Headspace - A new feature

Project Overview

Participants:

Emma Perry, Leah Hewerdine, Paul Annakie, Asad Khan

Roles:

UX Researcher, Information Architect, UX & UI Designer, Project Manager.

Timeline:

2 weeks

Tools:

Figma, Zoom, Optimal Workshop, Slack, Google Drive, Google Forms, pen and paper

Project Summary

My team and I were tasked with the creation of a new social platform for Headspace, a wellbeing and mindfulness app. This platform would be used to share personal growth journeys while maintaining the app’s calming and non-judgmental atmosphere. The challenge was to enhance user engagement without falling into the pitfalls of comparison culture or negative content, common on other social platforms.

To address this, we developed Head Spaces. These are moderated community spaces focused on mindfulness, enabling users to ask questions, share advice, and exchange recommendations in a safe, judgment-free environment.

Outcomes

  • Headspace's mission to make mental health and wellbeing resources widely accessible guided our approach to designing a social platform.

    User interviews told us it was crucial to ensure the platform fostered connection while avoiding common social media pitfalls, such as comparison culture and negative content, to uphold the supportive and inclusive ethos of Headspace.

    To address this, we developed Head Spaces, moderated community spaces that connect people online, or in person, to explore mindfulness through shared questions, tips, and activities.

  • Headspace's well-established design framework, with its bright and cheerful colours, strongly resonated with users. During interviews, users expressed appreciation for the app's existing aesthetic, noting that it aligned with Headspace's brand and mission.

    To honour this, we prioritized maintaining consistency in the visual style of our new social feature, ensuring it seamlessly integrated into the overall Headspace experience.

  • Importance of social connection for mental wellbeing

  • Importance of getting outside and doing exercise, but this isn’t for everyone - options for a range of users.

The Client

Headspace is a go-to meditation and mindfulness app, offering tools for mental wellbeing through guided meditations, breathing exercises, and sleep aids.

In this concept project, Headspace wanted to create an online  space where users could share personal growth journeys, meditation practices, or emotional reflections—while maintaining the app’s calming, non-judgmental atmosphere.

Competitive Analysis

We conducted a competitive analysis on a range of direct and indirect competitors including Calm, Apple Health, Strava, Pi, Clue, Pillow, Garmin, TikTok, BeReal, Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and NextDoor, to inform our research for developing a new social feature for Headspace.

Our analysis took the form of pluses and deltas, identifying what each platform does well and where there are opportunities for improvement, as well as a feature inventory to map out key social and engagement-driven functionalities. This helped us understand best practices, user expectations, and potential gaps in the market that Headspace could address with a meaningful and effective social experience.

Outcomes

  • Content & Expertise

    • Headspace & Calm excel in high-quality, expert-backed content, catering to beginners and experienced users.

    • Celebrity content (Calm) can enhance engagement, especially for sleep stories.

    Social & Engagement Features

    • Strava, Instagram, BeReal, and TikTok leverage social connections to boost engagement through likes, comments, leaderboards, and real-time interactions.

    • Strava’s Kudos and leaderboards encourage motivation and friendly competition.

    • BeReal’s real-time posting promotes authenticity, reducing social comparison.

    Personalization & AI

    • Pi’s human-like, emotionally supportive AI suggests potential for deeper, interactive experiences.

    • TikTok & Instagram’s advanced algorithms personalize content, keeping users engaged longer.

    Tracking & Insights

    • Garmin, Pillow, and Strava provide detailed health, fitness, and sleep tracking, integrating with Apple Health and other platforms.

    • Trend tracking (Garmin, Strava) helps users stay motivated by visualizing progress.

    User Experience & Accessibility

    • Headspace & Calm offer calm, intuitive UIs, making meditation accessible.

    • Apps like Pi and Garmin excel in multi-platform access (mobile, web, smart devices)

    • Encourage engagement: Introduce community-driven features like Kudos (Strava) or real-time interactions (BeReal, Instagram Stories) to foster social connection.

    • Support personalization: Leverage AI-driven insights (TikTok, Pi) to offer tailored meditation recommendations.

    • Incorporate tracking: Allow users to track and share progress in mindfulness habits, similar to Strava’s fitness tracking.

    • Balance privacy & sharing: Offer public/private content options like Instagram and BeReal to let users control their engagement level.

  • 1. Paywalls & Accessibility

    • Headspace, Calm, Pillow, Strava, and Garmin restrict valuable features behind a paywall, limiting free user engagement.

    • Pillow and Garmin require specific devices (Apple Watch, Garmin devices), reducing accessibility.

    2. Lack of Social & Community Features

    • Headspace & Calm lack community engagement and social features, which could improve motivation and retention.

    • Pillow & Garmin focus on individual tracking but offer no social interaction.

    3. Overwhelming Interfaces & Data

    • Headspace & Calm’s wide content selection may be overwhelming for beginners without better guidance.

    • Strava, Garmin, and Pillow provide detailed analytics that may be too complex for casual users.

    • Strava’s cluttered feed can make milestones easy to miss.

    4. Privacy & Security Concerns

    • Strava & Garmin pose privacy risks related to location tracking.

    • Pi’s emotional AI raises data security concerns and potential for emotional dependency.

    • Social platforms (TikTok, Instagram, BeReal) struggle with age enforcement and harmful content exposure.

    5. Mental Wellbeing & Social Comparison

    • TikTok, Instagram, and BeReal contribute to comparison culture, body image issues, and negative social interactions.

    • BeReal’s pressure to post “exciting” content can create anxiety.

    • TikTok & Instagram’s addictive design impacts mental well-being and screen time balance.

    • Introduce a community-driven space to connect users without comparison pressures.

    • Offer guided personalization (e.g., goal setting, tailored recommendations) to help beginners navigate content.

    • Ensure privacy-conscious social interactions, avoiding location sharing risks.

    • Balance engagement and well-being—reduce addictive mechanics while promoting mindful use.

Defining the User

After conducting user interviews, we created created an affinity map and a series of ‘I’ statements which then informed the creation of our primary user persona, Stan.

Defining the Problem

Stan is pragmatic when approaching problems, and often uses practices learned through therapy. He wants to learn more about his feelings and how he can work through them, as well as sharing his favourite practices with others. He is looking for new ways to do this.

Based on our understanding of Stan, we selected the above problem statement and ideated a series of ‘How Might Wes’ (HMW), considering different angles to tackle Stan’s problem.

Ultimately, we chose to focus on ‘HMW allow Stan to share knowledge and practices with other members’

Our Solution

We ideated a series of sketches to develop into a low-fidelity prototype. After conducting a series of usability tests on this low-fidelity version, we used Headspace’s existing design framework and component library to create this high fidelity prototype to conduct repeated usability testing on.

Given more time, we would have conducted another round of usability testing to inform further changes to the high fidelity prototype.

Key takeaways

Figma

During this project, I led the UI design. This was not my strongest skill at the time, but by asking for help from another team member and persevering to find solutions to the challenges I faced, I greatly enhanced my proficiency in Figma.

By the end of the project, I felt confident enough to volunteer for a similar role in my next project and mentor other team members in skills I had acquired along the way.

Leadership

This was the first project in which I took on a leadership role. This involved delegating tasks, conducting stand-ups, and overseeing the team's wellbeing. Initially, I found it challenging to balance everyone's needs and opinions, as each team member had unique preferences and priorities.

Over time, I developed better strategies for managing differing viewpoints and expectations, learning to foster an open and collaborative environment. By actively listening and being flexible, I was able to ensure that the team's progress was aligned with both project goals and individual needs, ultimately improving our collective efficiency and morale.