Overview

What is Pillow?

Pillow is a popular sleep tracking mobile application which uses biometric data to interpret users’ sleep patterns. This analysis can be carried out with just the app or paired with an Apple Watch. However, the tracker is limited to certain easily measurable biometrics such as sleep duration, movement, heart rate, and temperature.

The Scenario: Dreamscape

To push these boundaries, I placed Pillow in a speculative design fiction scenario. Using design fiction for modern sleep tracking technology creates discussions about the direction of biometric data collection, questioning the potential future implications of developing this technology further at both a societal level and an individual user level. Here, I was able to gain insight into the individualized healthcare experiences that sleep tracking technologies offer and the emotional implications of user biometric data interactions.

I proposed a fictional AI software addition to the Pillow app called “Dreamscape” which generates descriptions and visualizations of users’ dreams after they sleep. This software is paired with a fictional sleeping mask that collects neurological data from the user, widening the scope of biometric data collection and interpretation involved in modern sleep tracking.

Research

Research Goals

In order to thoroughly understand the scope of current user interactions with the Pillow app, I defined key statements for user interviews in order to find out how users:

Interpret health information and biometric visualizations.
Utilize insights provided by the “Snooze Lab” function.
Use the Pillow mobile application the most.
Feel the current application could be improved.

User Interviews & Affinity Mapping

I conducted qualitative interview sessions with 6 participants to share their experiences with Pillow. All of these people use Pillow frequently - ranging from a user that tracks their sleep cycles each night to an avid Pillow user that is not very interactive with their sleep improvement features.

After synthesizing interview feedback, I created an affinity map to help visually and conceptually break down user findings through two key questions that helped guide my analysis.

Key Findings

Participants prioritize their sleep quality and sleep duration scores.
Most participants noted how they frequently check either their sleep quality or sleep duration scores (or both) to learn about their sleep patterns.
Participants use the app’s mindful features to change sleep patterns.
Participants noted how they used a mix of Pillow’s helpful features to change their unhealthy sleep habits, such as the snooze lab insights, the meditation and background noises, or the alarms.

User Personas

As I moved towards the ideation portion of my design process, it was helpful to keep in mind the target user based on my interview findings. I developed two user personas to represent the different user groups for Pillow.

Information Architecture

Based on my findings, I created a proposed information architecture for the fictional “Dreamscape” feature on the mobile application. You can view an interactive version here.

Design Goals

After completing user research, creating data visualizations and a proposed information architecture, I established 3 goals moving into the design phase:

Implement Dreamscape onto the Sleep Analysis.
Incorporate stress and mood measurements in health information trends.
Create a more engaging UI design of the Snooze Lab page.

Iterations

Low Fidelity Wireframes

After synthesizing my findings and defining design goals, I designed a low fidelity outline of what the implementation of Dreamscape into the mobile app would look like.

Mid Fidelity Wireframes

I made sure to prioritize consistency with Pillow’s pre-existing design system. These designs would be the wireframes I would perform user testing on before polishing my work in high fidelity.

Usability Testing

After creating wireframes, I conducted usability testing with four participants in an interview-style format. With user testing I identified 2 clear pain points to address when moving into high fidelity prototypes.

1. Incorporate Dreamscape onto the home screen.

Users found it difficult to notice that Dreamscape was a feature on the app, which made it confusing when trying to access it. Based on this feedback, I prioritized making Dreamscape a cohesive part of the home screen rather than just a feature in the sleep analysis.

2. Adding a bookmark feature to the insights on the Snooze Lab.

Based on user feedback, I decided to add a bookmark feature to the insight icons on the Snooze Lab screen. This allows users to save certain insights they deem important and want to come back to.

Final Concepts

Link to prototype

Sleep Analysis with Dreamscape

With the new Dreamscape feature, you can analyze their dreaming habits from the Sleep Analysis screen. Along with having your stress measurement and most common moods, you can view descriptions and visualizations of your dreams with My Dreamscape and record daily entries of your dreams in the new Dream Journal.

Additionally, you can now view your Dream Mood and Dream Stress measurements on the Home screen, allowing for a more comprehensive view of your overall sleeping patterns.

Dream Trends

With the integration of Dreamscape into the Sleep Analysis, you can now view an in-depth description of your Dream Stress and Dream Mood patterns in your health Trends. This includes data visualizations, averages, and icons to help you understand your sleeping trends across weeks, months, or years.

Improved Snooze Lab Insights

The Snooze Lab now includes insights about your dreaming habits, with informational articles titled “Common Dream Meanings” and “Stress and Dreams.”

You can now also save certain insights you find important or want to to come back with the new Bookmarks feature.

Takeaways

Key Takeaways

This speculative design project was the first time I thoroughly engaged in learning how to define and scope a scenario, perform user research, and create wireframes/prototypes to address it. A few of the lessons I took away from this design project were:

Using Figma and Prototyping: This case study was the first time I used Figma as well as my first experience prototyping my designs. I became confident in animating my ideas, and I found that prototyping is one of the most rewarding parts of the design process for me.

Importance of User Testing: I discovered the importance of getting user input from a variety of users in order to get a more complete scope of the key experiences that people engage in while using applications.

Embracing Criticism: It was extremely constructive to hear critical feedback from other designers, since I think that designs will only succeed if designers are attentive to feedback and receptive to ideas from others.

I am thankful for the opportunity to learn about UI/UX Design alongside other new designers and discover what I like about the field.

Pillow

Speculative design feature that uses new biometric data to visualize user's dreams and analyze their moods and stress.