iBlossom
Overview
A meditation companion app designed to guide users through a 21-day meditation practice, helping them achieve mastery in the art of looking inward. The app accompanies a book by the same name, providing practical assistance for the theoretical concepts and activities outlined in the text.
The Challenge
Client
The client(henceforth referred to as “Mark”).Mark is an avid meditator and lives with his family in Portland, Oregon, USA. He volunteers and teaches meditation at OutsideIn, an organization which helps homeless youth and marginalized people. Mark had been writing a book on meditation titled “Blossom - The art of looking inward”. He wanted to publish the book and wanted a companion app that assisted the users to master the art of meditation.
Problem
The book combines theoretical concepts and extensive practical activities. The goal of the book was to Restore Calm & Peace and achieve meditation mastery in a 21 day meditation practice.
While Week 1 is easy to follow, Mark needed something to assist the users in completing all 21 days. As the book progressed into week 2 & 3, the practical requirement became more challenging to follow. There was a need to guide the readers, so that they could continue to make progress beyond the first week.
The users needed a guide.
My Role
As the Product Designer for this freelance project, I was responsible for:
- Understanding client requirements and user needs
- Conducting competitive research and market analysis
- Creating user experience design from sketches to final implementation
- Coordinating with development teams for app deployment
- Managing user feedback collection and iteration cycles
Hand Drawn Sketches
Based on the features requested by Mark and market research, I was able to come up with a layout that incorporated all requested features after multiple iterations.
Wireframe
Mockup Feedback
Feedback for the initial mockup was very positive. Mark was excited to move the project forward & see the results, after I applied UX treatments.
We deployed a feedback collection tool Nolt. This tool allowed us to collect feedback from Beta Testers periodically. We then worked out a schedule to automate the feedback reporting. One of the best decisions.
Market Research
Performing an audit/review of competing websites and apps is a great way to summarize the competitive landscape. It brings us clarity in differentiating the product’s unique selling point(USP). It also allows us to perform “Heuristic Review” where we document usability flaws and other areas for improvement.
The following apps were considered for competitive research
Market Research references
Information Architecture
Sitemap
Vector Art
I created a few badges that would serve as a reward upon completing a week. This was to be used to add gamification to promote user retention.
Visual Design
Beta Launch
Testimonials
Prototype
Outcomes & Impact
App Store Success
The iBlossom app was successfully launched on both iOS and Android platforms, receiving positive user feedback and testimonials.
Key Metrics
- Successfully launched on App Store and Google Play Store
- Positive user reviews and testimonials
- Completed 21-day guided meditation program
- Successful integration with companion book
Key Learnings
- Gamification Effectiveness: The reward system using custom lotus vector badges significantly improved user retention through weekly completion milestones
- Multi-platform Strategy: Launching on both iOS and Android platforms maximized reach for the meditation community
- Content-App Integration: Pairing a physical book with a digital companion created a comprehensive learning experience
- User Feedback Systems: Implementing Nolt for continuous feedback collection enabled rapid iteration and improvement
- Market Differentiation: Focus on guided 21-day programs set iBlossom apart from general meditation apps like Headspace and Calm