Calm

Problems

Limited auditory features in the Calm app

An analysis of user reviews and accessibility features within the Calm app revealed that many users, including those with hearing impairments, struggle to quickly find the sleep and meditation content they want due to limited auditory features.

Preview screen with unpredictable sleep and meditation content
Limited auditory accessibility features of the app

Lack of various sound setting options

Lack of search features to help users quickly find narrators they want.

Main Features

Calm for all users: Improving auditory features

The goal of this redesign project aims to improve the Calm app’s auditory accessibility and sound and narrator customisation features, helping all users, including those with hearing impairments, listen to meditation and sleep story content smoothly.

Feature 1

Sound Visualisation and Vibration

Helps all users preview sleep and meditation content and easily learn breathing meditation with visualisation animation and vibration.

Feature 2

Sound Volume and Speed Control

Help users to adjust the volume and speed of the narrator's voice or background music within the content and to allow them to listen in advance.

Feature 3

Narrator Settings

Provide detailed narrator settings to help users quickly and easily find the content they want.

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Content Preview

Meditation Content

Breathing Meditation

Sound Settings

Narrator Settings

Project Process

User Resesarch

Limited auditory features in the Calm app identified through user reviews

Most users said they struggled to find the content they wanted because they could not filter it in detail by the narrator's voice or accent. They also commented that sound volume and speed control need to be improved.

Competitor Analysis

Accessibility features that need to be improved on the Calm app

As a result of comparing and analysing the pros and cons of five sleep and meditation competitor apps, I found that the Calm app does not have auditory accessibility features such as sound speed control or Siri integration compared to other apps.

define & 2x2 Metrix

A journey from defining key problems to finding prioritised solutions

Based on data from app reviews and analysis of competitor apps, I defined major problems and prioritised solution ideas using the design thinking tools below.

How Might We

Improve auditory accessibility to ensure users with hearing impairments can enjoy meditation and sleep audio content as seamlessly as other users?

How Might We

Improve the sound settings feature to allow all users to quickly find the content they want?

Sketching

Crazy 8’s

Our team brainstormed numerous ideas using Crazy 8's and then selected solution sketches. This resulted in four categories: content preview, guided meditation, narrator settings, and sound settings.

Secondary Research

Further research on sound visualisation and vibration

I conducted further research into assistive technologies for DHH(Deaf of Hard-of-hearing) people. And then, I concreted the idea of visualising sound with moving circular balls and light and recognising rhythm patterns through vibration.

Wireframing

Improved screen layouts that help users find content quickly and easily

I improved several interface features, such as adjusting the content preview screen sizes on the sleep page, to help users quickly and easily find the content they want.

Design System

Design system for accessible auditory features

I improved icons and components to make auditory features more accessible, while maintaining consistency with the existing app's typography, colours, and spacing.

High-Fidelity Design

Accessible Design to Inclusive Design

How can we redesign the Calm app for all users, including those with hearing impairments? The four designs below showcase key improvements to the app's auditory features.

Sound Visualisation and Vibration

All users, including those with hearing impairments, can preview sleep and meditation content with sound visualisation and vibration features. They can also enjoy sound animations that change according to the pitch and speed of the sound.

Sleep Preview & Meditation

Users can enjoy their preferred breathing meditation by setting the meditation timer. The breathing visualisation animation and vibration feature, which signals the start and end of each breath, help them easily follow along with the meditation.

Sound Settings

Users can adjust the volume and speed of the narrator's voice or background music within the content. They can also use the preview feature to check if the sound settings are appropriate before listening to the full content.

Narrator Settings

Users can quickly and easily find the sleep and meditation content they want using the narrator settings, which are categorised by narrator accent, age, gender, and voice features.

Usability Test

System usability scale (SUS)

I used a system usability scale to evaluate how easy and user-friendly the redesigned Calm app is for all users, including those with hearing impairment.
The 10-item questionnaire yielded a total score of 74, indicating that the app demonstrates acceptable usability.

Usability Test

Next steps

I also conducted moderated and unmoderated in-depth interviews, which helped me to find improvements for next steps.

What I’ve Learend

Understanding auditory accessibility

To enhance the app's accessibility, I conducted in-depth research into auditory accessibility principles. My key findings were that people with hearing impairments understand sound through sight and touch and easily perceive pitch through visual representations, such as varying heights of a sphere or line. Based on this research, I designed sound visualisation and vibration features using motion design.

What I’ve Learend

Importance of usability testing

Through System Usability Scale (SUS) testing and user interviews, I received positive feedback on the app's inclusive features, particularly the vibration function for meditation breathing techniques. I also came up with new ideas for further developing the app's accessibility, such as adjustable vibration intensity based on usability testing.