Make it stand out.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
I designed an app that allows users to find therapists easily and efficiently.
raft is…. sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cras mattis consectetur purus sit amet fermentum. Maecenas sed diam eget risus varius blandit sit amet non magna. Etiam porta sem malesuada magna mollis euismod. Praesent commodo cursus magna, vel scelerisque nisl consectetur et.
Role
que penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cras mattis c
Timeline
que penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cras mattis c
Scope
que penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cras mattis c
Tools
que penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Maecenas faucibus mollis interdum. Cras mattis c
Make it stand out.
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Problem
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Solution
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
Features of Designed Solution
-
Seekers get a customized experience by taking a survey.
Each therapy seeker comes with their own set of experiences, preferences, and circumstances that Raft will use to align them with the right therapist.
-
Personalized matches will lead seekers on the right path.
Many seekers don’t know which therapist will work for them. Raft takes the guesswork out of the equation, and offers alternatives if the first therapist isn’t working.
-
Easy in-app payments, so seekers don’t get hung up with insurance.
Insurance companies are still working to meet the growing demand of mental health care, so Raft offers a network of therapists with out-of-pocket options, as well as insurance options.
Meet The User
Two primary audiences were challenged by the task of finding a therapist.
Motivations
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Goals
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Pain Points
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Motivations
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Goals
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Pain Points
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Let’s dive into the process
Research — Define — Ideate — Prototype — Test — Iterate
Make it stand out.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.
Be clear, be confident and don’t overthink it. The beauty of your story is that it’s going to continue to evolve and your site can evolve with it. Your goal should be to make it feel right for right now. Later will take care of itself. It always does.
A lot of data came from these interviews, and after unpacking the information I found some interests trends.
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more. Or maybe you have a creative project to share with the world. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Main Insights:
point 1
point 2
point 3
Brainstorming
How Might We….
Reduce the feelings of isolation during the search process?
Encourage the search for therapy before a breaking point?
Reduce the number of attempts to finding the right fit?
Reframe searching as a good thing?
Help seekers understand what they’re looking for?
I had 3 main ideas, but ultimately chose the idea that would provide the most value to seekers with the least complexity.
-
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
-
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
-
It all begins with an idea. Maybe you want to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.
I sketched and tested two core user journeys: matching with a therapist and booking an appointment.
During guerilla testing, I realized there was not enough detail in the sketches.
Looking back, I learned that even though I was at a lower fidelity I needed to make the designs more specific, using real copy rather than filler.
-
![]()
Rough Sketches
To start I wanted to get my ideas on paper, but I found out it was hard to get worthwhile feedback from this low sketch fidelity.
-
![]()
Low Fidelity Sketches
I made a higher fidelity set of sketches to add more detail.
-
![]()
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
After finding issues with lack of copy and realistic survey questions, I made a higher quality wireframe to test again.
Branding
During the user interviews a quote that really struck me was “I was really just looking for a life raft.” This idea of being in crisis mode and looking for any sort of help was a concept that many seekers could relate to, so the brand, Raft, was developed.
Brand Mission
Provide a welcoming sense of relief and support on the journey to a better you.
Brand Attributes
Approachable
Calming
Effortless
Supportive
Using the branding and style guide elements, I created a high-fidelity mockup.
UI DESIGN HIGHLIGHTS
Water-inspired illustrations
Calming yet vibrant colors that are easy to read and don’t overwhelm the user
Icons and typeface create an approachable personality
After refining the style and function of the design, I made a prototype and the usability testing began.
I learned a lot in this first round of testing. I synthesized the research, prioritized feedback, iterated designs, and tested again.
These changes got some big results.
Before
What Changed?
Divided buttons into two individual tasks.
Added list of specialties that tied back to intake survey.
Added a "Top Match" indicator
After
How Did It Help?
Encouraged users to book right away
Fewer knowledge gaps
More confident users
Less confusion about how to book
Before
What Changed?
Divided buttons into two individual tasks.
Added list of specialties that tied back to intake survey.
Added a "Top Match" indicator
After
How Did It Help?
Encouraged users to book right away
Fewer knowledge gaps
More confident users
Less confusion about how to book
Before
What Changed?
Divided buttons into two individual tasks.
Added list of specialties that tied back to intake survey.
Added a "Top Match" indicator
After
How Did It Help?
Encouraged users to book right away
Fewer knowledge gaps
More confident users
Less confusion about how to book
Make it stand out.
Raft helped users…
Gain confidence in a therapist selection
Reduce the number of therapists looked at before finding the right one
Help users understand what therapists can help them
Final thoughts
Getting the authentic feelings and perspectives of users during a test was difficult considering users typically more panicked and vulnerable. Given more time and resources, I would have loved to iterate more on the user experience of this project to explore that aspect.
Lastly, this is a user & therapist network, so this design does only focus on the user side.