Role: Sole Designer | Duration: 1 Week

Introduction

Leading up to the Xero virtual grad day, my mission was to craft a solution that would empower Xero employees, particularly those working remotely, to prioritise their well-being. This challenge came with a tight one-week deadline for me to deliver results.

The Problem

Before we dive into the solution, it’s crucial the grasp the core issue.

Research

To gain deeper insights into the issue at hand, I conducted preliminary research.

User Interviews

To gain a deeper understanding, I spoke with four professionals: two from hybrid work settings and two working entirely remotely. While they aren't associated with XERO, their experiences seem to echo many of the challenges associated with remote work. For the purpose of this presentation, we're making the assumption that these insights could be indicative of the experiences of XERO employees.

Analysing the Data

Following the detailed feedback, I used affinity diagramming to group related data points together. While various categories emerged, 4 primary themes encompassed the most pressing concerns for employees, leading to 8 key insights.

Themes + Insights

• Emotional Well-being Remote : Remote work has intensified feelings of isolation for many. There's a crucial need for tailored resources and tools to bolster mental well-being.

• Social Connection & Community : A significant observation was the longing for the casual interactions and simple camaraderie of the office environment. There's a desire for tools or methods that can foster community-driven interactions remotely.

• Productivity & Work-Life Balance : One challenge consistently emerging was the blurring of work and personal hours. With the shift to remote work, employees want ways that help them maintain clear boundaries, ensuring they don't tilt towards burnout.

• Physical Health & Environment : Not everyone has the ideal home office setup. Concerns about physical discomfort coupled with decreased daily physical activity, were prevalent. The challenge isn't just about lacking an ergonomic chair; it's about creating an entire work environment conducive to health and productivity at home. Tailored solutions fitting individual spaces and needs are essential to bridge this gap.

How Might We Statement

Using the insights, I’ve derived this HMW Statement.

Brainstorming

Here's a glimpse into the breadth of my brainstorming. A spectrum of potential solutions emerged, however only some stood out. Those of which are highlighted in blue.

Tying It All Together

While each solution from brainstorming offers value, there's a significant challenge: None of them comprehensively address all the aspects we aim to improve, as highlighted in our HMW statement.

Moreover, using multiple fragmented tools can be cumbersome and could lead to reduced engagement. There's a strong desire among users for unified solutions that are easily accessible and reduce complexity.

So, what's the solution?

By combining the strengths of individual solutions and eliminating their isolated limitations, we can create a holistic app that not only addresses each aspect of the HMW statement but also offers a seamless experience for XERO employees.

Introducing XeroWell

This comprehensive solution seamlessly addresses the problem of employee well-being by offering a unified platform that caters to their unique needs and challenges. The app's onboarding process ensures a personalised approach, and the home/dashboard provides insights, routines, and a resource hub to enhance well-being. Mood Logging improves self-awareness and personalisation, while the AI Wellbeing Assistant takes real-time action based on user habits and mood logs. Discussion Prompts counteract loneliness, and the Profile Page tracks progress and rewards users. These combined features create a holistic solution that effectively promotes overall well-being, addressing the challenges employees face in maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

Key Features of the XeroWell App:

• Personalised App Onboarding

• Home/Dashboard with Weekly Insights and Daily Touchpoints

• Wellness Routines for Diverse Well-being Needs

• Gamified Consistency Streaks

• Resource Hub with Curated Content

• Mood Logging and Tailored Feedback

• Adaptive Work-Break Scheduler

• AI Wellbeing Assistant with Personalized Suggestions

• Discussion Prompts for Fostering Conversations

• Profile Page for Progress Tracking and Rewards

• User Customisation Settings

Explore Further

For a closer look at each feature: check out the Presentation.
To interact with the prototype, explore the Prototype.

If I had more time…

Takeaways

The journey of creating XeroWell underscored the significance of three key principles:

• Decisiveness: Faced with broad concepts, I learned to quickly choose and commit to design directions, ensuring the project progressed efficiently.

• Reflection: While creating the prototype, I continuously reflected on design decisions to ensure they were aligned with user needs and project goals.

• Adaptability: During the project, not everything went according to plan. There were times when I had to adjust my designs based on new information, ideas, or constraints. And that required me to have an adaptable mindset.