Workplace stress is at an all time high. As many as 77% of U.S. workers reported stress at work with 57 percent reporting negative health effects as a result (Carrier Management, 2023). Many employers do not offer resources to combat this, and if they do, employees may feel skeptical about their safety in using them given the connection to their employer.
Workvana offers a 3rd party peer support platform that makes it it easier for professionals to connect, share advice and better manage the workplaces challenges they're facing in a safe space.
constraints
I undertook a 4-step process to land on the final experience:
Research & Planning
Competitors
MEETUP
Facilitating in-person and online group meetings based on common interests, including professional development and mental health.
Strengths
Large user base: Meetup has millions of users, making it easy to find niche groups.
Flexibility: Supports both in-person and online events.
Broad range of interests: Users can join groups for almost any interest or topic.
Weaknesses
Focus on broad social connections: Lack of depth in addressing professional and mental health challenges.
Less personalized: There’s little focus on mental health guidance or peer support beyond just meeting in groups.
BETTERUP
Professional coaching with a focus on mental health, leadership, and career growth through 1:1 coaching.
Strengths
Personalized coaching: Users are matched with professional coaches to support personal and career development.
Mental health and wellness focus: Offers mental fitness programs that include mindfulness, emotional regulation, and resilience-building.
Progress and insights: Progress tracking through personalized insights and goal-setting.
Weaknesses
Cost-prohibitive: Pricing is relatively high, limiting access to individuals who may not have company sponsorship.
Less peer support: Coaching is primarily 1:1, lacking the peer-to-peer support element that other platforms offer.
MODERN HEALTH
Facilitated group support sessions focusing on mental health and well-being.
Strengths
Facilitated group therapy: Small, intimate group sessions led by trained mental health professionals or peer facilitators.
Topic-focused groups: Users can join groups around specific mental health concerns, such as stress, anxiety, or work-related challenges.
Inclusive: Offers accessibility to a range of users seeking group-based therapy at affordable prices.
Weaknesses
Limited professional development focus: Primarily mental health-focused, lacking career and professional growth aspects.
Broad career focus: No way to focus discussions based on type of career or role which presents very high level discussions
User Research
Conducted user research by interviewing professionals from a variety of fields, focusing on those who had experienced burnout, imposter syndrome, or work-related stress. I also studied existing mental health support tools and identified gaps in the market where Workvana could offer a unique solution. Key findings included:
A variety of stressors: Nearly everyone interviewed experienced workplace stress but the source and impact on them varied significantly.
Desire for flexibility: Busy professionals needed a solution they could access at their convenience, without long-term commitments.
Moderation matters: People wanted moderation but didn't want the responsibility of being a moderator or assessing potential moderators for their experience and trust-worthiness.
Feature Roadmap
Prioritization Criteria:
P0: Features that are essential to solving the core problem of providing peer support, advice, and mental health conversations.
P1: Features that enhance user engagement, retention, and experience but are not critical to the product’s immediate functionality.
P2: Features that add extra value but are not necessary for MVP and can be implemented later to refine the experience.
Affinity Map
There were 3 recurring themes from the user search:
Work affecting mental health: Concerns about stressors from work negatively affecting mental health
"The constant expectations at work make me feel like I’m never doing enough, which has really impacted my self-esteem."
"The stress from my job keeps me up at night, and I’m finding it harder to switch off and relax."
Feelings of Isolation: Frustrations at a lack of trust at work making it difficult to discuss challenges openly
"I want to be part of a supportive group where I can get feedback at work, but it’s hard to find know who I can trust at work or who's having the same experience as me."
"Sometimes I just need to talk about my work stress with people who get it, without feeling judged."
Personalized career support: It's hard to find advice specific to one's role, company size and years of experience.
"I need advice from someone who understands my work challenges, but I don’t always know who to reach out to."
Design & Prototyping
I identified key features and user flows then created interactive prototypes and conducted usability tests with potential users. Through feedback, I iterated on key areas to make the interface intuitive, eliminating any unnecessary friction points. For example, I simplified the call scheduling process and improved the discoverability of groups by making it easier to search and filter for specific characteristics.
low fidelity wireframes mobile
Design & Development
After finalizing the mid-fidelity designs, I developed and implemented the brand to produce high fidelity designs. Key principles were:
Clean, calming design: I opted for natural colors and soft gradients to evoke a sense of calm and support the mental health focus.
Minimal distractions: The interface is deliberately minimal, keeping the focus on meaningful interactions rather than overwhelming users with information.
Professionalism: Ensuring clarity so people understand the site is not a replacement for therapy
Branding
After finalizing the mid-fidelity designs, I developed and implemented the brand to produce high fidelity designs. Key principles were:
The branding and logo matches the brand values and the audience in the sense that it's professional, evokes a feeling of safety/trustworthiness and wellness
The logo is optimized and ready for many different sizes and usages with a minimalist o format as well as a full format text that can expand responsively for desktop
The inspiration was nature which provides serenity as well as the circular nature of coming together as a group
The resulting AI-powered, peer support site is a safe, easy-to-navigate platform where users can connect with others experiencing similar work-related challenges. By leveraging video calls, Workvana brings the benefits of face-to-face interaction into a digital space, reducing isolation, fostering empathy, and creating a community of support. Key features include:
Topic-Based Groups
The platform offers topic-specific groups (e.g., managing burnout, navigating career transitions, work-life balance) so users can find communities that relate to their particular challenges.
Create a Custom Group
Users can easily create their own groups around specific work challenges or topics, inviting others to join. This allows professionals to build their own support networks tailored to their unique needs, fostering personalized peer support.
AI-Powered Moderation
Workvana utilizes AI-powered moderation to ensure a safe and respectful environment during calls and group discussions. The AI automatically detects and manages undesired behaviors, such as over-talking overs or taking over the discussion and provides a way for the group to collectively take action, fostering a positive and productive conversation.
User surveys show significant support and enthusiasm for workvana. We’re also continuing to iterate on Workvana based on user feedback.
Positive User Feedback
Average 9/10 CSAT rating from surveyed professionals
Native App Experience
Started with a responsive mobile web experience for versatility and ease of adoption for the widest audience, however, future plans include a native app version
1x1 Mentoring
Per customer request, will also explore the expansion of functionality to include 1x1 mentoring in addition to group peer support