neurocycle
project overview
Led the end-to-end redesign of Dr. Leaf’s 5-step program into a structured, gamified experience designed to support lasting behavior change and reinforce positive daily habits.
b2b, b2c
my role
head of product design
year
2024
users
50,000
problem
High cognitive and emotional load reduced long-term engagement and habit formation
User research—via 1,000+ survey responses and usability findings—revealed several key pain points in the legacy experience:
lack of structure and progress visibility made it difficult for users to understand where they were in the 63-day journey or how daily actions contributed to long-term growth.
passive, audio-heavy sessions created cognitive overload and reduced engagement, particularly for users already in emotionally vulnerable states.
limited continuity and recovery support made it difficult for users to resume after missed days, increasing abandonment and reducing habit consistency.
absence of rewarding feedback loops and milestone tracking weakened users’ sense of accomplishment and long-term behavior change.
solution
creating a guided, gamified experience that reinforced progress and reduced cognitive load
1. Created a playful, guided onboarding experience that reduced uncertainty and improved early engagement
survey findings revealed that ~58% of users experienced confused during the free trial and onboarding experience, with many expressing frustration around unclear free rial messaging and expectations
redesigned the onboarding experience to clearly explain the program timeline, the purpose behind each step, and what users could expect throughout the experience
introduced guided entry points and a “first-day win” to reduce uncertainty and increase emotional safety early in the journey
projected to improve day-one completion and increase user confidence through clearer onboarding and expectation setting
2. Redesigned passive sessions into interactive, step-based flows
~62% of users reported feeling overwhelmed or mentally fatigued during longer, passive audio-heavy sessions
replaced passive content consumption with shorter, step-by-step interactive flows designed to reduce cognitive overload and improve focus
used progressive disclosure to help users process one action at a time instead of overwhelming them with long-form experiences
projected to reduce reported overwhelm and improve full-session completion rates based on usability testing and behavioral UX principles
3. Reframed the experience into a visible journey with progress tracking and rewards
nearly half of surveyed users (~48%) described the experience as repetitive due to limited feedback and lack of visible progress
introduced milestones, streaks, and visual progress indicators to reinforce consistency and help users recognize cumulative growth over time
projected to improve retention and increase perceived progress clarity through stronger feedback loops and motivation systems
research
User research: Overview
To better understand friction points in the legacy experience, the team analyzed 1,000+ user survey responses, usability findings, and behavioral patterns across the 63-day program. survey data was first organized and categorized in Excel, then further analyzed in R Studio.
Key demographic findings included:
the average respondent age was 52, with users ranging from 17–80 years old
86% of respondents identified as female, 12% male, and 2% nonbinary or preferred not to say
This research helped uncover where users experienced the most emotional, cognitive, and behavioral friction across onboarding, daily engagement, and long-term retention.
Competitive analysis: Bandaid solution.
Although Dr. Leaf’s research-based methodology is differentiated from other mental wellness products, platforms like Headspace established a strong benchmark for emotionally supportive design, simplicity, and user retention—while primarily focusing on short-term symptom relief rather than long-term behavioral transformation.
Key findings
onboarding confusion and unclear expectation
Approximately 58% of users reported confusion around onboarding expectations, free trial messaging, and overall program structure.
Users frequently struggled to:
understand what the 63-day journey involved
interpret free trial language and expectations
understand how daily exercises contributed to long-term growth
cognitive overload and passive engagement
Approximately 62% of users described feeling overwhelmed or emotionally fatigued during long, passive audio-heavy sessions.
Research showed:
passive experiences resulted in lower completion rates
users struggled to maintain focus during high-effort reflective exercises
perceived effort contributed heavily to abandonment
repetition without visible progress
Nearly 48% of surveyed users described the experience as repetitive due to limited progress visibility and reinforcement systems.
Users lacked:
clear progress indicators
milestone recognition
visible signs of cumulative emotional growth
continuity and recovery friction
Approximately 41% of users reported difficulty returning after missed days and often felt discouraged or behind.
Research revealed the need for:
more flexible recovery flows
compassionate re-entry experiences
continuity systems that supported habit consistency without punishment
demand for a more guided and engaging experience
Users consistently expressed interest in a more interactive and emotionally supportive experience similar to modern wellness products.
Feedback frequently referenced:
clearer structure and guidance
shorter, more digestible interactions
rewarding feedback loops and progress systems
a calmer, more approachable visual experience
These findings directly informed the redesign strategy and guided the shift toward a more structured, gamified, and behavior-driven experience focused on reducing cognitive load and improving long-term engagement.
Branding
Character Modernization
Dr. Leaf previously introduced a character named Brain-Ee in her children’s book, Coloring with Brain-Ee and Friends. As part of the app redesign, I identified an opportunity to modernize the character to better align with the updated product experience, visual direction, and emotional tone of the new app.
Before (Brain-ee)
After (Neuro)
The redesign reinforced the connection between mind force (represented by the circle), thoughts (the clouds), and the body (the brain with a body), visually communicating how each element works together.
Final Design
