PROBLEM

Fear of death and challenges related to mortality evoke overwhelming emotions and feelings of helplessness in individuals. Existing approaches may not adequately address these complex emotional aspects.

Life Rituals combines psilocybin-induced sessions with IFS therapeutic coaching to support individuals facing mortality-related struggles. However, a more comprehensive and inclusive solution is needed to effectively empower anyone dealing with existential concerns. The challenge is to optimize this approach, providing safety, compassionate support and improving overall quality of life for individuals grappling with death-related fears.

THE TARGET AUDIENCE

Individuals receiving Palliative Care, grappling with or apprehensive about mortality, facing anxiety, depression, and existential dilemmas, are in search of hope, serenity, solace, purpose, and assistance in their journey.
This demographic can span various age groups but typically falls within the range of 40 to 75 years old.

SOLUTION DIRECTION

An experience that cultivates feelings of safety and empathy while minimizing overwhelm by employing a clean and intuitive design.

USER INTERVIEWS

I conducted user interviews involving four participants: individuals diagnosed with terminal illnesses, those grappling with existential anxiety, and individuals with loved ones diagnosed with terminal diseases.

THE MAIN INSIGHT:

The exploration of alternative supports like plant medicine sparked significant curiosity. However, a crucial concern was ensuring a sense of safety during this exploration, which necessitated a substantial amount of additional information due to participants' limited familiarity with the concept.

Based on trends in my affinity Mapping I noticed 3 main themes:

ACCESS TO INFORMATION 2. SAFETY 3. RELYING ON MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

While I would have loved to tackle all 3 I focused on access to information and safety leading me to contemplate….

How might we enhance the ease of finding research information quickly for users who are contemplating the use of psilocybin, in order to empower them with comprehensive knowledge and informed decision-making?
How might we create a supportive environment that helps potential users feel secure and confident when embarking on psilocybin sessions?

personas

Primary Persona

Secondary Persona

DESIGN

After engaging with my interviewees and developing my personas, the next step was to sit down and comprehensively outline the content of the website. I initiated the process by creating a Priority Matrix and establishing the Task Flow. Followed by crafting the Information Architecture and mapping out the User Flows.

Brand Identity/moodboard

THE ESSENCE OF LIFE RITUAL’S BRAND IDENTITY is reflected through a thoughtful blend of colors. The serene blues are strategically employed to evoke emotions of security and serenity, while the gentle touch of yellow instills feelings of hope and comfort. The logo has been meticulously refined, and a diverse range of iterations have been developed to ensure a harmonious and cohesive brand image.

Carefully curated images of nature and tranquility have been chosen to resonate with the brand's philosophy. Just as psilocybin derives from the earth, the incorporation of these serene nature pictures symbolizes a deep connection with the grounding and calming qualities of nature.

SKETCHES, WIREFRAMES + PROTOTYPING

Subsequently, I embarked on envisioning the website's user interface. I explored various therapy websites for inspiration, drawing insights from diverse UI approaches. This involved engaging in UI sketching and crafting wireframes that aligned with my design direction.

Upon completing my mid-fidelity wireframes, the next step was to focus on developing the brand identity for Life Rituals. This was essential as it laid the foundation for crafting the high-fidelity wireframes.

TESTING AND RECIEVING FEEDBACK

The task needed to be simple and straightforward.

Following the creation of prototypes from my wireframes and incorporating feedback from my mentor, I proceeded to carry out six rounds of Usability Tests. The objective was to guide users through scrolling the information and, ultimately, to engage them in completing and submitting a contact form.

Overall the the feedback was highly favorable, accompanied by a few remarks concerning UI and aesthetics:

All six participants felt calm and secure while navigating, praising the immediate user comfort.
Information was universally clear and easy to locate, gaining unanimous agreement.
Seamless contact form integration delighted all participants, allowing uninterrupted navigation and easy continuation.
The contact form's simplicity was lauded by all, streamlining the submission process.
Participants wanted clearer quote distinction with visual markers, ensuring consistency and recognition.
Participants suggested improved pop-up messages to specify contact methods (email, phone).

FINAL SOLUTION

Designing a website that imbues safety and empathy with the following key factors:

Final Screens

Responsive Screens

Tablet Screens Mobile Screens

Interactive Prototype

View my full Figma File

REFELECTIONS and WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY

Exercise caution, yet refrain from making presumptions. With my aspiration to design imbued with deep empathy, this project has taught me the necessity of approaching subjects as weighty as death and terminal illness with profound sensitivity.
Engaging in mock interviews would have been my approach if I were to redo this endeavor. Recognizing the heightened sensitivity of the topic, practicing beforehand would have mitigated the sense of being caught off guard and contributed to a greater sense of ease. This, in turn, would have extended extra comfort to the interviewees.

This project has been an invaluable learning experience for me. It presented significant challenges that pushed me far beyond my comfort zone. Looking ahead, I aspire to maintain my collaboration with this client, particularly as they contemplate additional features for MVP 2!