Full Case Study
Full Case Study
Full Case Study
Full Case Study
Full Case Study
Where There's Voice, There's Memory
Where There's Voice, There's Memory
Where There's Voice, There's Memory
Where There's Voice, There's Memory
Where There's Voice, There's Memory
Star Dolls explores how voice, memory, and emotion can be
preserved through AI-assisted reflective journaling
Star Dolls explores how voice, memory, and emotion can be
preserved through AI-assisted reflective journaling
Star Dolls explores how voice, memory, and emotion can be
preserved through AI-assisted reflective journaling
Star Dolls explores how voice, memory, and emotion can be
preserved through AI-assisted reflective journaling
Star Dolls explores how voice, memory, and emotion can be
preserved through AI-assisted reflective journaling
Problem
People Remember Events
But Lose the Feelings That Matter
My research in the CHAI Lab at the University of Michigan explores how people experience, remember, and make sense of emotion through speech.
Through research in human-centered AI and conversations with students navigating therapy, journaling, and reflection, I observed a recurring pattern: people remember what happened, but often lose how it felt.
With the abundance of AI-driven mental health apps on the market, the question arose: why do so many people feel disconnected from the very tools meant to support them?
People Remember Events
But Lose the Feelings That Matter
My research in the CHAI Lab at the University of Michigan explores how people experience, remember, and make sense of emotion through speech.
Through research in human-centered AI and conversations with students navigating therapy, journaling, and reflection, I observed a recurring pattern: people remember what happened, but often lose how it felt.
With the abundance of AI-driven mental health apps on the market, the question arose: why do so many people feel disconnected from the very tools meant to support them?
People Remember Events
But Lose the Feelings That Matter
My research in the CHAI Lab at the University of Michigan explores how people experience, remember, and make sense of emotion through speech.
Through research in human-centered AI and conversations with students navigating therapy, journaling, and reflection, I observed a recurring pattern: people remember what happened, but often lose how it felt.
With the abundance of AI-driven mental health apps on the market, the question arose: why do so many people feel disconnected from the very tools meant to support them?
People Remember Events
But Lose the Feelings That Matter
My research in the CHAI Lab at the University of Michigan explores how people experience, remember, and make sense of emotion through speech.
Through research in human-centered AI and conversations with students navigating therapy, journaling, and reflection, I observed a recurring pattern: people remember what happened, but often lose how it felt.
With the abundance of AI-driven mental health apps on the market, the question arose: why do so many people feel disconnected from the very tools meant to support them?
Problem
Problem
Problem
Problem
People Remember Events
But Lose the Feelings That Matter
My research in the CHAI Lab at the University of Michigan explores how people experience, remember, and make sense of emotion through speech.
Through research in human-centered AI and conversations with students navigating therapy, journaling, and reflection, I observed a recurring pattern: people remember what happened, but often lose how it felt.
With the abundance of AI-driven mental health apps on the market, the question arose: why do so many people feel disconnected from the very tools meant to support them?
People Remember Events
But Lose the Feelings That Matter
My research in the CHAI Lab at the University of Michigan explores how people experience, remember, and make sense of emotion through speech. Through research in human-centered AI and conversations with students navigating therapy, journaling, and reflection, I observed a recurring pattern: people remember what happened, but often lose how it felt.
With the abundance of AI-driven mental health apps on the market, the question arose: why do so many people feel disconnected from the very tools meant to support them?
Others Say…
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Others Say…
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Others Say…
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Others Say…
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Others Say…
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I’ll have a big breakdown or realization at 2am and think “this is important,” but by the time therapy comes I remember the event but not how intense I felt or what exactly I was thinking
"Student
I’ll have a big breakdown or realization at 2am and think “this is important,” but by the time therapy comes I remember the event but not how intense I felt or what exactly I was thinking
"Student
I’ll have a big breakdown or realization at 2am and think “this is important,” but by the time therapy comes I remember the event but not how intense I felt or what exactly I was thinking
"Student
I’ll have a big breakdown or realization at 2am and think “this is important,” but by the time therapy comes I remember the event but not how intense I felt or what exactly I was thinking
"Student
I’ll have a big breakdown or realization at 2am and think “this is important,” but by the time therapy comes I remember the event but not how intense I felt or what exactly I was thinking
"Student
Solution
Solution
Solution
Solution
Solution
It begins
with a doll…
With each entry, the constellations light up one by one, until the doll becomes whole.
The island, like one's mind, is an oasis: a place for your dolls to live and for you to see how far you've come.
It begins
with a doll…
With each entry, the constellations light up one by one, until the doll becomes whole.
The island, like one's mind, is an oasis: a place for your dolls to live and for you to see how far you've come.
It begins
with a doll…
With each entry, the constellations light up one by one, until the doll becomes whole.
The island, like one's mind, is an oasis: a place for your dolls to live and for you to see how far you've come.
It begins
with a doll…
With each entry, the constellations light up one by one, until the doll becomes whole.
The island, like one's mind, is an oasis: a place for your dolls to live and for you to see how far you've come.
It begins
with a doll…
With each entry, the constellations light up one by one, until the doll becomes whole.
The island, like one's mind, is an oasis: a place for your dolls to live and for you to see how far you've come.
Strengthening the Patient & Therapist Relationship, Not Replacing it
Strengthening the Patient & Therapist Relationship, Not Replacing it
Enhancing the Patient & Therapist Relationship
AI system highlights emotionally significant moments
AI system highlights emotionally significant moments
AI system highlights emotionally significant moments
AI system highlights emotionally significant moments
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
Competitive Analysis
The Competition does Not Bridge Emotional Continuity with Human Support.
Keeping the above conclusion in mind, I reviewed Wysa, Woebot, Youper, and Replika, the most popular AI-powered mental health apps, to see whether they truly support emotional continuity, preserve the therapeutic relationship, and balance human and digital care, or whether they contribute to the very gaps the research highlights.
I found that only Wysa explicity integrates human support alongside its AI, while the others rely primarily on conversational AI and self-guided interactions. None of them intentionally design for emotional continuity. This then became my opportunity for the solution.
The Competition does Not Bridge Emotional Continuity with Human Support.
Keeping the above conclusion in mind, I reviewed Wysa, Woebot, Youper, and Replika, the most popular AI-powered mental health apps, to see whether they truly support emotional continuity, preserve the therapeutic relationship, and balance human and digital care, or whether they contribute to the very gaps the research highlights.
I found that only Wysa explicity integrates human support alongside its AI, while the others rely primarily on conversational AI and self-guided interactions. None of them intentionally design for emotional continuity. This then became my opportunity for the solution.
The Competition does Not Bridge Emotional Continuity with Human Support.
Keeping the above conclusion in mind, I reviewed Wysa, Woebot, Youper, and Replika, the most popular AI-powered mental health apps, to see whether they truly support emotional continuity, preserve the therapeutic relationship, and balance human and digital care, or whether they contribute to the very gaps the research highlights.
I found that only Wysa explicity integrates human support alongside its AI, while the others rely primarily on conversational AI and self-guided interactions. None of them intentionally design for emotional continuity. This then became my opportunity for the solution.
The Competition does Not Bridge Emotional Continuity with Human Support.
Keeping the above conclusion in mind, I reviewed Wysa, Woebot, Youper, and Replika, the most popular AI-powered mental health apps, to see whether they truly support emotional continuity, preserve the therapeutic relationship, and balance human and digital care, or whether they contribute to the very gaps the research highlights.
I found that only Wysa explicity integrates human support alongside its AI, while the others rely primarily on conversational AI and self-guided interactions. None of them intentionally design for emotional continuity. This then became my opportunity for the solution.
The Competition does Not Bridge Emotional Continuity with Human Support.
Keeping the above conclusion in mind, I reviewed Wysa, Woebot, Youper, and Replika, the most popular AI-powered mental health apps, to see whether they truly support emotional continuity, preserve the therapeutic relationship, and balance human and digital care, or whether they contribute to the very gaps the research highlights.
I found that only Wysa explicity integrates human support alongside its AI, while the others rely primarily on conversational AI and self-guided interactions. None of them intentionally design for emotional continuity. This then became my opportunity for the solution.
Design Outcomes
Design Outcomes
Design Outcomes
Design Outcomes
Impact
With Star Dolls
With Star Dolls
With Star Dolls
With Star Dolls
With Star Dolls
Reflection
Reflection
Reflection
Reflection
Reflection
Lesson 1
Exploring existing mental-health apps revealed how easily technology can overstep into diagnosis without clinical grounding.
Lesson 2
Understanding why many mental-health apps struggle with long-term trust and engagement reshaped the direction of the entire project.
Lesson 3
Good mental-health UX isn’t about flashy interfaces. It’s about respecting boundaries, building trust, and giving users control over their experience.
Lesson 4
As my first full case study and first time using Figma, this project taught me how to translate values into features and ideas into cohesive product systems.
Next Steps
In future iterations, I would validate the design through: 1:1 usability testing of the reflection and voice memo flow Testing emotional comfort around replaying voice recordings Measuring whether the constellation / island features improves return rate and emotional recall Therapist interviews to assess clinical fit and ethical boundaries
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