WeCare
Hackathon Challenge

UX Design
OCTOBER 2021

🌍 Overview: A Solution for Healthcare Worker Burnout

The Pitt Challenge Hackathon invited individuals from diverse backgrounds to collaborate and solve pressing healthcare and pharmacy challenges. Prompts bridged healthcare and computer science, prompting interdisciplinary solutions to current challenges.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers faced unprecedented burnout, isolation, and emotional fatigue—yet existing platforms lacked a dedicated community-driven space for self-care and peer support.

My team elected to tackle the pressing issue of mental health during social isolation, a particularly important concern during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our solution, WeCare, addressed burnout among healthcare professionals by creating a supportive online community for self-care and connection.

Our mission:

💡 Create a digital platform where healthcare professionals could connect, decompress, and prioritize their mental well-being.

TOOLS
Compiler: Android Studio
Back-End Storage: Back4App
Programming Language: Java
Design Studio: Figma

TEAM
2 Project Managers 🇮🇳 🇺🇸
2 Developers 🇷🇺 🇺🇸
1 UX Designer 🇺🇸

TIMELINE
40 Hours

MY ROLE

  • Proposed the concept for WeCare, backed by personal insights in the healthcare industry

  • Produced initial wireframe sketches and refined them into low-fidelity prototypes

  • Designed the app’s interface, focusing on a clean and cohesive experience

  • Organized and led the team during the final presentation, ensuring we presented with clarity and intention

⛔ The Problem: Mental Health Neglected in Healthcare

Healthcare professionals, especially during the pandemic, faced significant burnout while prioritizing patient care over their own well-being. Existing platforms lacked the focus on community and self-care tailored specifically for healthcare workers.

Our mission was to create a platform that:

  • Encouraged self-care practices

  • Fostered meaningful connections among healthcare workers

  • Provided a save space for sharing experiences, even across distances

✍🏻 THE PROCESS

Sketching the Idea

The inspiration for the app came from a conversation with my mom, a nurse, and my sister, a COVID researcher—who highlighted the absence of a social platform for healthcare workers. This led to the concept of a Reddit-like platform where users could find and engage with supportive communities.

During this preliminary stage of the project, I created rough, initial sketches to conceptualize the app structure and basic features for my team. These early sketches became the foundation for the project.

Low-Fidelity Wireframes

Using Figma for the first time, I translated my sketches into low-fidelity wireframes focusing on:

  • Organizing core features like community groups, discussion threads, and motivational prompts

  • Prioritizing simplicity with basic fonts, buttons, and layouts, I established a clear design framework

UX/UI Design

With a clear direction, I designed the app interface. This included various different versions, as I continued to refine the details of the screens to ensure it was cohesive:

  • Matched colors, fonts, and element sizes for visual consistency

  • Added button shadows to creative a real, interactive feel

Our team successfully developed a working proof of concept for WeCare within the tight constraints of the hackathon. Key features included:

  • Log-in/Sign-up System: Streamlined user access to the platform

  • Profile Management: Personalized spaces for healthcare professionals

  • Self-Care Tracker: Tools to monitor and encourage healthy habits

  • Words of Encouragement: A section for uplifting messages

  • Personal Vent Space: A private area for users to express their thoughts

  • Chat and Group Chat Listings: Enabling real-time connections and fostering community

  • Public Stories and Relaxation Activities: Encouraging interaction and mindfulness

🏆 THE OUTCOME

We were thrilled to win 1st place in the Mental Health during Social Isolation track, validating the impact of our solution and underscoring the potential of WeCare to address real-world challenges.'

While we couldn’t implement all our envisioned features due to limited time and experience with technologies like Android Studio, Java, and Git, the final product showcased the power of collaboration, creativity, and determination. It was particularly impressive given that this was the first hackathon for three out of four team members.

🤩 NEW REVISIONS

After the hackathon, I revisited the project and redesigned several sections of the app in Figma, adding functionality and improving the aesthetics of the prototype. These updates enhanced usability and expanded features, reflecting the feedback and ideas we initially couldn’t implement. The redesigned prototype now includes:

  • Improved user flows for onboarding and self-care tracking.

  • Enhanced group chat functionality with customizable community settings.

  • Interactive relaxation exercises and guided mindfulness activities.