Brief for practical outcome

Initially for my outcome I considered creating 'Unhappy Places', in response not only to my essay subject of the impact of screen based media on mental health, but also to my previous venture with 'Happy Places' the meditation app I made which had the purpose of providing a safe virtual space to meditate and visualise. My thought was that I could create the direct opposite of this, finding out what it is that makes people uncomfortable, scared and anxious. The purpose of this would be like a horror simulation, see what it is that makes people tick. However the whole concept of this didn't have any kind of benefit except for scientific study which isn't my field and doesn't seem to make sense to produce, especially when I'm highlighting the damaging effect screens can have on mental health.

For that reason I came up with another concept which was far more suited which I have some kind of experience utilising myself (but not in app form), 7 Cups is a website that enables instant messaging with people around the world, who either want to be a 'listener' and provide a relaxed form of therapy in the form of a chat, or want to be listened to. This ties in perfectly with my essay

For my brief I want to create an app that enables instant messaging therapy available internationally. I want the design to be aesthetically inviting, soothing and clear.

Looking at the design for 7 Cups and features I can get a clearer understanding of how it's so successful and possibly pick out points I'd feel need altering not only so they'd work in the format of an app, but also how it could be more tailored to those with specific mental health issues.



Reading

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=QjIbQzCbm8MC&printsec=frontcover&dq=online+therapy&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwibofCXu4TZAhUHJsAKHR9UB7gQ6AEILDAB#v=onepage&q=online%20therapy&f=false

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/feb/12/online-therapy-thousands-but-does-it-work