Industry
Mental Wellness /
Digital Therapeutics
Client
Start-Up Project
Platform
Mobile App
Meowofulness
Meowofulness
Your Gentle Company in a Noisy World
Meowofulness is a mindfulness habit-building app for Mandarin-speaking users, combining certified instructor audio, personalized playlists, and a virtual cat companion to help beginners build sustainable meditation habits.
As the UI/UX Designer, I led end-to-end — from user research and competitive analysis to feature definition, interface design, and MVP user testing — while regularly pitching to potential investors to sharpen product and market thinking.
Meowofulness is a mindfulness habit-building app for Mandarin-speaking users, combining certified instructor audio, personalized playlists, and a virtual cat companion to help beginners build sustainable meditation habits.
As the UI/UX Designer, I led end-to-end — from user research and competitive analysis to feature definition, interface design, and MVP user testing — while regularly pitching to potential investors to sharpen product and market thinking.
TIMELINE
TIMELINE
2023/2025
(Redesign)
2023/2025
(Redesign)
TEAM
TEAM
PM, Wellness Advisor
Strategy Lead & Advisor
PM, Wellness Advisor
Strategy Lead & Advisor
ROLE
ROLE
UI/UX Designer
UI/UX Designer
SKILLS
SKILLS
Figma, Pitch
Figma, Pitch
WHAT IS THE PROBLEM
Beginners struggle to start and stick with a mindfulness practice
Beginners struggle to start and stick with a mindfulness practice
As a team passionate about mental wellness, we noticed many friends interested in meditation struggled to start or maintain a practice. We found they faced two key challenges:
As a team passionate about mental wellness, we noticed many friends interested in meditation struggled to start or maintain a practice. We found they faced two key challenges:
01
Language & Guidance Gap
Quality resources were predominantly English with scattered Chinese content lacking structured guidance.
Quality resources were predominantly English with scattered Chinese content lacking structured guidance.
02
Consistency Barrier
Busy schedules make it hard to maintain a regular practice — leading beginners to disengage before habits form.
Busy schedules make it hard to maintain a regular practice — leading beginners to disengage before habits form.
💭
How might we help Mandarin-speaking beginners in busy lives
easily start and maintain consistent mindfulness habits?
How might we help Mandarin-speaking beginners in busy lives
easily start and maintain consistent mindfulness habits?
USER RESEARCH
04
In-depth interviews
In-depth interviews
10
On-site interviews
On-site interviews
We conducted in-depth interviews with 4 participants at varying mindfulness experience levels to understand pain points across different stages, supplemented by brief on-site interviews with 10 attendees at a campus wellness event.
We conducted in-depth interviews with 4 participants at varying mindfulness experience levels to understand pain points across different stages, supplemented by brief on-site interviews with 10 attendees at a campus wellness event.
Based on our research findings, we developed two primary personas representing key user segments at different stages of mindfulness practice:
Based on our research findings, we developed two primary personas representing key user segments at different stages of mindfulness practice:
1️⃣
1️⃣
Complete Beginners
Complete Beginners
Highly interested in mindfulness but lacking
accessible resources and discussion partners
Highly interested in mindfulness but lacking accessible resources and discussion partners
2️⃣
2️⃣
Experienced Practitioners
Experienced Practitioners
Including MBSR-trained individuals, struggle to maintain consistent practice and lack community support for ongoing engagement.
Including MBSR-trained individuals, struggle to maintain consistent practice and lack community support for ongoing engagement.
PAIN-POINTS & INSIGHTS
Complete Beginners
PAIN-POINTS
PAIN-POINTS
Uncertain whether practice methods are correct
Lack of progress indicators or validation mechanisms
Confused by different mindfulness approaches
Uncertain whether practice methods are correct
Lack of progress indicators or validation mechanisms
Confused by different mindfulness approaches
NEEDS
NEEDS
Simple, flexible, low-barrier entry methods
Visualized learning progress to build confidence and motivation
Clear guidance on "how to practice correctly"
Simple, flexible, low-barrier entry methods
Visualized learning progress to build confidence and motivation
Clear guidance on "how to practice correctly"
INSIGHTS
INSIGHTS
Beginners need to build confidence before pursuing depth
Visualized progress indicators are critical for retention
"Safe to fail" environments reduce abandonment rates
Beginners need to build confidence before pursuing depth
Visualized progress indicators are critical for retention
"Safe to fail" environments reduce abandonment rates
Experienced Practitioners
PAIN-POINTS
PAIN-POINTS
Difficulty maintaining consistent practice due to lack of visible results
Sometimes hard to find preferred audio guides matching specific contexts
Feeling isolated in practice, lacking like-minded peer connections
Need for meaningful feedback and reflection opportunities
Difficulty maintaining consistent practice due to lack of visible results
Sometimes hard to find preferred audio guides matching specific contexts
Feeling isolated in practice, lacking like-minded peer connections
Need for meaningful feedback and reflection opportunities
NEEDS
NEEDS
Visualized practice records and encouragement mechanisms
to support habit formationDiverse contextual audio guides and practice flows matching
personal preferencesCommunity for sharing and reflection
Visualized practice records and encouragement mechanisms
to support habit formationDiverse contextual audio guides and practice flows matching
personal preferencesCommunity for sharing and reflection
INSIGHTS
INSIGHTS
Visualized progress indicators are critical for retention
Experienced users value autonomy over prescriptive programs
Social connections sustain practice more than content alone
Personalized settings are key to long-term engagement
Visualized progress indicators are critical for retention
Experienced users value autonomy over prescriptive programs
Social connections sustain practice more than content alone
Personalized settings are key to long-term engagement
PAINPOINTS & OPPORTUNITIES
01
Hard to Start
Information Overload
Scattered Resources
Without clear practice guidance
Personalized Daily Practice Playlists
Level-based recommendations playlist
Diverse expert-led audio
02
Hard to Cultivate
Difficulty recalling key learnings and reflections
Start Quickly & Simply
Quick-Access Page
Custom Practice Playlist
Flexible durations practice (5–15 mins)
03
Lack of Connections
Difficulty identifying and articulating skills
Unclear which experiences matter for target roles
Online Peers
Small group online challenges
04
Lack of Motivation
High effort required to manage and customize multiple applications
Visual Tracking
Immediate feedback
Practice record and journal
GUERRILLA TESTING
We conducted our first guerrilla usability test at a startup showcase, introducing the MVP to approximately 20 attendees. Around half expressed strong positive responses and eagerness for the product to launch — validating early market interest.
We conducted our first guerrilla usability test at a startup showcase, introducing the MVP to approximately 20 attendees. Around half expressed strong positive responses and eagerness for the product to launch — validating early market interest.
Feedback
Audio Tone
Some users felt the current audio recordings were too monotone, making it easy to lose focus and hard to stay engaged — indirectly validating that instructor tone has a meaningful impact on user immersion.
UI Interaction
Users suggested the interface could benefit from more interactive design elements.
Technology Skepticism
Some users questioned whether a product that requires binding a person to their phone contradicts the core concept of mindfulness.
Iterations
Audio Tone
Strengthen the business model by partnering with more certified instructors to produce diverse audio content, helping users find recordings that resonate with their personal preferences.
UI Interaction
Enhance product interactivity and feedback animations.
Technology Skepticism
Deprioritize gamification elements and recenter the experience on habit-building through community support and visual progress tracking — reinforcing the product's core purpose of establishing genuine mindfulness habits.
“I'd definitely want to try this once it launches.”
Two attendees, Female
“I'd definitely want to try this once it launches.”
Two attendees, Female
We then ran structured walkthroughs with 3 users, yielding the following insights and team reflections:
We then ran structured walkthroughs with 3 users, yielding the following insights and team reflections:
Feedback
Iterations
Audio Tone
Some users felt the current audio recordings were too monotone, making it easy to lose focus and hard to stay engaged — indirectly validating that instructor tone has a meaningful impact on user immersion.
Audio Tone
Strengthen the business model by partnering with more certified instructors to produce diverse audio content, helping users find recordings that resonate with their personal preferences.
UI Interaction
Users suggested the interface could benefit from more interactive design elements.
UI Interaction
Enhance product interactivity and feedback animations.
Technology Skepticism
Some users questioned whether a product that requires binding a person to their phone contradicts the core concept of mindfulness.
Technology Skepticism
Deprioritize gamification elements and recenter the experience on habit-building through community support and visual progress tracking — reinforcing the product's core purpose of establishing genuine mindfulness habits.
RESULT
We later entered this project in a startup competition and advanced to the finals. Throughout the process, we received mentorship from business advisors, learning to translate design into viable product strategy while regularly pitching our MVP to simulated investors.
This developed my skills in market analysis and product thinking. The experience taught me how to balance business viability with user needs.
We later entered this project in a startup competition and advanced to the finals. Throughout the process, we received mentorship from business advisors, learning to translate design into viable product strategy while regularly pitching our MVP to simulated investors.
This developed my skills in market analysis and product thinking. The experience taught me how to balance business viability with user needs.
LOOKING BACK : WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER
LOOKING BACK : WHAT CAN WE DO BETTER
Deeper User Research
Conduct in-depth interviews and surveys with a broader user base to better capture real-world usage contexts and unmet needs.
Conduct in-depth interviews and surveys with a broader user base to better capture real-world usage contexts and unmet needs.
Expert Interviews
Engage certified mindfulness instructors to explore audio content partnerships, platform collaboration models, and pricing strategies — while assessing the impact of guided audio on learner outcomes.
Engage certified mindfulness instructors to explore audio content partnerships, platform collaboration models, and pricing strategies — while assessing the impact of guided audio on learner outcomes.
Sustainable Business Model
Identify diverse partnership and monetization channels to improve long-term product viability and commercial scalability.
Identify diverse partnership and monetization channels to improve long-term product viability and commercial scalability.
Early & Ongoing Investor Engagement
Initiate investor conversations earlier and maintain consistent dialogue to better align product direction with business and investment considerations.
Initiate investor conversations earlier and maintain consistent dialogue to better align product direction with business and investment considerations.
LEARNINGS
Developing a Business Lens for Design
Although the project didn't advance to development, it shaped my early understanding that strong product design goes beyond user experience — market viability, scalable business models, and stakeholder appeal are equally critical to a product's success.
Although the project didn't advance to development, it shaped my early understanding that strong product design goes beyond user experience — market viability, scalable business models, and stakeholder appeal are equally critical to a product's success.
Rediscovering My Passion for Product
Revisiting this project clarified what drives me: the process of building — from zero to one, or iterating on what exists — and seeing a product grow into something that genuinely fits into users' lives and solves real problems.
Revisiting this project clarified what drives me: the process of building — from zero to one, or iterating on what exists — and seeing a product grow into something that genuinely fits into users' lives and solves real problems.
Thank you for reading.
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