wellness market is saturated with tools, yet user retention remains incredibly low. We have apps for running, apps for counting calories, apps for meditation—but rarely one place that connects them all. My goal was to challenge the current standard of "Health Administration" and stop treating wellness like a second job (data entry, spreadsheets, charts). I wanted to design an experience that used nurturing, not guilt, to bring users back.
Problem
Research & Discovery: Diagnosing Wellness Burnout
I began by asking a simple question: Why do users quit health apps after 30 days?
I conducted user interviews and observational studies with a diverse group—from casual dieters to strict fitness trackers—and my research revealed that the problem wasn't a lack of features, but a lack of empathy.
Insight A: The "Data Entry" Barrier
"I spend more time logging my life than actually living it." Users described the onboarding process of most apps as administrative work. Measuring food, typing in weight, and calculating BMI manually created a high friction point that caused immediate drop-off.
Insight B: The "Streak" Anxiety
"If I miss one day, I feel like I failed. So I just quit." I found that standard gamification (like "100-day streaks") is counter-productive for mental health. It leverages fear of loss. When life gets busy—the exact moment users need the app most—the "broken streak" notification feels like a punishment.
Insight C: The Fragmented Experience
"I have to switch between three apps just to be healthy." Users were mentally fatigued by switching contexts. They treated physical health (gym) and mental health (meditation) as separate tasks, even though they felt the connection physically.
Targeted Solution
The Strategy: The "Garden" Ecosystem
Based on these insights, I developed the core product strategy: shift the mental model from "Discipline" to "Nurturing."
The "Water Drop" Economy
To solve the fragmentation problem (Insight C), I created a unified economy where any positive action—whether eating a salad, going for a run, or taking a deep breath—rewards the user with the same currency: Water Drops.
- The concept: Every healthy choice earns drops that users spend to nurture a digital plant on their home screen
- The psychology: This utilizes the Endowment Effect—users place higher value on things they've helped create. By making progress visual (a growing plant) rather than statistical (a number on a chart), I created an emotional hook that encourages return visits
Expected User Journey
Key Design Shifts
Evolution of Design: From Utility to Empathy
My initial concept for Bloom (Draft V1) was functional, but it suffered from "feature fatigue"—it relied heavily on traditional dashboards and charts that I later realized contributed to user anxiety. Here's how I pivoted based on research.
The Dashboard: Reducing Cognitive Load
One of the main issues with my initial dashboard was that it felt too much like "work." The interface was cluttered with calorie counters, line graphs, and deficit numbers, creating immediate cognitive overload for users who were already stressed.
- The pivot: I stripped away statistical noise and replaced it with a living Plant Avatar
- Why it worked: This shift from a utilitarian spreadsheet to a visual metaphor allowed users to gauge their health status instantly—if the plant is thriving, they are thriving—without the anxiety of analyzing complex numbers
Initial
Necessary Nutrients:
Fats, Minerals, Vitamins C
Today's Best Fit Menu
Beef Steak
Level:
Time: 15mins
Explore more recipes
Recipe for Meals
Necessary Nutrients:
Fats, Minerals, Vitamins C
Recipe for Snacks
DAY 77
Continue
9:41
Revised
Back
Healthy Recipes
Discover delicious and nutritious meals 🌸
Search recipes...
🍽️
All
🍳
Breakfast
🥗
Lunch
🍲
Dinner
🍎
Snacks
8 recipes found
🍳
Green Goddess Smoothie Bowl
Packed with spinach, banana, and topped with fresh fruits
10 min
280 kcal
Easy
🥗
Quinoa Buddha Bowl
Colorful bowl with quinoa, chickpeas, and roasted vegetables
25 min
420 kcal
Medium
🍲
Grilled Salmon with Asparagus
Omega-3 rich salmon with fresh asparagus spears
30 min
380 kcal
Medium
🍳
Overnight Oats
Creamy oats soaked overnight with chia seeds and berries
5 min
320 kcal
Easy
🥗
Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
Fresh salad with chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, and feta
15 min
290 kcal
Easy
🍲
Zucchini Noodles with Pesto
Low-carb zoodles with homemade basil pesto
20 min
250 kcal
Easy
🍎
Energy Balls
No-bake bites with dates, nuts, and dark chocolate
15 min
150 kcal
Easy
🍳
Avocado Toast Deluxe
Whole grain toast with mashed avocado and poached egg
10 min
340 kcal
Easy
9:41
Home
Meditate
Exercise
Recipes
Profile
The Interaction: Creating a Unified Ecosystem
In early iterations, I realized the experience felt disjointed because "Food," "Fitness," and "Mindfulness" sections all used different layouts, forcing users to relearn the UI for every feature.
- The solution: I implemented a strict Atomic Design System to unify the reward loop across all verticals
- The impact: I standardized the interaction so every card—whether logging a salad or a run—used the exact same "Earn Drops" mechanics. This minimized the learning curve and reinforced that every healthy choice contributes to the same holistic goal
Initial
Home
Recipes
Workout
Profile
SCAN
Welcome Lee
77-day streak
Today’s Calories
Today’s Meals
How are you feeling today, Lee?
Dashboard
1021kcal
2050kcal
Breakfast
502 kcal
Lunch
603 kcal
Dinner
341 kcal
Learn More
9:41
Home
Recipes
Workout
Profile
SCAN
Revised
9:41
Welcome back, Lee
77 day streak 🔥
Mature Plant
View details →
Water Drops
342
Progress to Budding
42/100
Today's Activity
🧘
Meditation
15
min
🏃
Exercise
1
min
🍽️
Meals
2
logged
🧘
Meditate
Earn 1 drop per minute
→
🏃
Log Exercise
Earn 1 drop per 2 minutes
→
🍽️
Log Meal
Earn 10 drops per meal
→
Home
Meditate
Exercise
Recipes
Profile
The Onboarding: Solving Friction with Automation
I noticed that the standard onboarding flow—manually typing height, weight, and measurements—was a massive friction point that felt like filling out medical paperwork.
- The pivot: I replaced manual entry forms with an AI Body Scan feature
- The impact: By leveraging computer vision to automate data collection, I transformed a tedious five-minute chore into a twenty-second "magic moment," drastically reducing time-to-value
Initial
Hi Lee,Please upload your photo.
“Make sure to wear tight clothing and upload
a full-body shot for an accurate photo analysis!”
Click to take or upload photo
DD/MM/YYYY
Past Health Records
DAY 18
View
DAY 77
9:41
Revised
AI Body Scan
Get instant insights about your body composition and type
AI-Powered Analysis
Advanced computer vision to assess your body metrics
Privacy First
All data processed locally and never stored
Track Progress
Monitor changes over time with regular scans
What We Measure
📏
Height
⚖️
Weight
💪
Body Type
📊
BMI
For Best Results:
• Stand in a well-lit area
• Position camera at chest height
• Wear fitted clothing
• Keep your arms at your sides
Note:
This is an AI estimation tool for informational purposes. For medical advice, please consult a healthcare professional.
Start Body Scan
Maybe Later
9:41
Key Design Decisions
High Fidelity Screens
The Sanctuary: Home Dashboard
I designed the home screen to function as a "Digital Sanctuary" rather than a clinical data dashboard—users are greeted by their "Mature Plant" instead of a calorie deficit number.
Design Decision:
- Implemented a vertical "Growth Journey" timeline below the avatar that visualizes the user's "Nurturing Arc"—tracking evolution from "Seed" to "Sprout" to "Seedling"
- By displaying locked future stages (like "Budding" and "Full Bloom"), I utilized the Goal Gradient Effect to motivate users to unlock the next level
Functionality:
- The "Recent Watering" feed acts as a real-time ledger displaying disparate activities—Meditation (+15 drops), Exercise (+15 drops), Meals (+10 drops)—side-by-side
- This reinforces the core mental model that every healthy choice, whether mental or physical, contributes to the same growing life force
9:41
Back
Your Plant
Mature Plant
Total Water Drops
342
Progress to Budding
42/100
58 more drops to next stage
Growth Journey
✓
Seed
The beginning of your journey
✓
Sprout
💧
100
First signs of life
✓
Seedling
💧
200
Growing stronger
✓
Young Plant
💧
300
Developing character
✓
Mature Plant
💧
400
Thriving and healthy
🔒
Budding
💧
500
Preparing to bloom
🔒
Full Bloom
💧
600
Reached full potential!
Recent Watering
🧘
meditation
2 hours ago
💧
+15
🏃
exercise
5 hours ago
💧
+15
🍽️
meal
8 hours ago
💧
+10
💡 Growth Tips
• Meditate daily to earn steady water drops
• Regular exercise accelerates growth
• Healthy meals provide essential nutrients
• Maintain your streak for bonus rewards!
Home
Meditate
Exercise
Recipes
Profile
The Magic Moment: AI Body Scan
Concept feature: Leveraging emerging body-scanning APIs (like Bodygram) to estimate measurements, reducing manual entry friction.
Design Decision:
- Used a "Zero-Text" approach—by leveraging computer vision, the app estimates body composition (e.g., Mesomorph, BMI 23.5) instantly
- Transformed a tedious 10-minute form into a 10-second interaction
Functionality:
- The result screen uses friendly, non-clinical illustrations (like the flexing arm icon) to frame data as "getting to know your body" rather than "diagnosing your flaws"
- This drastically reduced time-to-value while positioning the app as a high-tech, supportive tool
Back to Profile
Scan Results
Scanned on January 13, 2026
✨
Scan Complete!
Here's your personalized body analysis
💪
Mesomorph
Your body type
Mesomorphs typically have an athletic build with well-defined muscles and respond well to both strength training and cardio.
Body Metrics
📏
Height
175 cm
⚖️
Weight
72 kg
📊
Body Fat
18%
💪
Muscle Mass
58%
Body Mass Index (BMI)
23.5
Healthy Weight
15
40
Personalized Recommendations
🥗
Balanced Nutrition
Focus on protein-rich foods and complex carbs for your body type
🏋️
Strength Training
Incorporate resistance training 3-4 times per week
💧
Hydration
Aim for 2.5-3 liters of water daily for optimal metabolism
😴
Recovery
Ensure 7-8 hours of quality sleep for muscle recovery
Continue Growing Your Garden
Scan Again
9:41
The Reward Loop: Nutrition & Recipes
For the nutrition section, I wanted to move away from "calorie counting" and toward "nourishment."
Design Decision:
- Recipe interface prioritizes visual appeal with high-quality imagery and clear, pill-shaped tags for prep time and calories
Functionality:
- The most critical element is the "Log This Meal & Earn Drops" button at the bottom
- This explicitly connects the action (eating healthy) to the reward (watering the plant), reinforcing the habit loop immediately after the user cooks
🥗
Green Goddess Smoothie Bowl
10 min
280 kcal
1 serving
Easy
A vibrant and nutritious smoothie bowl packed with greens, topped with fresh fruits, nuts, and seeds for the perfect healthy breakfast.
Nutrition Facts
12g
Protein
45g
Carbs
8g
Fat
7g
Fiber
Ingredients
Frozen banana
2
Fresh spinach
2 cups
Greek yogurt
1/2 cup
Almond milk
1/2 cup
Honey
1 tbsp
Chia seeds
1 tbsp
Toppings (Optional)
Fresh berries
Sliced banana
Granola
Coconut flakes
Chia seeds
Almond butter drizzle
Instructions
1
Add frozen banana, spinach, Greek yogurt, almond milk, and honey to a blender.
2
Blend on high until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
3
Pour the smoothie into a bowl.
4
Arrange your favorite toppings on top in a decorative pattern.
5
Serve immediately and enjoy!
Log This Meal & Earn Drops 💧
Browse More Recipes
9:41
The Motivation: Exercise Log
Logging workouts is often a friction point in fitness apps. I streamlined this by using intuitive iconography and gesture-based controls.
Design Decision:
- Instead of typing numbers, users drag a slider to set their duration
Functionality:
- As the user adjusts time, the app calculates the reward in real-time (e.g., "+35 drops")
- This instant feedback loop visualizes the value of their effort before they even confirm the log, increasing likelihood of completion
9:41
Log Exercise
Stay active, help your plant grow 🌱
SELECT EXERCISE TYPE
🏃
Running
🚴
Cycling
🧘
Yoga
🏊
Swimming
🚶
Walking
💪
Gym
💃
Dancing
⚽
Sports
DURATION
70
minutes
5 min
120 min
Calories burned: ~560 kcal
💧
+35 drops
Log Walking
Home
Meditate
Exercise
Recipes
Profile
Initiated Proposal
Usability Testing & Validation
I didn't just assume this metaphor would work; I tested it. I conducted a summative usability test with 5 participants to validate the "Garden" concept.
The Results:
- Validation: 5/5 participants understood the "Water Drop" economy immediately without a tutorial.
- The "Aha" Moment: Participants consistently cited the visual growth of the plant as their primary motivator, validating the Endowment Effect hypothesis.
- Correction: Early testing showed users struggled to find the "Recipes" section because the icon was too abstract. I added explicit text labels in the final high-fidelity iteration, raising the task success rate from 70% to 100%.
The Outcome: This solution was lightweight to code and instant to load. We solved the user's need for data density without overloading the front end.
Key Takeaways & Reflection
Final Reflection: What I Learned
1. Systems Thinking is Critical: Designing Bloom wasn't just about making three different screens; it was about creating a unified logic (The Water Drop) that tied Food, Fitness, and Mindfulness together. This taught me how to design ecosystems, not just pages.
2. Feasibility Meets Fantasy: Including the AI Body Scan was a calculated risk. It demonstrated my ability to look at emerging technology (Computer Vision) and apply it to solve a very human problem (laziness/friction).
3. Empathy Over Metrics: The biggest lesson was that "Retention" doesn't have to mean "Addiction." By designing a forgiving system that pauses instead of punishing, I proved that you can build habit-forming products that respect the user's mental health.