Creating habits, step-by-step

MapHabit's science-based and personalized step-by-step guides (Maps) are designed to increase independence and improve the quality of life for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and dementia-related conditions.

I joined as a contract product designer to lead the end-to-end redesign of their consumer-facing app — where users create, schedule, and engage with maps, and caregivers track progress and offer support.
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Unique challenges:

• Create an experience adaptable to the needs of three distinct user groups:
  • Youth with an intellectual or developmental disbaility (IDD)
  • Adults with Dementia or Alzheimer’s (ADRD)
  • Primary caregivers and extended support networks
• This was my first time stepping into a project of this scale as a contractor, and it pushed me to get up to speed fast — not just on the product and users, but on how to navigate and collaborate with a large cross-functional team to make the redesign as impactful as possible.

Insights:

Over 10 hours of discovery interviews with internal and external stakeholders revealed recurring pain points in the existing MapHabit experience. These insights guided our redesign strategy:

• Information overload:
  Users felt overwhelmed by irrelevant content and too many choices.
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• Poor navigation and search:
  The app was difficult to navigate, with ineffective search functionality.
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• Desire for customization:
  Users wanted more control to tailor the app to their personal needs and preferences.
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• Emotional friction:
  Some users reported feeling confused or frustrated while using the app.
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• Under-utilized support system:
  Involving the broader care network could ease the burden on primary caregivers.
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Scope:

• Discovery and stakeholder alignment
• Design system development
• Redesign of existing flows + new feature design
• Usability testing and design QA
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Key features:

• Onboarding flow
• Configurable UI themes
• Customizable home dashboard
• Redesigned modules:
  • Maps (creation + discovery)
  • Schedule (calendar + reminders)
  • Circle of Support (team management)
  • Media (photos, videos, audio for maps and albums)
  • Account (settings + support)
  • Messages (in-app chat)

Goals:

1. Increase engagement and reduce churn
By simplifying the experience and allowing users to configure it around their day-to-day needs.

2. Establish a scalable design system
To support faster iteration and cohesive growth as the platform evolves.
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Design pillars:

In addition to the overarching goals for this redesign, there are three pillars that have guided many of the visual design decisions.

1. Accessibility
WCAG-compliant — from font size to colour contrast and tap targets.

2. Simplicity
A “less is more” approach to reduce cognitive load and support task completion.

3. User centricity
We went beyond standard accessibility and made a number of choices that reflect best practices for the IDD and ADRD communities in particular.