Site Map
Working on my continuation of the information architecture to my healthcare app, I decided it would make my life easier to create a sitemap that looks at the structural flow of my pages and their relationship to each other. I’ve never made a site map this in-depth before, however, it has been fundamental to a) making my life easier and b) providing visual validation of the functionality and flow of my app. Additionally, I decided to make the child and parent’s section on the same sitemap, however, I’ve colour-coded it so I can avoid confusion while working off it (red = parents/blue = child). Below is a screenshot of the sitemap I have been using:
While producing my initial sketches, I felt almost lost; I knew what features were to be added, however, I didn’t know how to organise them or structurally relevate the pages – although my initial sitemap/user flow helped me grab the basics, it still felt very patchy. However, this site map that I have produced has laid out a clear-cut birds-eye view of my website.
Digital Mock-ups (Lo-fi)
Log in/Sign Up & Onboarding
While building the app, I must think of the multiple scenarios that can play out when a user downloads my app:
- The user has an account and signs in
- The user doesn’t and signs up
- The user has already signed in
While the app doesn’t need to be a full replica of real life, I want to give the option of either signing in/signing up to also provide the onboarding process. Additionally, when a user signs up they will have the option to add their users.
Onboarding
During the onboarding process, I want to showcase the app’s features in a sufficient yet, easy-to-understand and minimalistic way. Additionally, I want the app to communicate with both parties differently.
Parents – Home, Goals & Mood
Goals
From the parent’s section, they can assign goals for their child/view the child’s previous goals from a different day and also mark whether they have completed or failed that goal. Upon completion of that goal, a child shall receive a virtual currency reward that makes them want to achieve more goals. This reward-based system is at the core of my app – if kids don’t have any initiative, they’re going to lose motivation.
Home
From the home page, parents can view their child’s overall progress, talk to them and view materials related to parenting to help guide parents who are struggling.
Mood Tree
From the mood tree, parents can get a weekly/monthly overview of the progress of their child’s behaviors and moods over a certain time period. Additionally, children will be able to make notes to tell parents why they feel a certain way – this allows for better communication and potentially helps parents to undercover what’s wrong with their child.
Child – Home
While the parent’s side is more analytical and contextual, I want the child’s side to be more gamified and an overall enjoyable experience. For example, a child’s home will host their progress so they can gain a sense of self-achievement, chat which they can talk to their parents and an AI buddy? – And last but not least rewards that give them incentives to ‘play’ the app in which they can buy new birds.
Child – Goals & Mood
For the goals, children can view their pending goals and also assign goals for themselves for self-motivation. Additionally, the mood tree is a gamified version of expressing their feelings where there will be a tree with different levels of branches, the user can select what branch suits their emotions, (ground floor being sad – the top being happy). This will offer the user a fun and creative expression of their feelings.
Child – Music & Games
This section of the app will be created to keep the user engaged and relaxed. It provides a safe space where they can solve puzzles to help their creativity and games that help them potentially lose their phobias. Additionally, the music area will offer different relaxing audio recordings of birds.
User flow
Below I have created a user flow chart mapping the suggested structural route of a parent. From my research into my users, I came up with the best potential flow for an everyday user (parent) on my app. For example, the user flow which I have created below shows a parent assigning a goal for their child and the potential scenario which could play before they assign that goal.
