UI&UX DESIGN 'ALLAY'
Ideation, Prototyping and User-Interface Design for an App aiming to reduce News Anxiety.
CONCEPT FOR AN APP AIMING TO COMBAT ANXIETY INDUCED BY AN INFLUX OF BAD NEWS
My master’s project at Salzburg University of Applied Sciences focused on the topic of News Anxiety. Together with my project partner, Mirjam Kuchling, I observed that there has been a perceived increase in distressing news in the media, particularly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the definition of 'bad news' can be subjective, for the purposes of this project, we have narrowed it down to several key categories, including but not limited to political, environmental, humanitarian, and economic issues.
To understand this phenomenon, we examined 'Doomscrolling,' the act of continuously scrolling through social media feeds despite the potentially distressing nature of the content encountered. Our research, guided by advice from one of our supervising professors Thomas Hitthaler, revealed that the act of scrolling releases endorphins in the body. This release occurs regardless of whether the content is pleasant, such as a cute cat video, or disturbing, such as images from a war zone. This disparity between the content viewed and the body's rewarding response is theorized to exacerbate the behavior of doomscrolling and contribute to 'News Anxiety'.
Our app, 'Allay,' aims to intervene at the moment of scrolling. Instead of mindlessly swiping to the next post after encountering something distressing, our app encourages users to engage more thoughtfully with the content. Once installed, users can share content from social media or news articles with the app. The app then analyzes the content, retrieves relevant information from a database in the background, and generates 10 to 15 short, personalized questions related to the issue. After answering these questions, the user receives a comprehensive, personalized risk assessment of the initial piece of media that caused their anxiety.
This approach is both straightforward and effective. It eliminates the need for users to leave the platform where they encountered the anxiety-inducing content, conduct extensive searches, and sift through numerous articles, which could exacerbate their anxiety. Instead, by using the 'share' option, users can rely on our app to provide concise, relevant and personalized information, thereby aiming to alleviate their anxiety and enhancing their understanding of the issue and its relevance to themselves.
Come and experience our prototype firsthand at the Creativity Rules Festival, held at Ziegelstadl Hallein from May 28th to May 31st, 2024.
THE APP MECHANICS
To ease the transition between scrolling on social media and using our app, we have integrated the scrolling action into the app's mechanics. Both visually and haptically, users will experience the familiar sensation of scrolling and receive the same positive feedback when unlocking new information. Additionally, users will utilize scrolling to answer questions, such as entering their age, and a swiping mechanism allows them to skip to the next question or return to the previous one.
THE VISUAL IDENTITY AND USER INTERFACE
Allay's visual identity is deeply inspired by calmness and mindfulness. In stark contrast to the harsh, signal-colored news outlets that often use shades of red, yellow, orange, black, and dark grey, Allay embraces a soothing palette. We selected light shades of blue combined with soft beige-almost white hues to create a distinct separation from anxiety-inducing posts. This "change of scenery," even if it’s just on your screen, is meant to be immediately noticeable.
Our visuals are not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional. The gradual filling of a circle with color encourages users to take a deep breath, promoting relaxation and helping to calm their nervous system. By integrating these thoughtful design elements, we aim to provide a serene and engaging user experience that contrasts sharply with the often overwhelming and stress-inducing nature of traditional news media.
BRANDBOOK
In addition to developing the app prototype, we have created a brand book for allay. This brand book meticulously outlines our vision and communicates the values and principles which allay represents. You can virtually explore the brand book below this text.
