Project overview

MindAnchor is a app used to support users in times
of stress and anxiety. It’s core features include, guidance and stress related tools to help you with your daily struggles. The app connects to a wristband which detects your heart rate
temperature and movement, allowing the app to detect moments of stress.

Once stress is detected, the app guides you through
calming and stress-relaxing exercises which ultimately lowers your anxiety and heart rate. The wristband also comes with a comfort pulse which highlights pressure, provides a calming grip, and provides a soothing rhythm.

For this project, I will design MindAnchor across three screen sizes: mobile phone, tablet, and wearable The main functions of the app include heart rate–based stress detection, guided calming exercises, a quick “Calm Now” reset, stress tracking history, and personalization settings. The mobile app acts as the central hub where users can access all features, complete guided exercises, review stress data, and customize their experience. The tablet version supports larger-screen use by focusing on stress history, trends, and longer calming sessions that fit naturally into work or study environments. The wearable is designed for quick, in-the-moment use, prioritizing automatic stress detection and fast access to calming support.

Process

MindAnchor evolved significantly across six sprints, with each phase refining the project’s structure, functionality, and overall user experience.

Sprint 1 focused on the project proposal and core interaction strategy, establishing MindAnchor as a wellness platform designed to detect stress through heart-rate monitoring and guide users toward calming interventions like breathing exercises, meditation, and music.

Sprint 2 was the most important foundational sprint because it established the primary flows and overall interaction structure. By developing flowcharts and user pathways, this sprint transformed the project from a set of ideas into a cohesive system, defining how users would move through alerts, activities, reports, and cross-device interactions.

Sprints 3–5 centered on building and scaling the product across devices. During these phases, the iPhone became the primary dashboard and design system foundation, the Apple Watch introduced quick-response stress interventions optimized for glanceable interactions, and the iPad expanded the experience into more comprehensive reporting and long-term progress tracking. Together, these sprints shaped MindAnchor into a connected multi-device ecosystem while reinforcing consistent branding, navigation, and functionality.

Sprint 6 was especially impactful because it introduced accessibility and usability refinement. Through testing and audits, the project identified key issues in contrast, touch targets, labeling, navigation, and motion sensitivity. This sprint shifted the design from simply polished to genuinely user-centered and inclusive.

Overall, Sprint 2 was crucial for setting the project’s structure, while Sprint 6 provided valuable insight into accessibility and real-world usability. The middle sprints were essential for translating that structure into a scalable, cross-platform product. Together, these stages transformed MindAnchor from a concept into a more thoughtful, functional, and accessible wellness system.

Flowcharts, sketches, and design system work where relevant.

Design decisions

I chose MindAnchor to specifically monitor the heart rate of the user due to people dealing with high anxiety levels. Because I experienced high anxiety with finals last year, I thought a heart rate/ meditation device could help others relax and keep calm. An alternative I considered was creating a wristband that could monitor your heart rate, rather than the Apple Watch. Most of the feedback I got about the Apple Watch was positive, but many were confused by the overall design, so I had to simplify it.

Cross-device design

For this project, I will design MindAnchor across three screen sizes: mobile phone, tablet, and wearable The main functions of the app include heart rate–based stress detection, guided calming exercises, a quick “Calm Now” reset, stress tracking history, and personalization settings. The mobile app acts as the central hub where users can access all features, complete guided exercises, review stress data, and customize their experience. The tablet version supports larger-screen use by focusing on stress history, trends, and longer calming sessions that fit naturally into work or study environments. The wearable is designed for quick, in-the-moment use, prioritizing automatic stress detection and fast access to calming support.

Accessibility

Overall, every user had difficulty navigating the app and encountered minor inconveniences throughout the program. Some of these problems consist of longer meditation time, difficulty with the buttons and what they do, and changing the BPM ping. A finding in the program that stood out to me the most was the user’s ability to navigate throughout the app, which creates struggle and frustration. Some features I ended up changing were the buttons: a system to select an activity, a more refined play/pause button, and a better UI for the heart rate device. Some behaviors weren’t consistent: when they exercised, it raised some users’ heart rates and lowered others’, and some users also got frustrated with the button system. One authentic insight that stood out to me was Ryan’s review, which made his heart rate rise whenever he decided to go for a workout. His heart rate went up to 120 MPH, causing the MindAnchor system to go off and creating confusion in the system due to anxiety.

Reflection

Something I would do differently is turn this application into a real thing. I believe that the world is a stressful place, and people need something to calm them down. I am most proud of the watch system, which can detect the user’s heart rate. Something I would like to improve is fleshing out the design further.

Reflection

Throughout the MindAnchor project, ChatGPT was primarily used for brainstorming and usability testing support. During the early stages, it helped generate ideas, refine the overall wellness concept, and explore possible features and interaction strategies for stress detection and intervention.

Later in the project, ChatGPT became a valuable tool for usability and accessibility testing. I used it to review interface designs across iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch platforms, helping identify issues related to navigation, touch targets, typography, labeling, and overall accessibility.