The Importance of User-Centered Design in Mental Health App Development

The taboo that has been imposed on the topic of psychological issues has been lifted more and more over the years. One of the major boosters of this process is the growing accessibility of psychological aid tools, especially digital ones like mental health apps. Simple, functional, and pleasant to use, this kind of software can really facilitate the self-discovery and self-improvement journey. 

However, even though there are thousands of mobile applications out there on the market, not all of them are helpful and successful. One of the keys to creating sought-after software aimed at making people’s lives better, happier, and easier is following user-centered design practices during mental health app development. 

Understanding User’s Needs and Preferences in Mental Health App Development

User-centered design (UCD) is an approach that unites different practices that focus on delivering a solution that fully meets the customer’s needs and is created in accordance with the customer’s expectations, requirements, and feedback. As a result, the tech team creates a digital product that was made for a specific audience, has a higher chance of beings liked by the users, and is more likely to be commercially successful.

The main principles of this approach include simplicity, consistency, clarity, and efficiency. And while any kind of software will benefit from displaying these qualities, incorporating UCD is especially important in healthcare solutions and mental health app development. And there are several reasons for that. 

• Better usability provided by UCD helps to promote the anticipated outcomes for the applications’ users
• Involving people battling a specific mental health condition in the evaluation process helps to eliminate particular flaws that have not even been considered by the development team 
• A well-thought-out user interface can decrease the skyrocketing dropout rates that, for many mental health-related solutions, are around 40%. 
• Making an effort to stick to UCD practices helps to exclude possible triggers for the users during the development stage. 

So how does an entrepreneur willing to create a mental health app with a user-centered design include the users in the decision-making process? It’s actually easier than it seems! 

1. Hire a dev team that has a business analyst. This professional will help you define your audience, understand their pain points and requests, and create a solution that caters to the audience’s needs.    
2. Consult with mental health professionals if possible. Understanding the user’s behavior and motives is essential for UCD. And when it comes to mental health app development, those motives, triggers, as well as behavioral patterns will change depending on the software’s specifics. It will be hard to truly understand the driving force of the mental health app user without external help. So go for consulting services a medical professional can provide. The app will benefit from it. 
3. Include multiple stages of testing. Do not release an app without showing it to your audience first. During the development, gather users’ feedback in any way possible. Create focus groups, get the most out of surveys and polls, run regular usability tests, include an in-app feedback option, create an MVP first, and let the audience try it, etc. 
4. Trust your audience and make actual changes. A business owner can spend thousands on consultations, analytics, and focus groups, but if gathered insights are not being incorporated into a new, updated version of a product, all of the efforts are for nothing. Sometimes it can be hard to alter the application you find “absolutely perfect,” but if the audience suggests making a few tweaks here and there, don’t hesitate to make them. 

Benefits of User-Centered Design for Mental Health Solutions

We’ve already briefly touched on this topic in the previous section, but let’s explore it even more and count some of the most prominent advantages of using UCD in mental health development. 

It makes people’s lives better 

A user-centered app is easy to use, manage, and navigate through. The user is able to get exactly what they need from it without having to waste time and without extra effort. Whether you plan to launch a simple meditation app or an extensive solution that helps to fight anxiety, if the final product is user-centered, people who download and then open it regularly will benefit from it in some way. And this means their lives will be better than before. 

It simplifies monetization

When every detail in the application is truly thought-out, it seems like the app itself leads the user to a desired action. And since every application has to produce returns, these actions typically correlate with the chosen monetization strategy. For example, if you choose to include ads, if the software was built with the user’s needs and behavior in mind, they’re less likely to skip those ads and are more likely to buy the advertised product. 

It boosts loyalty 

Remember we’ve mentioned that not all mental health apps are user-centered? And now imagine how many poorly-constructed, not user-friendly, and simply ineffective apps an average user has to try out prior to finding one that works for them. No wonder applications that were created on principles of UCD have the most loyal following that keeps using the same app for years, is perceptive, and forgiving. 

It helps your product stand out 

User-centered apps require more time, money, and effort to make, it’s a fact. However, they also generate higher revenue, especially in the long run. So by sticking to UCD, you invest in the project’s future as software that has some thought to it will always look better compared to a myriad of one-day apps that are full of errors and bugs and bring no value. 

Conclusion 

User-centered design in mental health software development is optional. No company is obligated to follow best practices and create high-quality products. However, if your goal is not just to build a mental health application for the sake of building it, but if your intention is to help people, then UCD is no longer an option, it’s a must for you. Keep the user’s goals, needs, and preferences your main focus during each step of the development process. Keep the interface sleek and intuitive. Avoid unnecessary complications, listen to the audience’s feedback, and your application will most definitely find its place on the market!

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