Sprout — a reflection companion for growth
Sprout helps people in therapy notice their mental health progress over time through reflective journaling — instead of relying only on mood tracking or AI conversations.
- Domain
- Mental Health
- Type
- Mobile App
- Role
- UI/UX Designer
- Duration
- 16 Hours
- Team
- Solo
- Status
- Completed
Summary
Situation
Mental health patients struggle to recognize and understand their recovery progress because existing tracking tools present data without meaningful context — leading to uncertainty, reduced engagement, and missed opportunities for timely therapeutic intervention.
Task
Design a reflection companion that helps people notice therapy progress over time.
Action
Research → Ideation → Sketches → Prototype → Usability Testing → Iterations.
Result
People can now notice progress that previously went unnoticed, increasing confidence in their therapy journey.
Before
People often believed therapy was not working because progress is non-linear.
Why it mattered
- Many people left therapy midway.
- Those undergoing therapy or trying to improve their wellbeing were most affected.
- There was no meaningful way to reflect on long-term emotional progress.
Who and where
Target users
People undergoing therapy
Location
India
Platform
Mobile
Digital comfort
High
The landscape
Existing products are journaling apps or AI therapy apps — but none focus on therapy progress reflection.
The main journey
A calm loop that respects how reflection actually happens — a little at a time, over many small moments.
- 1Journal
- 2Reflect
- 3View Progress
- 4Read Personalized Letter
Top tasks
- · Write journal
- · See progress
- · Read letters
Main challenge → Solution
Therapy is non-linear. Instead of a linear graph, progress is represented as six seasons — a metaphor that honors the ebb and flow of recovery.
Note · The project evolved from an AI chat companion into a reflective journaling experience after user feedback made clear that people wanted quiet reflection, not another conversation.
From tired to hopeful
Users felt tired and discouraged. Their frustration was clear: "I don't think therapy is working."
Desired emotion
Calm · Hopeful · Supported
Palette
Green — growth and calm
Mascot
Seed — quiet companionship
UI
Minimal, gentle illustrations
Behavior observed
People repeatedly questioned whether therapy was helping.
Desired change
- Increase confidence in therapy.
The numbers behind the experience
Research Participants
1
Usability Participants
4
Task Completion
100%
Retention
Metric to be validated.
"I finally see that something has changed."
User impact
Users gain confidence in their progress.
Business impact
Builds trust.
Want to talk through Sprout?
Happy to walk you through the prototype and research.