DISCOVERY
Rising Mental Health Issues in University Students
From 2013 to 2021, depression rates among U.S. college students increased by 135% & anxiety rates rose by 110% (Boston University, 2022)
(University of Waterloo’s unofficial official mascot)
University of Waterloo isn’t doing much better (yikes).
It’s academic rigor, intensive co-op program, & long winters significantly contribute to overwhelming student stress , sparking protests for lack of adequate mental health support.
Championing Mental Health @ Talk it out
How did I create impact?
This app transforms mental health support for 42,000 University of Waterloo students by streamlining access, improving resource navigation, & cutting wait times from 3 days to 1.
What makes this case study unique?
I independently led the entire process—from problem identification to presenting the solution to the university. Through 2 rounds of research and usability testing, I delivered data-driven, impactful solutions that prioritized accessibility.
Leveraging the insights from my research, I focused on creating a system that Improved Accessibility to the University’s Mental Health Resources
Breaking Down the Barriers
IDEATION
Idea #1: One-time form during onboarding
to reduce redundancy
Idea #4: Resource cards with descriptions to reduce confusion around services
Idea #2: Automate booking to reduce wait time
Idea #3: Include all mental health services on 1 platform (Peer Support, Counselling)
Pressure Testing Assumptions
The first round of usability testing revealed critical gaps, including:
Decision paralysis due to an overwhelming number of choices
Resources
For low to high mental distress levels, connect with a Professional Counsellor
Video
Audio
Individual
Group
Counselling Services
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Community Resources
A variety of workshops, campus clubs, seminars, walk-ins centered around wellness, accessibility, and academic support.
Self-care Practices
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Basic self-care tips for when you’re not feeling the best!
MATES - Peer Support
For low mental distress levels, connect with a trained Peer Support Volunteer
image
Video
Audio
Message
Individual
10:07
Ambiguous Language leading to confusion
Resources
For low to high mental distress levels, connect with a Professional Counsellor
Video
Audio
Individual
Group
Counselling Services
image
Community Resources
A variety of workshops, campus clubs, seminars, walk-ins centered around wellness, accessibility, and academic support.
Self-care Practices
image
Basic self-care tips for when you’re not feeling the best!
MATES - Peer Support
For low mental distress levels, connect with a trained Peer Support Volunteer
image
Video
Audio
Message
Individual
10:07
Lack of features that support students in crisis that need help ASAP
“If I were in a crisis and needed help ASAP, how would this app support me?”
An emergency support was identified as a high-priority need when a student took me by surprise during a research call when they asked
DESIGN ITERATIONS
Building a design system that feels supportive
Mood board pulling inspiration from other mental health apps like headspace & calm.
Problem #1:
Too many choices
Iteration #1:
3 choices
Iteration #2:
Specific title
Problem #2: Vague Title
Resources
For low to high mental distress levels, connect with a Professional Counsellor
Video
Audio
Individual
Group
Counselling Services
image
Community Resources
A variety of workshops, campus clubs, seminars, walk-ins centered around wellness, accessibility, and academic support.
Self-care Practices
image
Basic self-care tips for when you’re not feeling the best!
MATES - Peer Support
For low mental distress levels, connect with a trained Peer Support Volunteer
image
Video
Audio
Message
Individual
10:07
Problem #3:
No resource for students in crisis
Iteration #3:
Emergency Support Card
Resources
For low to high mental distress levels, connect with a Professional Counsellor
Video
Audio
Individual
Group
Counselling Services
image
Community Resources
A variety of workshops, campus clubs, seminars, walk-ins centered around wellness, accessibility, and academic support.
MATES - Peer Support
For low mental distress levels, connect with a trained Peer Support Volunteer
image
Video
Audio
Message
Individual
Emergency Support
image
A collection of 24/7 hotlines.
10:07
Leveraging User Insight for Refinement
Building on feedback, I:
Streamlined Navigation: Reduced choice overload and provided tailored guidance to resources.
Looking for Light during Dark Times
With the design system finalized, I set out to craft an onboarding experience that felt both calming and hopeful—a space that welcomes users with warmth and reassurance.
The Northern Lights are a symbol of wonder and resilience, offering light even in the darkest nights. Inspired by their glow, I designed the landing page to bring hope to a space where users feel supported from the moment they land,
Inspiration: Northern Lights
Talk it out.
Feeling down? Blue? All the emotions?
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One-time Onboarding
Fill out a form once instead of every time you need help, reducing mental load and making access to support faster and easier—especially when you need it most.
Emergency Hotlines
Direct access to crisis support, ensuring students can get immediate help when needed.
Streamlined Appointments
Reducing wait times by 60%, this flow eliminates repetitive emails and delays so students can access support faster and with less friction.
Centralized Resources
All mental health resources in 1 place, with resource cards for quick navigation. Cards can be expanded to learn more details about each service.
FINAL DESIGNS
1. Critical Need: Addressing growing student mental health crisis will prevent dire consequences
2. Immediate Impact: App cuts wait times from 3 days to 1 day, a 60% reduction.
3. Institutional Benedit: Improving student well-being enhances university satisfaction and reputation.
A Pitch for Wellness
I presented the final designs and findings to university leadership over several rounds, emphasizing:
Result? The project is now being leveraged as a framework for improving the existing system!
~Learnings and Reflections
1. The Intersection of Passion & Skill
This project allowed me to combine my psychology degree with UX design, with propelled my drive to use my skills to advocate for change.
2. The Power of Mentorship
Although I worked solo, I actively sought mentorship from ADPList industry leaders, refining my approach through weekly feedback sessions.
3. Never Underestimate Student Advocacy
With the help of peer support coordinators, I saw firsthand how student advocacy can drive systematic change, even when the odds seem against us. This reinforces the power of design in shaping better mental health support systems.
Thanks for reading till the end;
I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did
Check out some of my other works (placeholder)
As a peer support volunteer at UW (University of Waterloo), I observed students' growing frustrations with accessing mental health services and I wanted to do something about it.
Guess what? Improving mental health services is a win for both students and the University.
It fosters students’ well-being, creates a better learning environment, and improves University of Waterloo’s reputation.
Listening to Students Inspired Me to Act
I interviewed 10 students and the Peer Support Program Coordinators to learn more about the barriers to access help. Here’s what I discovered:
Hurdles to Getting Help
Inaccessible Counseling Hours
Confusion
About Services
Lengthy Wait Times
Redundant Processes
1. Inaccessible Counseling Hours: Limited availability makes it difficult for students to schedule suitable sessions.
2. Redundant Processes: Limited availability makes it difficult for students to schedule suitable sessions.
3. Confusion About Services: Uncertainty about which services fit their needs caused delays & frustration.
4. Lengthy Wait Times: Uncertainty about which services fit their needs caused delays & frustration.
RESEARCH
Visualizing the Problem: User Flow
️👩 PEER SUPPORT COORDINATOR
️👩 PEER SUPPORT volunteer
👨 STUDENT
Minimum 3 day wait before hearing back about appointment.
Why the wait? Because 5 emails are sent between 3 people (very redundant).