Project Description

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Inspired by research and studies on sensory effects and their influence on well-being, my business partners and I developed an idea to explore these principles further. I approached Kirinus Tagesklinik in Munich Schwabing, and they were enthusiastic about collaborating with us. While this wasn’t an official medical study, it served as a UX-focused study involving volunteering patients dealing with burnout and depression.

The process included weekly presentations to different patient groups, where I introduced our concept and demonstrated our solution. To avoid influencing participants, we focused on explaining the solution’s functionality rather than the underlying research. This allowed us to observe genuine reactions and gather authentic feedback.

Disclaimer: Since the project is still under development and is not yet fully disclosed, I can only share information about the process, but not about the full content and approach behind this solution.

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Objectives

• Translate the key learnings from our research into a functional and user-friendly software solution.  
• Design an intuitive interface that simplifies the complexity of the back-end algorithm, allowing users to easily adjust settings to their preferences.  
• Develop a setup tailored to patients' preferences, ensuring it accommodates their needs given their specific situations.  
• Enable seamless and anonymous feedback collection, protecting patients' identities while gathering valuable insights for improvement and validating the idea.

Solutions

• Developed a highly functional app with a visually calming interface, incorporating micro animations and design elements inspired by popular music apps like Spotify and YouTube Music.  
• Introduced customizable scenarios, enabling users to adjust sound settings to their preferences for a more personal experience.  
• Integrated an in-app feedback feature, allowing users to provide input anytime—this was emphasized during weekly presentations.  
• Created an initial setup using an iOS/iPadOS app that supported head tracking, paired with three iPad Minis and AirPods Max headphones available for patients to borrow from the clinic whenever they had time.  
• Made the app completely free for patients to use, ensuring accessibility without financial barriers.  
• In stage two of the project, enabled patients to download the app via TestFlight on their private devices, allowing them to test it at home and providing even greater accessibility.
• Conducted weekly presentations to explain the project background, guide patients through the process, and demonstrate how to download and use the app effectively.  

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Outcomes

• Achieved high acceptance and retention rates among patients over time.  
• Gathered valuable qualitative feedback through anonymous surveys and personal interviews conducted after presentations.  
• A significant number of patients reported that the app positively impacted their overall well-being, enhancing calmness, relaxation, and the ability to stop overthinking. Many even preferred the solution over other intrusive and non-intrusive methods available in the clinic environment when experiencing distress.  
• Delivered a proof of concept (POC) that has the potential to evolve into a full-scale product, now actively seeking partners for further development.

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"The combination of non-repetitive sounds and spatial listening allows me to reliably immerse myself deeply and slow down my thoughts. An experience that I haven't had with similar apps before."

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- Mike F. | Former patient of the Kirinus Clinic Schwabing

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