Context

In my first semester of M. Des, we had the course - Design Process and Methods, where we were tasked to choose an area, identify problems in that field and solve them. The objective of this course was to learn and model our design process in regards to the problem we’re solving. Learning how to identify problems, how to brainstorm, research methods, etc.

Tanishqka and I teamed up to work on this design project.

Our focus began with a broad question — Where can our design make a real impact? We explored various themes like the living conditions of sex workers, mobility, career guidance, and mental health. Analysing the feasibility of research and the time frame, Mental health resonated with us because it’s not just a buzzword; it's something that touches all of us, yet it’s so deeply misunderstood.

Understanding the problem

Secondary Research

We began with secondary research. We wanted to understand the language around it, the nuances in various disorders, and how our ancient practices, like Ayurveda and religious texts, approached it. We wanted insights from all angles, traditional and modern, to create a holistic understanding.

Interaction with Professionals

To ground our research, we spoke to mental health professionals who shared invaluable insights

Summary of our primary research

• The importance of self-assessment and seeking help early.
• The impact of stigma and the danger of misconceptions.
• The need for accessible, clear information for those seeking help.

While talking to professionals, We got this interesting question.

Is there a measurable way to gauge the severity of mental health disorder. similar to checking blood pressure for determining hypertension?

There are some Diagnostic Manuals. When professionals assess mental health, they often refer to manuals like the DSM-5 or ICD-11. While these are helpful tools, they’re geared towards professionals, not everyday people. They categorize disorders into “brackets,” but the reality isn’t always so clear-cut. Enter HiTOP, a framework that looks at symptoms across a spectrum, allowing for a more nuanced understanding, especially for people with overlapping symptoms.

This led us to a core realization

The complexity of these manuals makes them hard for everyday people to understand. What if we made it simpler and more accessible?

But the question here is - Why do people need to asses themselves when they can just go to a professional directly.

So to find out this, we talked to people who went through mental health support, and below are the insights we got.

More Interactions

Through more interactions with people, we identified that

• People often find themselves misaligned with their mental health professionals, either because they didn’t connect or because they sought the wrong type of support.
• This disconnect highlighted the need for better guidance and self-awareness.

We noticed a pattern - Many people rely on Google search or even Google Maps for mental health support, leading to potential misdiagnosis, boosted reviews, or confusion about which professional to choose.

Based on the core problems that are identified - we solidified on the need statement

The Problem Statement

Help individuals assess their mental health condition through accessible tools and connecting them with appropriate care to ensure timely support and recovery

Must haves for the solution

• A reliable method to analyse the condition
• Guidance of appropriate help available

Nice to haves

• A way to address stigmatization around mental health

Brainstorming

We divided the problem statement into two parts - Assessment and Guidance. We brainstormed ideas for each part separately.

How might we's?

Ideation

We drafted some ideas and then categorized them into digital and non-digital solutions,

We finalized on combining both digital and non-digital solutions to create a holistic experience.

Proposed Solution

Core Idea

A comprehensive solution combining a non-digital card (manual) and a digital app to:

1. Facilitate self-assessment
2. Guide users toward the right professionals
3. Normalize conversations around mental health

Key Components

1. Mental Health Card - Manual

• This card introduces symptoms and signs in relatable language, clarifies the roles of various mental health professionals, and offers actionable advice on seeking support.
• Importantly, we replace clinical terms such as "psychiatrist" and "psychologist" with more joyful and positive alternatives like Listener and Member
• This change aims to reduce stigma and create a more welcoming atmosphere for individuals seeking help.

2. Digital Application

• This app features a structured self-assessment questionnaire, provides severity-based recommendations, and connects users with verified professionals tailored to their needs.
• Like the Mental Health Card, the app employs positive language to foster community and support throughout its interface.

Conclusion

Impact & Benefits

The proposed solution aims to create significant benefits across various levels

• For Individuals: Enhanced self-awareness will lead to timely interventions and improved mental health outcomes.
• For Professionals: Reduced stigma will result in better-prepared clients who are more engaged in their treatment.
• For Society: Our initiative will promote a culture of mental health awareness and encourage proactive care-seeking behaviour.

Next Steps needed

• Refinement of the manual and the application interface
• Development of the Self-Assessment Card - Collaborating with mental health professionals and testing with users will help create a reliable self-assessment tool
• Testing on users and iterating based on feedback