Website Link: https://sites.gsu.edu/fdispenza1/

Background

Many of my colleagues in the counseling and psychology fields have professional websites. They use their websites for training, teaching, showcasing current and completed research, scholarly dissemination, and marketing professional services for potential external funding opportunities. Thus, I realized it was time I create a professional website for myself, and fortunately it came in the guise of a classroom assignment (kairos at work, I suppose).  

I approached the creation of a website to showcase a professional digital identity (or digital persona) across multiple networks of academic audiences. This professional website became more than a simple repository of personal and professional information, but rather a rhetorical artifact that strategically communicates my scholarly persona to students (current and prospective applicants to the masters and PhD programs in my department ), colleagues (academic and community stakeholders), potential research collaborators and funders (e.g., federal sponsors, community agencies in need of external evaluators), and any future employment prospects via recruiters and administrators. To accomplish this endeavor meant I had to cast “a wide net” to ensure I met the rhetorical appeals of these various audiences.

Rhetorical Constraints, Controversies, and Conflicts

I recognize now that composing the website became a process of many rhetorical negotiations, the first beginning with the initial cannons of invention and arrangement. The arrangement of content transcended linear document design, embracing the digital rhetoric principle of networked communication (Eyman, 2015). Hyperlink structures became rhetorical devices, enabling visitors to navigate my website through non-linear exploration. This approach reflects digital rhetoric’s fundamental understanding of communication as a dynamic, interconnected process rather than a static transmission of information (Eyman, 2015; Rhodes & Alexander, 2015; Zappen, 2005). By hyperlinking to other professional and well-known websites (e.g., department faculty webpage, graduate program webpage, professional associations, Google Scholar), I attempted to expand the ethos of my professional persona. I did this to enhance my credibility within the various interconnected communities I professionally engage in as a professor and scholar.

My design approaches were also theoretical and intentional, although I will humbly acknowledge their execution may not have been entirely successful. From the beginning, I was interested in the application of minimalist design principles. Minimalist design emphasizes simplicity and reduction (Wilson & Bellezza, 2022), while also incorporating limited materials, neutral color tones, and simple forms to create a visually harmonious effect (Hohendadel, 2022). By eliminating superfluous elements, my goal was to develop a website that conveyed a distinct and professional identity. Central to minimalist web design is the psychological concept of “less is more.” As Li and Fu (2023) describe, “the goal of minimalism is to ensure that the viewer’s vision is not disturbed while maintaining the efficiency of obtaining information” (p. 831).

Lastly, I had to capture that I am a multicultural scholar who’s scholarship falls within the realms of liberation psychology and social justice. Whereas queer digital writing aims to disrupt various forms of normativity (Rhodes & Alexander, 2015), my website’s development was simultaneously an act of identity construction and self-protection from expectations of disruption. Given my scholarship’s focus on disability and LGBTQ+ justice-oriented care, I carefully negotiated the delicate balance between visibility and vulnerability. The absence of certain design elements in a time of political scrutiny—such as rainbow color schemes—became a rhetorical strategy of protective disclosure. This approach embodies Haas’s (2018) conception of digital rhetoric as a process of negotiating information within complex social, economic, and political contexts.

Rhetorical Strategies

Each design choice—from my use of a horizontal navigation bar on top of the website, blue buttons as a call to action on my site’s various pages, and content selection—were carefully considered as rhetorical moves aimed at creating multiple points of engagement with my audience. Each rhetorical move was also created to maintain efficiency and brevity. My intended audience—students, researchers, scholars, collaborators, and administrators—are busy, and consume massive amounts of input in short periods of time. Therefore, my website content had to be easily accessible, repetitive within reason, and succinctly clustered for easy reading. Accessibility for a multi-faceted audience also meant I had to consider some degree of responsive design (Justinmind, 2024). I, along with my many of my colleagues, find ourselves spending more time working from our phones and laptops than we do our own office desktops or laptops. By ensuring the website’s functionality across devices, from desktop computers to smartphones, I expanded the potential for scholarly interaction and visibility. This approach reflects digital rhetoric’s understanding of communication as a fluid, multi-platform experience.

I also had to consider how to best implement minimalist design principles. A minimalist design approach not only results in aesthetically pleasing designs but also improves the user experience by simplifying information processing. For instance, the selection of a sans-serif typography (Arial, in my website’s case) was not merely an aesthetic decision but a rhetorical strategy. A sans-serif typography conveys simplicity and professionalism, while enhancing the ease of readability (Gapsy Studio, 2023). I also kept with a simple color pallet: black, white, and gray color for most photographs and typography. Hyperlinks and buttons were composed in blue (or blue and white as in the case of buttons) so that website visitors would rely on their intuitive heuristics to click on those links and buttons. Lastly, I selectively added a light hue of salmon in two different pages of my website, the Welcome and Specialization pages. Salmon has a positive valence, revealing warmth, security, and optimism (Figma, 2024), which seemed appropriate for those two pages. 

The constraints of the Georgia State University WordPress platform became an unexpected site of rhetorical creativity. Limited by pre-established templates and my own coding capabilities, I transformed these constraints into opportunities for strategic design. By utilizing ChatGPT for basic CSS and HTML customization, I expanded the platform’s capabilities while maintaining a professional aesthetic. I utilized ChatGPT to create CSS and html coding to help change the pre-established typography to the WordPress template I had selected (i.e., family), as well as font size, layouts, contact information box, and the creation of page buttons.

Overall, my professional website emerged as a complex rhetorical object that goes far beyond just a simple digital business card. It represents a strategic negotiation of a digital persona, technological constraints, and scholarly communication. Through careful design choices informed by digital rhetoric principles, my hope is that the website can become a space of professional representation, inviting exploration, dialogue, and connection with audience members.

Works Cited

Eyman, D. (2015). Digital rhetoric: theory, method, practice. University of Michigan Press.

Figma. (2024). Salmon color guide. Retrieved November 27, 2024, from https://www.figma.com/colors/salmon/

Gapsy Studio. (2023, September 14). What is Typography in Web Design: A Beginner’s Guide. Retrieved from https://gapsystudio.com/blog/typography-in-web-design/

Haas, A. M. (2018). Toward a digital cultural rhetoric. In The Routledge Handbook of Digital Writing and Rhetoric. Edited by Jonathan Alexander and Jacqueline Rhodes. New York: Routledge, pp. 412–422.

Hohenadel, K. (2022). What is minimalist design? The Spruce. https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-minimalist-design-4796583

Justinmind. (2024). Best responsive website examples and design best practices. Retrieved November 27, 2024, from https://www.justinmind.com/blog/examples-responsive-website-design/

Li, Y., & Fu, K. (2019). Research on minimalism in interface design based on Gestalt psychology. In International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (pp. 253-263). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20250-5_23

Rhodes, J., & Alexander, J. (2015). Techne: Queer meditations on writing the self. CCDP Books. Available at: https://ccdigitalpress.org/book/techne

Wilson, A. V., & Bellezza, S. (2022). Consumer minimalism. Journal of Consumer Research, 49(5), 820-841. https://doi.org/10.1093/jcr/ucab010

Zappen, J. P. (2005). Digital Rhetoric: Toward an Integrated Theory. Technical Communication Quarterly, 14(3), 319–325. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15427625tcq1403_10

Type and Purposes of the Project
This project is an academic website intended to showcase my research, teaching, and knowledgebase in counseling and psychology. The primary purpose of this website is to enhance my digital identity, online presence, and establish a professional platform that appeals to a diverse audience beyond Georgia State University, including prospective  graduate students, fellow scholars, and future potential collaborators.

The “Client”
This will be an online portfolio, and I am my own client. I am a counselor educator and psychologist specializing in multicultural counseling and clinical rehabilitation, with credentials that include coursework in advanced counseling techniques and research in multicultural counseling competence. My background includes counseling practice in a range of clinical settings (e.g., VA medical center, college counseling centers, community practice), clinical supervision, graduate teaching and training, basic and applied research, and involvement in community program evaluation.

Audiences
The primary audience for my website includes graduate students and professional colleagues/potential research collaborators. As a program coordinator, I am looking to present my digital profile and expertise to prospective students who may be interested in applying to the programs in my department. I also want to provide more information regarding my scholarship program to potential applicants who may be interested in conducting research on disability or LGBTQ+ issues in counseling. Of course, I have developed some newer scholarly interests in rhetoric, writing, and composition. I also want the website to speak to other academics, researchers, and possible future colleagues regarding my scholarship.

Content Design
I plan to include the following content pages in my website design:

• About Page or Bio: Personal background, academic journey, and research interests.
• Research: Overview of research philosophy, training, and approach. I would like to provide a review of projects, publications, and ongoing studies.
• Teaching: Overview of teaching philosophy, including past courses taught, course descriptions, syllabi, assignments, and student resources (e.g., I would like to attempt a letter of recommendation tool).
• Publications: Access to abstract links of of research articles, book chapters, and editorial pieces.
• Curriculum Vitae: Upload my current vitae.
• Blog: Insights on current trends in multicultural counseling and psychology.

Design Tools
I plan to use GSU’s WordPress to design my site. Not only is this supported by GSU, but I can easily hyperlink other pages to my WordPress webpage. This platform also provides some customizable templates, and it does not require extensive coding skills, making it ideal for creating a professional-looking website. I may also incorporate some basic CSS for additional customization but will need to work through some of the WordPress tutorials to be afforded some more control over the design features of the website. I intend to utilize minimalist design principles.

Special Concerns
Ensuring the website is accessible to individuals with disabilities, including screen reader compatibility is important given that persons with disabilities is an audience I’m attempting to capture because of my scholarly work. WordPress does include some extensions to ensure accessible design, within reason. Ideally, I would like the design of the website to be mobile-friendly and responsive. My main concern, however, is how much design control I can be afforded through WordPress, since there appear to be some limitations to how much design control I can have.

This web-based essay (created through Canva) explores the psychological underpinnings of minimalism in design, framing it as a strategic approach that prioritizes simplicity and reduction. Minimalist design seeks to strip away unnecessary elements, allowing for a clearer focus on essential content and functionality. Minimalism not only enhances aesthetic appeal but also fosters a more intuitive user experience. Key psychological concepts, particularly cognitive load theory and Gestalt principles, underpin an effectiveness of minimalist design.  A psychological approach to minimalism not only optimizes design effectiveness but also aligns with users’ cognitive needs, resulting in a more satisfying and impactful experience.

Link: https://minimilistwebdesigndispenza.my.canva.site/

Website Link: https://www.emmanuelbalogun.org/

Overview

In an effort to capitalize on the final project for this class, I will be embarking on the creation of my own academic website. I currently do not have one, and never considered having one prior to this point of my career. However, having an online platform in higher education may be more critical now than ever. I hope having a website will communicate my research, teaching, and expertise in multicultural counseling, clinical rehabilitation, and psychology.

For this assignment, and purposes of practicality, I researched websites that specialized in academic website designs. I came across The Academic Designer, and saw that the website creator hosted a contest in 2022 for the best academic websites (https://theacademicdesigner.com/2022/winners-of-the-2022-best-personal-academic-websites-contest/). The contest identified three of the best-designed academic websites from a variety of submissions. Having reviewed the top three websites, as well as websites that were awarded in other categories (e.g., best portfolio, best blog), I came to the conclusion that Dr. Emmanuel Balogun’s website was the exceptional of the three websites—particularly for its audience awareness.

Background

Dr. Emmanuel Balogun is an associate professor of political science at Skidmore College—a private, liberal arts college located outside of Saratoga Springs in New York State. According to his website, his scholarship focuses on “African politics, especially how African countries engage with multilateralism to position themselves in international policy and trade.” The Academic Designer mentioned that Dr. Balogun’s website was created by Iggy + Stella Creative Studio. After winning, Dr. Balogun shared with The Academic Designer, “I made a website to communicate my research and expertise to an audience beyond academia and to make it easier for my colleagues, students, and professional contacts to reach me. I also wanted to increase my online presence in a more approachable way.” For this reason, I further explored both the evaluation provided by the independent judges of the contest and conducted a deeper dive into Dr. Balogun’s website.

Description (Content, Intended Audience and Purpose)

Judges of the contest were drawn to Dr. Balogun’s student-centered resources, including course descriptions, syllabi, assignments, and an online tool to help streamline recommendation letter requests. Judges also emphasized Dr. Balogun’s inclusion of various research artifacts (e.g., publications, newspaper editorials), media appearances, and presentations that were embedded in the website. I find that the approachability in his website is best characterized by his multimodal use of visual photography (e.g., photographs of himself, photographs of him with his students) and videos of him at speaking engagements.

Further exploration of Dr. Emmanuel Balogun’s website reveals webpages that balance simplicity and professionalism. The digital design elements combine a mixture of white space with sans serif typography. On occasion, he breaks up the monotony of white space with solid color bars of brown and purple, still making the website easy to read and follow. The webpages are uncluttered, and information architecture renders some intuitive navigation on that of the user. An easily identifiable sticky navigation menu on the top of the page provides access to key sections of the website: About, Research, Teaching, Book (a recent publication of his that promotes the book), Publications (featuring sample papers and website editorials), Speaking (with accompanying videos of those speaking engagement), a Contact page, and links to his social media profiles. Interestingly, he diversifies the layouts of his webpages between single column layouts and symmetrical grid layouts. In particular, he uses symmetrical grids for his sample scholarly publications, giving it a very well-organized and appealing layout.

No doubt his intended audience is meant for persons involved in higher education (e.g., students, professors, administrators), or those interested in political science scholarship. Whether the website visitor is a student, potential collaborator, fellow scholar, or professional colleague, the website makes it easy to access the information they need. The layout reflects an interactive, digital curriculum vitae, and provides website visitors with direct access to his teaching materials (e.g., syllabi, class assignments) and scholarship (e.g., PDFs of published articles, book chapters). The accessibility of this content is especially noteworthy since academics—on average—would like their materials accessible to garner recognition from the broader academic community. For students, the website is a highly functional resource hub, providing access to course materials, syllabi, assignments, and tools (e.g., letter of recommendation worksheet, meeting scheduler).

Analysis

There are several rhetorical appeals in Dr. Emmanuel Balogun website that enhances a user’s experience of navigating and reading through the website. What first captured my attention was Dr. Balogun’s use of a “.org” extension and not a “.com” extension. His use of a “.org” extension rhetorically situates his website as a means of serving the audience, versus selling his audience some object or even a persona. This is most evident in the student resource tools (e.g., letter of recommendation worksheet, meeting scheduler) and the scholarship he makes accessible through his webpages. The use of a “.org” extension also helps him establish credibility and trustworthiness (ethos). Dr. Balogun showcases his academic credentials by sharing his teaching and scholarship. In doing this, he digitizes his curriculum vitae and advances a digital professional identity as an accessible and approachable scholar and professor. He also integrates his digital identity by linking other digital platforms to the website, such as X, and further promotes his expertise.

Combining different modes (e.g., videos, photographs) through the website also digitally affords him the opportunity to make some emotional appeals to his audience. On his teaching page, a viewer will find numerous photographs of him with his students smiling, actively engaged in critical pedagogical activities, and participating in a vibrant educational community. From a visual perspective, he is advancing a digital persona of connection and engagement. He is building community through his work, and demonstrating a degree of empathic and benevolent teaching.

I find that the pages on his website devoted to his publications and scholarship appeal to logos. From a digital design perspective, the page is evenly spaced with aligned margins and uniform written content. Using a symmetrical grid layout emphasizes clarity and organization—key aspects of logical persuasion. A symmetrical grid to showcase his scholarship ensures that content is easy to navigate and that there are no distractions from the message he is trying to advance as a scholar and researcher. This further advances a persona of professionalism, and only helps to enhance his digital persona as a trustworthy scholar and researcher.

Conclusion

Dr. Emmanuel Balogun’s website captures how academic professors can display and communicate their teaching, mentoring, scholarship, and expertise in professional and approachable ways. Audience awareness was also his primary aim in creating this website, and it is evident across a number of design and content elements. The website’s simplicity, ensures clarity, trustworthiness, and audience connection.

Link to Full Case Study Found Below

What began as an initial journey to programming and designing a mood tracking webpage, quickly pivoted to better understanding the intricacies of designing a mobile software application. I found myself engaged in a fast-learning experience to understand the initial phases of app design and development, quickly discovering many growth edges that would need personal development.

The proposed fictional app was called PrideVibe. Pride Vibe is aimed at empowering LGBTQ+ individuals, recognizing the myriad challenges and emotional challenges they navigate on a daily basis. With this vision in mind, the project unfolded across three distinct phases of research, each illuminating key insights that shaped the app’s trajectory.

The first phase saw the creation and dissemination of a quantitative questionnaire, crafted to understand usability, interface design, and the potential for LGBTQ+ specific tracking features. Receiving 27 responses from LGBTQ+ identified individuals, participants expressed positive sentiments towards the app’s usability and design, underscoring the importance of creating a user-friendly interface that resonates with the community.

Building on these quantitative findings, the second phase included a qualitative inquiry, inviting LGBTQ+ individuals to share their perspectives on the desired features and functionalities of a mood tracking app. What emerged from focus group conversations was a resounding call for inclusivity, safety, and customization, highlighting the need for a holistic approach to mood tracking that acknowledges the complex interplay between personal experiences and broader societal factors.

Complementing these firsthand accounts was a competitor analysis, which offered valuable insights into existing mood tracking apps. With an average rating of 4.44 out of 5 stars and hundreds of thousands of reviews over eight different mood tracking apps, it became evident that such apps held significant value for users across both Android and iOS platforms, reaffirming the potential impact of PrideVibe within the digital sphere.

Central to the design process was the creation of two distinct user personas—Alex and Remy—whose stories encapsulated the diverse range of experiences within the LGBTQ+ community. From Alex, a gay cisgender man actively engaged in community advocacy, to Remy, a non-binary individual navigating discrimination and safety concerns, these personas helped me consider ways in which PrideVibe could be meaningful to users.

I then set out to translate vision into reality, crafting user experience flow charts, selecting color palettes and typography, and developing basic wireframes of key app features. As the visual prototype took shape, so too did a sense of anticipation for the next steps on this transformative journey. These are by no means fully encompassing elements to the app’s design and features, but provides a snapshot of what PrideVibe’s potential.

For the detailed report and case study on PrideVibe, please click on the link below. It will take you to my Canva page, in which I provide significant details regarding PrideVibe.

Link: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGBeQrCDAQ/fXTGuHux7zLZhOMFZJMXaQ/view

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been analyzing the data gathered from questionnaire responses, qualitative focus groups, and a competitor analysis of existing mood tracking apps on the market. Several interesting insights emerged, providing helpful guidance for the development of a prototype app. I’ve been able to assemble these findings in a report, and I’m planning on using Canva to present the final case study. However, Canva is still a learning curve for me.

The other learning phase  for this project has had me looking into visual design. Although I expected this to be a fun part of the project (and it is), I recognize I’m not talented in this part at all. But, I’ve been able to selected a color scheme and a suitable typography that not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the app but also contributes to a positive user experience based on some feedback from colleagues. Creating a visually engaging interface was really important to volunteers during the research gathering phase of the app, and I’ve been working on really thinking about how users would find the app both intuitive and inviting.

I’ve also crafted a user experience flowchart grounded in theory and evidence (stages of change mode) ensuring that interaction within the app would be deliberate and meaningful. Of course this would need more intense consideration if this app were ever to take off. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of this process has been the development of wireframes and task flow architecture for the app. More time, well beyond the class, would be needed to create this. I realize there is considerable complexity designing a seamless user experience that meets the diverse needs of the target audience.

Overall, I’ve learned a considerable amount engaging in this part of UX design. Stay tuned for more updates as I move closer to finishig this phase of the project.

In this phase of the project, I have been going in deeper into understanding the needs and preferences of LGBTQ individuals regarding mood tracking apps. Although my initial phase was to conduct focus group interviews prior to a survey, I reversed my data collection procedure. I decided to design a questionnaire first in an attempt to get more insights into usability, design/interface preferences, and the importance of LGBTQ-specific content for a potential mood tracking app. I received 28 responses from the questionnaire, and it provided me some perspectives on how such an app can best serve the LGBTQ community. Interestingly, only 35% of my volunteer sample were using a mood tracking app of some kind during the time of the survey.

I chose to conduct a focus group with mental health and rehabilitation counselors as an additional layers of understanding. I’ll admit, it was convenient since I had access to clinicians who could all meet in a room. Their professional insights definitely offered some additional thoughts, features, and functions necessary for a mood tracking app to effectively support mental well-being within the LGBTQ community.

As I transition into the next phase of wireframing, I am considering how to implement all the suggestion and data into tangible design elements. Although an interesting part of the project, it is new terrain for me to think about visual design. This is where I feel less efficacious in being able to carry it out. My plan is to use Figma to assist with the design features of the app.

More to come.

Keeping with my current line of scholarship and research, I would like to study the potential use of a mood tracker app aimed for the LGBTQ+ community. Given the significant mental, behavioral, and mental health disparities within the LGBTQ+ community, finding and promoting innovative ways to help LGBTQ+ individuals manage their health is paramount for many healthcare providers and clinicians (American Psychological Association, 2021). The use of accessible and LGBTQ+ affirming apps may be one way to augment the health needs of the community. However, as of March 2024 there are none that exist specific for the LGBTQ+ community. One review I found recommended Sowlmate as an app geared toward the LGBTQ+ community, but upon further review I found they are no longer in operation. For the purposes of this UX case study, I will use either Daylio or Moodfit (still deciding). Both apps offer a basic, free, tracking features, but are geared toward the general population.

Proposed UX Case Study Design

1. I will begin the process by using both in-depth individual and focus group interviews (likely virtual via Zoom) to better understand what role mood trackers can play in the lives of LGBTQ+ persons. These conversations will provide helpful insights into the nuanced needs and preferences of the target audience. I will introduce the app during the focus group and inquire with members about the app.
2. Based on the qualitative findings of the focus groups, I will craft a questionnaire I plan to distribute online to capture a broader perspective on mood tracking habits and preferences within the LGBTQ community. I will capture a convenient sample for the purposes of this project.
3. After, I plan to embark on some prototype assessment. Despite the fact that I won’t have the capacity to develop and change any app, I can do some wire sketches of the app based on feedback collected during the qualitative and quantitative data gathering phase. I will then seek feedback on the prototype wiring and revise accordingly.
4. I plan to refine the prototype based on user feedback, ensuring that every design decision is rooted in the needs and desires of the community.
5. Write up final results.

The intent behind my interview protocol was to: (a) pilot some potential questions I could ask during individual or focus group interviews, and (b) formulate some directions for further inquiry. My interests with this interview were also twofold. First, I wanted to better understand the digital interface and level of engagement that members of LGBTQ+ communities may encounter when using mood or mental health-based mobile applications for purposes of personal health and wellbeing. Secondly, I want to better understand the relationship between digital engagement and research methodology for LGBTQ+ communities.

To date, much of what I’ve read has reviewed general UX design principles or generalized UX design considerations to behavioral based applications (i.e., Stephen Wendel’s Design for Behavior Change). And although most of these texts describe various helpful research methodologies that could be used, rarely did any of them touch on the cultural considerations of interfacing with technologies. One plausible hypothesis is that culture has little to no influence. After all, many cultural groups utilize mobile based technologies. However, does it mean that they approach or interface with those technologies the same way? Alternatively, there may be some unique features or options in a particular application or design that could benefit a user from a particular cultural group if using a mood or mental health app. Culturally responsive healthcare is a focus in many healthcare fields, and so apps could also benefit from being culturally responsive. To prepare, I drafted several questions and prompts to my interview protocol.

The Interview Protocol

1. Describe your experiences with mood/mental health tracking apps or web-based tools?
2. Describe how you use your apps in a typical day.
3. In what ways could these technologies benefit individuals from the LGBTQ community?
4. What types of challenges or barriers have you encountered when using mood/mental health trackers?
5. Are there specific features or functionalities you would like to see in a mood/mental health tracking apps tailored to LGBTQ individuals?
6. What differences have you noticed in how mood/mental health trackers are marketed or designed for LGBTQ individuals compared to the general population?
7. In what ways do you think mood/mental health tracking apps could contribute to the overall well-being of LGBTQ individuals?
8. How do you envision the future of mood/mental health tracking technology in relation to supporting the mental health of the LGBTQ community?

I want to shift a bit and talk about user experience research, specific with LGBTQ communities.

• Describe your experience with online/digital research?
• What improvements do you think could enhance participant engagement with digital-based research (e.g., online surveys and experiments, apps, video recording)?

The Interview

I had an opportunity to conduct a 30-minute interview Friday afternoon with a volunteer. My volunteer identified as a biracial, queer, gender nonbinary individual in their 20s. I conducted the interview viz zoom, recorded it on the cloud, and had an opportunity to upload the recorded MP4 file into he transcribe feature in Microsoft. It transcribed the entire interview in a matter of minutes. I also had an opportunity to use Otter.AI to transcribe the first 30 minutes of the interview.  Both technologies did equally well when transcribing. Below are some segments of the transcribed interview.

Segment 1 (Beginning of Interview)

Franco: Describe your experiences with using a mood, mental health tracking app, or other web-based tool.

Volunteer: I’ve used two. Currently I use an app called Dalio. That’s my current favorite one, but I did use a prior mood app, though, specifically for people with mood concerns. I just didn’t find it very modern, like it was kind of clunky, didn’t have that many options. So, I just went with a very general new tracker. Yeah.

Franco: What in particular about Dalio have you liked?

Volunteer: So you can make your own moods so you don’t have to just do it based off the set ones that they have. You can also lock it so only someone that knows your password or has like you know you can put your fingerprint on it, can open it. You can also put in notes or tags like if I slept in late, I may want to put a note of that, like how many hours did I sleep? Was it good or bad? Sleep. Do I feel productive? Did I feel like my brain was foggy that day? Those types of notes to keep track of?

Franco: I’m wondering how you discovered these two apps?

Volunteer: My psychiatrist said I should look for mood apps and I just scrolled on the Google Play store to see what they had.

Franco: Gotcha. Gotcha. So, it’s just a general recommendation someone had and then you went ahead and you and you looked for it.

Reflection

Having experimented with two apps, there is a preference for Dalio due to its modern interface and customizable features. Volunteer found solace in the ability to craft their own moods, annotate with detailed notes, and fortify the app’s security with biometric authentication. Notably, the volunteer’s journey into the realm of mood tracking apps began with a recommendation from their psychiatrist, underscoring the importance of professional guidance in navigating digital mental health resources.

Segment 2

Franco: What other types of challenges or barriers have you encountered when using any of these? Types of apps.

Volunteer: I feel like the other one [the other app] it was hard to get in contact with the people that and inform them if you have a suggestion or something. There isn’t really a community, so if you go on like forums or something there isn’t that much like going on because sometimes you may want to be like, hey, “I was thinking about like maybe adding some tags or like some extra stuff to your own.” But there aren’t like that many people you could talk to. Like sometimes I’d be on Reddit and I would see like a really fantastic idea, but it was like a year ago or something and you just don’t really get new ideas on how you can play with these types of apps. Yeah.

Franco: So not having the community is akin to not having ways of exchanging ideas it. Can you talk a little bit more about the intention behind the community and what would be an advantage you think of having a community to connect with?

Volunteer: Finding ways of how you want to track your mood. Like maybe you didn’t consider adding like sleep time. Originally, I didn’t have that, but I saw some people. It’s like inspiration posts had OK, if you have this amount of sleep, this is its own category. If you’ve slept over 9 hours, you should put it as a separate category.

Franco: I think I follow. Community where you could better understand how other people are using the app and see whether or not any their particular strategies or approaches would be beneficial to you in return. OK. I never thought about that before.

Reflection

Volunteer reflects on their experience with a previous app, identifying the lack of avenues for user feedback and community interaction. They express frustration at the absence of a platform for sharing suggestions or discovering new ideas. I go deeper into the significance of community, prompting the volunteer to articulate the value of digital community in refining app functionalities.

Segment 3

Franco: So, in the context of LGBT and the queer community, are there specific features or functionalities you would like to then see in these apps?

Volunteer: Maybe something related to like this meter of safety. Like in certain situations you may feel safer than others, but you may not have noticed it like certain emotions related to certain places. Because I do know, Dalio has started to do where certain emotions are connected to certain things, so they may notice, “hey, you’re more sad during these days than others. Or this month you have an overall rating of whatever.” I think data like that would be very interesting to look at for LGBT people.

Franco: You’ve got this data and then the app summarizes it, provide some trends and it reports that trend back to the user. Is that like a functional piece that you think would be helpful?

Volunteer: Yeah, being able to have usable data for yourself, like figure out things that you may not notice, but those types of things you do wonder how much privacy you have because someone has to look at the data or something has to.

Franco: Yeah, yeah. And obviously if you’re using it, it would make sense that the general reporting would be for you to use. You could either report back to a clinician or for you to modify or change things in the way you respond to your mood, in ways you see fit. If I can maybe step back a little bit, would you be willing to share with me what a typical daily use of the app would be ike for you?

Volunteer: Yeah. Oh, let me bring it up. [pulls up their phone and looks at the app] So let’s say it was like a normal day. It was like a ‘meh’ day for me. I would like put down times like I slept late or I slept this minute amount of hours. So on this one day, I said I slept late, slept less than five hours. I had medium sleep. My dreams were all right. I had a low energy level. I was productive, even though I was sleepy and had brain fog, I didn’t journal for that day. But. That’s what it would look like.

Reflection

The volunteer suggests the incorporation of a safety meter, which would assess feelings of safety in various situations, particularly relevant for LGBTQ individuals navigating diverse environments. They express interest in features akin to those in Dalio, which connect emotions to specific contexts and provide users with insightful trends and summaries of their mood data. However, they also raise concerns about privacy and data handling. I acknowledged the importance of user-controlled data reporting. Transitioning to the volunteer’s daily app usage, they illustrate a typical entry, detailing mood, sleep patterns, energy levels, and productivity, offering a glimpse into the practical application of mood tracking tools for personal insight and management.

Overall Reflection

Albeit short, I found that the protocol was helpful in gathering initial information about mood tracking with LGBTQ individuals. The follow-up prompts were especially helpful since I was able to gather some new insights I had not considered before (e.g., community engagement for means of learning how to use an app in creative or innovative ways).

In considering how apps can be culturally responsive to LGBTQ+ persons, it’s crucial to address the unique mood and mental health needs of sexual and gender minority individuals. This includes acknowledging aspects related to minority stress, which encompasses the heightened stressors and challenges faced by these communities due to societal discrimination and stigma. Incorporating features that assess unique minority stressors (e.g., hypervigilance, internalized stigma, gender dysphoria, etc.) as well as diverse coping mechanisms and adjustment strategies specific to sexual and gender minority individuals within a mood tracking app can be beneficial. Additionally, assessing the safety of the environment is paramount, and can also be a design feature in a mood/mental health tracking app. Lastly, ensuring inclusivity by avoiding the use of ambiguous terms like “other” when prompting users to report their identities can be an important feature. By prioritizing these considerations, apps can better serve the diverse needs of marginalized communities while fostering a supportive and understanding environment.

Psychology can prove beneficial when observing and analyzing behaviors. After all, it’s a discipline committed to understanding how the mind functions in an environment. And in the context of user experience (UX) research and design, psychological principles could help UX designers better understand how users interact with digital products (e.g., software, apps, social media platforms), especially where they encounter user obstacles. Stephen Wendel’s Designing for Behavior Change (2^nd edition) provides valuable insights for anyone interested in learning how to be more psychologically intentional with UX design or how to design behavior-based technologies (e.g., health tracking, financial planning, etc.). Wendel grounds the text in well-established psychological theories, provides numerous examples and case studies illustrating how behavioral sciences can be applied, and he offers helpful strategies and techniques for digital-based designs.

Wendel’s text is sectioned in three parts. Part I highlights the interdisciplinary nature of UX interface and design, combining theoretical principles of psychology and behavioral economics to understand decision-making. In the context of digital products and design, Wendel introduces the concept of choice architecture, where environments are designed to shape decisions. Heuristics and biases are the factors that influence those decisions within those environments. Wendel offers the CREATE framework, which is aimed at understanding the steps leading to action, emphasizing the role of cues, evaluation, and past experiences. Habits are explored as automated responses to cues, and the importance of context, social influences, and ethical considerations in behavior design is emphasized.

Those familiar with behavioral-based learning theories (e.g., classical conditioning, shaping, habituation, positive and negative reinforcement; Wikipedia Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behaviorism)  will likely find Wendel’s theoretical grounding in Part I useful in its application to UX design. By observing user behavior in controlled environments, designers can gather helpful data to refine and improve their designs. By understanding common user errors and behaviors that lead to mistakes, designers can also implement preventive measures and provide guidance for error recovery. Furthermore, by understanding users’ past interactions and experiences, UX designers using behaviorist principles to tailor content, recommendations, and features to individual users. However, behavioral theories are not without their critiques and misuses. Behavioral theories can be used to manipulate user behavior and a designer may prioritize achieving specific outcomes over respecting user autonomy and well-being. This is why Wendel devotes an entire chapter to ethics in design, cautioning readers not to do harm in the design process, such as addicting a user to a product.

Part II presents the blueprint for behavior change, outlining the DECIDE process (Define, Explore, Craft, Implement, Determine, Evaluate). It details steps for defining problems, exploring contexts, and crafting interventions, including the use of behavioral maps and user personas. Techniques for changing context, cueing action, and facilitating evaluation are discussed, along with strategies to reduce cognitive overhead and implement intentions. The section also covers measurement and experimentation, emphasizing A/B testing and randomized control trials to assess impact and refine interventions. (Although beyond the scope of this brief review, please feel free to see prior post for key quotes of the book.)

Explicitly drawing from behavioral theories, Wendel emphasizes the use of rewards and reinforcement to encourage user motivation. In UX design, incorporating elements such as automation, cues, and indicators for completing tasks can motivate users to engage with the product and achieve their goals. Wendel also provides helpful instruction in how to engage in UX research, highlighting the role of user feedback, usability testing methodologies (e.g., randomized control experimentation, A/B testing), and different types of statistical analyses that could be considered (although he does not describe any of these analyses in detail). A designer would either need to employ a statistician or learn how to run statistics.

Wendel is diligent in his messaging in Part II of his text: UX design involves understanding not only the actions users take but also the reasons behind those actions, including their motivations, emotions, and cognitive processes. But behavioral and economic theories focus heavily on observable behaviors, overlooking the subjective experiences of users and potentially oversimplifying the complexities of human-computer interactions. These interactions encompass not just behaviors but also cognitive processes, emotions, and social dynamics. Although Wendel attempts to address these factors, he falls short of going into much depth since there is not much empirical evidence (at this time) to support how they factor in to the UX design. UX design requires a more holistic approach that considers the entirety of the user experience, going beyond surface-level behaviors. Because of these shortcomings, Wendel relies more on theoretical application versus empirically grounded principles in addressing his perspectives.

In Part III, Wendel shifts the focus to building successful behavioral science teams, discussing organizational structures and the necessary skills to be successful in behavioral design. The importance of partnerships with academic researchers for experimental testing is emphasized, along with the differences between data science and behavioral science in predicting outcomes versus causing behavior change. The section concludes by summarizing key conceptual tools developed in the book for understanding decision-making and applying behavioral interventions in design. Wendel’s message in Part III is well made: designers should strive to create experiences that users find valuable and enjoyable over time, which may necessitate taking into account factors beyond immediate behavior reinforcement.

Overall, Wendel’s Designing for Behavior Change (2^nd edition) offers a thorough and foundational guide for approaching digital experiences, but there are still aspects of the text that are heavily theoretical and not empirically supported. Regardless, those seeking to integrate a psychological perspective into UX design or to create behavior-based experiences will find valuable insights within Wendel’s comprehensive text.

—

According to ChatGPT, if you’re interested in Stephen Wendel’s Designing for Behavior, you may want to explore the following recommendations:

1. Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal: This book explores the psychology behind building products that create user habits, diving into the Hook Model which consists of Trigger, Action, Variable Reward, and Investment.

2. Seductive Interaction Design: Creating Playful, Fun, and Effective User Experiences by Stephen Anderson: Anderson’s book delves into creating engaging user experiences by incorporating elements of game design, psychology, and emotion.

3. Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely: Ariely, a behavioral economist, offers insights into human decision-making, highlighting irrational behaviors that can be leveraged in design.

4. The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman: Norman’s classic book explores the principles of good design and how products can be made more intuitive and user-friendly.

5. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman: Kahneman, a Nobel laureate in Economics, presents insights into human cognition, including the interplay between intuitive and rational thinking processes.

6. User Friendly: How the Hidden Rules of Design Are Changing the Way We Live, Work, and Play by Cliff Kuang and Robert Fabricant: This book explores the impact of design on everyday life and how thoughtful design can shape behavior and experiences.

7. The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg: Duhigg examines the science behind habit formation and how habits influence individual and organizational behavior.