Research findings
Secondary research revealed that half of the population in France experiences sleep-related issues, and approximately one-third of people are using television as a means to fall asleep. However, experts caution against screen usage before bed, as it can increase sleep disorders, with insomnia being the most common sleep issue linked to thoughts, nocturnal cogitations and stress.
A survey was conducted to understand the causes of sleep problems among individuals. Most respondents reported having regular and sufficient sleep but admitted to use screens before going to bed. The minority of participants experienced sleep disorders, mostly insomnia. To gain deeper insights, we conducted interviews with six person who presented patterns identified in the survey. The main pain points identified were external disturbances, difficulty awakening, and specific sleep disorders in stressed periods.
A competitor analysis revealed two main features offered by sleep quality app: sleep tracking (without specific goals) and a wide range of audio content options (sometimes overwhelming in choice).
Persona
Sophie is a dynamic and busy woman of 30 yo. She’s leaving in an appartment that overlooks the street in a big city. She generally sleeps well except during stressing periods.
Problem Statement
Based on the research and user insights, the problem statement we decided to focus on was :
"A dynamic and busy woman needs a faster way to fall asleep because periods of stress prevent her from having a quality sleep routine."
Solution Pitch
Our solution is to guide Sophie towards quality sleep by helping her fall asleep more quickly during periods of stress.
This solution includes three key features :
This solution includes three key features :
- Dark Mode
- Personalized Content
- Sleep Analysis
Context of use :
Currently, Sophie is in a stress period. She has a daily routine to prepare herself to sleep and the last thing she does before sleeping is to check her phone and program an alarm for the next morning.
But she has an insomnia caused by her nocturnal cogitations ans she stays awake during two hours. She’s in a stress spirale and she needs to find a way to calm her mind and be able to fall asleep quickly.
Moodboard
We created a moodboard emphasizing adjectives like :
soft, smooth, nocturnal, calm, and soothing.
It captures the essence of a peaceful night's sleep and a serene moonlit atmosphere.
Style Tile
The style tile combines :
- a primary color with varying transparencies, representing the depth and tranquility of the night
- a secondary color, representing the dark mode, complements the overall theme.
We selected two typography :
- a Serif font (Bodoni), commonly associated with tales and written stories
- a curvy Sans Serif font (Avenir), adding a touch of elegance.
- a primary color with varying transparencies, representing the depth and tranquility of the night
- a secondary color, representing the dark mode, complements the overall theme.
We selected two typography :
- a Serif font (Bodoni), commonly associated with tales and written stories
- a curvy Sans Serif font (Avenir), adding a touch of elegance.
Name & Logo
Our project is named "The Owl Night" to establish a connection with those who thrive in the night, symbolizing night birds like the owl that watches over sleep. The logo displays an owl motif, emphasizing the app's role by guiding users to a peaceful sleep.
Prototype
The differents stages of the prototype are as follows :
Welcoming page
- Possibility to activate airplane mode & START
Alarm Settings
- We can modify the alarm and chose to activate it.
- We can also chose between 3 alarm types : smooth, basic & energic
- Then we can decide to go to the content or to decide to sleep without content, which allows the app to record at what time we are going to bed if we don’t want to listen to any content.
- We can also chose between 3 alarm types : smooth, basic & energic
- Then we can decide to go to the content or to decide to sleep without content, which allows the app to record at what time we are going to bed if we don’t want to listen to any content.
Good night
- The screen become darker and darker.
- It brings us slowly & smoothly into sleep mode.
- It brings us slowly & smoothly into sleep mode.
Re-start of the app
- We don’t succeed to sleep & open the app.
- The come back on the app is smooth (owl).
- The come back on the app is smooth (owl).
Homepage & content
- Chose of the content (with pre-selected options for My Body & My Mind)
- Possibility to select timer and to add the content in the favorite content.
- Possibility to select timer and to add the content in the favorite content.
If you want to test our prototype you can click here
Usability and Desirability Testing
We conducted usability testing at both mid-fi and hi-fi stages, leading to several modifications. The main feedback focused on content hierarchy, improving consistency throughout the app, and providing an easier way for users to indicate when they are going to sleep and don’t use any content.
Desirability testing provided positive results, as interviewees used our own keywords to describe the app, with words such as: calm, reassuring, relaxing, and appeasing.
Some respondents expressed mixed feelings about the serif typography, providing an opportunity for further improvement.
The smoother flow of the second part of the app was highly appreciated.
Conclusion and Future Enhancements
Our prototype presented here is focused on the mobile experience.
However, future plans include maturing the existing flow and developing an Apple Watch prototype to provide additional convenience and features.
Our design aims to improve the sleep quality of busy individuals — like Sophie — by offering a personalized and soothing experience to help them fall asleep faster, mostly during stressful periods.
By addressing the needs of users seeking quality sleep, “The Owl Night” has the potential to become a trusted companion for those looking for restful nights and a refreshed morning experience.
