Wellness@HKU - A Personalised Resource Navigator for HKU Students
Wellness@HKU - A Personalised Resource Navigator for HKU Students
During my final Design Studio 4: Expertise course in January 2024, I began developing Clarity, a mental health resource navigator tailored to HKU students. Inspired by a growing need for accessible mental health support on campus, I aimed to simplify the process of finding reliable and personalised resources.
Over the next few months, Clarity evolved through collaboration with HKU’s Social Work and Social Administration department, incorporating direct student feedback. By May, the university recognised Clarity’s potential impact and committed to expanding it into a campus-wide initiative. This led to a new development phase, with phase 1 culminating in the launch of the Wellness@HKU website—now a live platform providing accessible mental health and wellness resources to all HKU students.
Time
January 2024 - Present
Role
Product Manager/UX Designer
User research, Branding, Interaction,
Visual design, Prototyping & testing
Background
When an HKU student needs mental health support, they can use Wellness@HKU—a platform designed to connect them with verified, reliable mental health resources tailored to their needs. Created in collaboration with HKU’s Social Work and Social Administration department, Wellness@HKU offers a personalised triage flow to help students navigate options that best fit their requirements. By answering a few targeted questions, students are matched with services that are accessible, trustworthy, and relevant to their wellness needs on campus.
Foodnote is a meal planning app designed to simplify university students’ decision-making process.
It provides personalised meal suggestions, community sharing, and time-saving features to help balance their busy schedules, dietary preferences, and budget levels. With Foodnote, students can eat efficiently, and healthier, and stay on top of their meal planning with user-friendly resources and features.
The Problem
Navigating mental health resources on campus can be overwhelming and confusing for students, with direct and centralised access to the support they need. With too many mental health providers, students often struggle to find services that meet their specific needs, leading to underutilisation of available resources.
Navigating mental health resources on campus can be overwhelming and confusing for students, with direct and centralised access to the support they need. With too many mental health providers, students often struggle to find services that meet their specific needs, leading to underutilisation of available resources.
Research Highlights
48%
Young people search for mental health problems
30%
Young people experienced mental health within 5 years
To increase understanding and focus on the own campus, I have reached out to the Faculty of Social Science, and arranged an interview with Professor Gloria Wong and her team. I have noted down some current challenges and research.
To increase understanding and focus on the own campus, I have reached out to the Faculty of Social Science, and arranged an interview with Professor Gloria Wong and her team. I have noted down some current challenges and research.
Research
Prioritising Issues
Problem Space:
Interview Sessions
After gathering feedback through interviews and focus groups with HKU students, we discovered that several challenges contribute to this problem:
After gathering feedback through interviews and focus groups with HKU students, we discovered that several challenges contribute to this problem:
Lack of Centralised Access to Trusted Resources
Difficulty Filtering for Specific Needs (Immediate Help or Off-hours Support)
Uncertainty About the Reliability and Appropriateness of Available Services
Limited Guidance in the Decision-making Process for Mental Health Support
Design Goal
Provide HKU students with a centralised, personalised mental health resource navigator that matches them with trusted services suited to their needs and situations.
Provide HKU students with a centralised, personalised mental health resource navigator that matches them with trusted services suited to their needs and situations.
With insights gathered from focus groups and research on other mental health platforms, it became evident that a personalised triage flow, tailored to student needs, could simplify the search process and enhance access to reliable support.
Hypothesis
Introducing a personalized triage flow will reduce the time and effort required for students to find suitable mental health resources, leading to an increase in service utilization and a greater sense of trust in available support.
Introducing a personalized triage flow will reduce the time and effort required for students to find suitable mental health resources, leading to an increase in service utilization and a greater sense of trust in available support.
Success Metrics
Increased number of students matched with appropriate mental health resources.
Increased number of students matched with appropriate mental health resources.
Decrease in time taken for students to navigate to a trusted service.
Decrease in time taken for students to navigate to a trusted service.
Positive user feedback on accessibility and ease of use of the Clarity platform.
Positive user feedback on accessibility and ease of use of the Clarity platform.
Going into ideation, I had the following how might we questions in mind that I wanted the designs to address:
Going into ideation, I had the following how might we questions in mind that I wanted the designs to address:
HMW provide students with a trusted and centralized platform for mental health resources that is tailored to their needs?
HMW provide students with a trusted and centralized platform for mental health resources that is tailored to their needs?
HMW create a simplified triage flow that helps students efficiently connect with the most suitable mental health resources on or off campus?
HMW create a simplified triage flow that helps students efficiently connect with the most suitable mental health resources on or off campus?
HMW ensure students feel confident and supported throughout their search for mental health resources, reducing the overwhelm associated with navigating options?
HMW ensure students feel confident and supported throughout their search for mental health resources, reducing the overwhelm associated with navigating options?
Product Vision and Solution
Through conducting interviews with HKU as well as hosting focus groups with current HKU students. It is seen both mental health resources as well as the situation on campus are not well received.
As service information is unclear, with it's reliability and literacy to seek help are quite uncertain. My vision is to increase personalization and encouragement while finding resources, and to ensure the accessibility of health resources can be improved by providing basic information in focused areas.
Through conducting interviews with HKU as well as hosting focus groups with current HKU students. It is seen both mental health resources as well as the situation on campus are not well received.
As service information is unclear, with it's reliability and literacy to seek help are quite uncertain. My vision is to increase personalization and encouragement while finding resources, and to ensure the accessibility of health resources can be improved by providing basic information in focused areas.
Prototyping & Refinement
To bring Clarity to life, I developed two distinct versions of the app prototype, each focusing on different aspects of the user experience. The first version emphasised a straightforward triage flow to guide users quickly to mental health resources. The second version incorporated additional personalisation and feedback features, to provide a more tailored and engaging experience.
To bring Clarity to life, I developed two distinct versions of the app prototype, each focusing on different aspects of the user experience. The first version emphasised a straightforward triage flow to guide users quickly to mental health resources. The second version incorporated additional personalisation and feedback features, to provide a more tailored and engaging experience.
Both prototypes were presented during focus group sessions with 20 HKU students and staff. These sessions were instrumental in gathering detailed feedback about accessibility, ease of use, and user preferences. During the focus group, I also inquired about the current situation of mental health on campus:
Both prototypes were presented during focus group sessions with 20 HKU students and staff. These sessions were instrumental in gathering detailed feedback about accessibility, ease of use, and user preferences. During the focus group, I also inquired about the current situation of mental health on campus:
Participants appreciated the overall design but suggested specific adjustments, such as clearer navigation, improved question clarity, and more seamless transitions between steps.
Participants appreciated the overall design but suggested specific adjustments, such as clearer navigation, improved question clarity, and more seamless transitions between steps.
This invaluable feedback directly shaped the final prototype. By merging the best elements from both versions and addressing the focus group’s suggestions, I created a more accessible, user-friendly app that effectively meets students’ mental health needs. The final version simplifies navigation, enhances personalisation, and ensures a smooth triage flow to connect users with the right resources.
This invaluable feedback directly shaped the final prototype. By merging the best elements from both versions and addressing the focus group’s suggestions, I created a more accessible, user-friendly app that effectively meets students’ mental health needs. The final version simplifies navigation, enhances personalisation, and ensures a smooth triage flow to connect users with the right resources.
From Clarity to Wellness
After finishing variations of prototypes, the project received encouraging feedback from both my professors and attendees at
the Whole Person Development and Wellness Summit. Dr Gloria Wong (University of Reading) and Melody from the HKU social work team praised Clarity’s user-centred approach and its potential to bridge the accessibility gap for students seeking mental health support.
After finishing variations of prototypes, the project received encouraging feedback from both my professors and attendees at
the Whole Person Development and Wellness Summit. Dr Gloria Wong (University of Reading) and Melody from the HKU social work team praised Clarity’s user-centred approach and its potential to bridge the accessibility gap for students seeking mental health support.
After finishing variations of prototypes, the project received encouraging feedback from both my professors and attendees at the Whole Person Development and Wellness Summit. Dr Gloria Wong (University of Reading) and Melody from the HKU social work team praised Clarity’s user-centred approach and its potential to bridge the accessibility gap for students seeking mental health support.
In response, HKU invested in this project, allowing me to evolve Clarity into Wellness@HKU, encompassing emotional, social, physical, intellectual, and financial well-being. Transitioning from an app to a website enables Clarity’s resource navigator to be integrated within a broader wellness framework, providing students with a centralised and accessible resource hub.
In response, HKU invested in this project, allowing me to evolve Clarity into Wellness@HKU, encompassing emotional, social, physical, intellectual, and financial well-being. Transitioning from an app to a website enables Clarity’s resource navigator to be integrated within a broader wellness framework, providing students with a centralised and accessible resource hub.
Home Page and Emergency Support
The home page acts as a central hub for all resources, integrating a welcoming introduction and quick access to browsing and signposting features. It also includes quite access to the emergency support page with both "Self-Help" and "Friends & Family.
Pain Point Addressed: A scattered approach to wellness resources often leads to underutilization. The homepage provides a clear starting point and ensures students feel supported and guided from their first interaction. With Professional Support page, it gives quick access to immediate care, which is helpful for people who want efficient help.
The home page acts as a central hub for all resources, integrating a welcoming introduction and quick access to browsing and signposting features. It also includes quite access to the emergency support page with both "Self-Help" and "Friends & Family.
Pain Point Addressed: A scattered approach to wellness resources often leads to underutilization. The homepage provides a clear starting point and ensures students feel supported and guided from their first interaction. With Professional Support page, it gives quick access to immediate care, which is helpful for people who want efficient help.
Resource Browsing
To create a seamless and intuitive experience, we focused on balancing personalisation with simplicity in Foodnote’s weekly meal planning flow. To avoid overcomplicating the process, our goal is to provide personalised recommendations. By pre-filling preferences based on users’ past behaviours, we ensured a customised touch while keeping the flow streamlined. That way, it would be easier for users to review or modify their plans without feeling overwhelmed.
Pain Point Addressed: Students often face difficulty sifting through large amounts of information to find resources that meet their specific requirements. By incorporating filters and domain-specific organization, the browsing experience becomes more focused and user-friendly, empowering students to quickly locate the resources they need.
To create a seamless and intuitive experience, we focused on balancing personalisation with simplicity in Foodnote’s weekly meal planning flow. To avoid overcomplicating the process, our goal is to provide personalised recommendations. By pre-filling preferences based on users’ past behaviours, we ensured a customised touch while keeping the flow streamlined. That way, it would be easier for users to review or modify their plans without feeling overwhelmed.
Pain Point Addressed: Students often face difficulty sifting through large amounts of information to find resources that meet their specific requirements. By incorporating filters and domain-specific organization, the browsing experience becomes more focused and user-friendly, empowering students to quickly locate the resources they need.
Resource Signposting
(Clarity Integration)
The resource signposting feature, previously part of the Clarity app, uses a triage flow of 3–7 personalized questions to match students with the most suitable resources. This feature ensures students are guided to trustworthy and relevant support options tailored to their unique needs.
Pain Point Addressed: Many students struggle to filter and identify suitable mental health services due to unclear information and overwhelming choices. This triage flow reduces decision fatigue and streamlines the process of accessing support.
The resource signposting feature, previously part of the Clarity app, uses a triage flow of 3–7 personalized questions to match students with the most suitable resources. This feature ensures students are guided to trustworthy and relevant support options tailored to their unique needs.
Pain Point Addressed: Many students struggle to filter and identify suitable mental health services due to unclear information and overwhelming choices. This triage flow reduces decision fatigue and streamlines the process of accessing support.
The resource signposting feature, previously part of the Clarity app, uses a triage flow of 3–7 personalized questions to match students with the most suitable resources. This feature ensures students are guided to trustworthy and relevant support options tailored to their unique needs.
Pain Point Addressed: Many students struggle to filter and identify suitable mental health services due to unclear information and overwhelming choices. This triage flow reduces decision fatigue and streamlines the process of accessing support.
Bookmarking and User Profile
Guided Flow for
Weekly Meal Plan
Students can log in to the platform using their HKU portal email, which allows them to create a personalized user profile. This profile enables users to bookmark resources they find helpful, providing quick and easy access to their saved resources whenever needed.
Pain Point Addressed: Students often forget where they found useful resources or struggle to revisit them later. By integrating bookmarking into the user profile, the platform ensures students can efficiently manage and revisit their preferred resources, making their wellness journey more streamlined and user-friendly.
Students can log in to the platform using their HKU portal email, which allows them to create a personalized user profile. This profile enables users to bookmark resources they find helpful, providing quick and easy access to their saved resources whenever needed.
Pain Point Addressed: Students often forget where they found useful resources or struggle to revisit them later. By integrating bookmarking into the user profile, the platform ensures students can efficiently manage and revisit their preferred resources, making their wellness journey more streamlined and user-friendly.
Looking Forward
Phase 2: Psychrometer Integration
Phase 2:
Psychrometer Integration
In the next phase, the platform will introduce a psychrometer tool, which will enable students to assess their current mental and emotional state through a simple self-check. The psychrometer will suggest tailored resources based on the results, further enhancing personalization.
In the next phase, the platform will introduce a psychrometer tool, which will enable students to assess their current mental and emotional state through a simple self-check. The psychrometer will suggest tailored resources based on the results, further enhancing personalization.
What I Learned
With phase 1 of Wellness@HKU now live, I feel very grateful to see the basic resources and the Clarity Navigator that I have made from my own final-year project, implemented into the website, providing students with an accessible starting point for wellness support. This project has been a journey of learning and growth for me as a designer but also someone who is part of the ideation of the project.
With phase 1 of Wellness@HKU now live, I feel very grateful to see the basic resources and the Clarity Navigator that I have made from my own final-year project, implemented into the website, providing students with an accessible starting point for wellness support. This project has been a journey of learning and growth for me as a designer but also someone who is part of the ideation of the project.
Moving forward, I’m excited about the upcoming phases, which will introduce new features like the psychrometer for tracking mental health trends. I’m also prepared to address bugs and make iterative improvements to ensure the platform evolves into a truly student-centered resource.
Moving forward, I’m excited about the upcoming phases, which will introduce new features like the psychrometer for tracking mental health trends. I’m also prepared to address bugs and make iterative improvements to ensure the platform evolves into a truly student-centered resource.
Key takeaways from this project:
Collaboration is essential for phased rollouts. Working closely with university teams, I learned the importance of clear communication and alignment on both current and future features. Involving each stakeholder early on, especially the manager and developer, ensured the smoother implementation of the Clarity Navigator into a scalable website platform.
Collaboration is essential for phased rollouts. Working closely with university teams, I learned the importance of clear communication and alignment on both current and future features. Involving each stakeholder early on, especially the manager and developer, ensured the smoother implementation of the Clarity Navigator into a scalable website platform.
User feedback is a continuous process. Rather than a one-time feedback session, regular check-ins with our student users helped us identify areas for improvement and shape our updates. This iterative process is critical to creating a relevant and user-centred wellness resource on campus tailored for students.
User feedback is a continuous process. Rather than a one-time feedback session, regular check-ins with our student users helped us identify areas for improvement and shape our updates. This iterative process is critical to creating a relevant and user-centred wellness resource on campus tailored for students.
Balancing ambition with functionality. With a broad vision for Wellness@HKU, prioritizing core features in phase 1 kept the project achievable and allowed us to provide immediate value to students. Phased expansions will ensure that each update is well-integrated and maintains the user-friendly experience students need.
Balancing ambition with functionality. With a broad vision for Wellness@HKU, prioritizing core features in phase 1 kept the project achievable and allowed us to provide immediate value to students. Phased expansions will ensure that each update is well-integrated and maintains the user-friendly experience students need.
Other Selected Works