U-M Interactive Wellness Map
UXR · UXD · Capstone · 2025
Role
Lead Product Designer
Team
Srivardini Reddy Yilin Sun Jahir Alvarez
Srivardini Reddy, Yilin Sun, Jahir Alvarez
Timeline
09/2025-12/2025
Tools
Figma Qualtrics Miro
Figma, Qualtrics, Miro
Overview
The University of Michigan offers hundreds of wellness resources across eight dimensions of well-being, yet most people never find them. I led the end-to-end design of the Interactive Wellness Map, a centralized tool built for the Well-Being Collective to help students, faculty, and staff discover events and spaces across campus.
Overview
The University of Michigan offers hundreds of wellness resources across eight dimensions of well-being, yet most people never find them. I led the end-to-end design of the Interactive Wellness Map, a centralized tool built for the Well-Being Collective to help students, faculty, and staff discover events and spaces across campus.
EIGHT DIMENSIONS OF WELL-BEING
The Problem
U-M's wellness ecosystem is fragmented across dozens of websites and channels. Resources exist, but most people struggle to find them.
I experienced this gap firsthand: finding a single resource required navigating ten different websites. The Well-Being Collective commissioned an interactive map to change that.
Solution Highlights
Our Path to the Solution
PHASE 1
PHASE 1
DISCOVERY & RESEARCH
DISCOVERY & RESEARCH
Comparative Analysis
4 Maps Reviewed
Comparative Analysis
4 Maps Reviewed
Comparative Analysis
4 Maps Reviewed
Survey
137 Valid Responses
Survey
137 Valid Responses
Survey
137 Valid Responses
Interviews + Affinity Mapping
7 Interviews
Interviews + Affinity Mapping
7 Interviews
HOW MIGHT WE
HOW MIGHT WE
How might we help U-M community members discover and evaluate wellness resources in one place, with the information they need to decide before they commit?
How might we help U-M community members discover and evaluate wellness resources in one place, with the information they need to decide before they commit?
PHASE 2
PHASE 2
IDEATION & PROTOTYPING
IDEATION & PROTOTYPING
Sketches
3 Sketches
Sketches
3 SKetches
User Flow
Core Flow
User Flow
Core Flow
Mid-Fi Prototype
V1 Prototype
Mid-Fi Portotype
V1 Prototype
PHASE 3
PHASE 3
VALIDATION & ITERATION
VALIDATION & ITERATION
Usability Testing
We ran 4 moderated usability tests of the mid-fidelity prototype with students, and faculty, focusing on map exploration, event discovery, and core actions.
We ran 4 moderated usability tests of the mid-fidelity prototype with students, and faculty, focusing on map exploration, event discovery, and core actions.
KEY INSIGHTS
Wellness category wording was unclear
"Not sure what the difference between intellectual, spiritual, mental is."
"Not sure what the difference between intellectual, spiritual, mental is."
Filters were missing key options
Users wanted day-of-week and eligibility filters, not just time of day.
Users wanted day-of-week and eligibility filters, not just time of day.
Iterations
Based on testing and feedback, we made the following changes before the final prototype.
Based on testing and feedback, we made the following changes before the final prototype.
Added contextual onboarding for wellness dimensions
The Well-Being Collective's eight-dimension wellness model was central to the client's vision, but testing showed most users weren't familiar with it. We added a dismissible first-visit popup introducing each dimension with plain-language descriptions and one example, helping users connect their interests to the right resources from the start.
The Well-Being Collective's eight-dimension wellness model was central to the client's vision, but testing showed most users weren't familiar with it. We added a dismissible first-visit popup introducing each dimension with plain-language descriptions and one example, helping users connect their interests to the right resources from the start.
Expanded filter options
Users wanted to filter by day of week and who an event is open to. We added day-of-week chips and an Open-to filter alongside the existing options.
Users wanted to filter by day of week and who an event is open to. We added day-of-week chips and an Open-to filter alongside the existing options.
BEFORE
AFTER
Enriched event cards
Cards now surface the information users need to decide before clicking: price, available spots, registration, share, and recurring event indicators.
Cards now surface the information users need to decide before clicking: price, available spots, registration, share, and recurring event indicators.
BEFORE
AFTER
Additional refinements
Expanded accessibility information to include parking location, building entry routes, and pathways to the event.
Expanded accessibility information to include parking location, building entry routes, and pathways to the event.
Added distance indicator on cards when Sort by Nearest is active.
Added distance indicator on cards when Sort by Nearest is active.
Replaced red map pins with calmer tints within the U-M palette.
Replaced red map pins with calmer tints within the U-M palette.
Recurring events now surface future dates and the next upcoming session.
Recurring events now surface future dates and the next upcoming session.
Reflection
"This group filled a gap within our organization, as we did not have the capacity to create this project."
"This group filled a gap within our organization, as we did not have the capacity to create this project."
Eryn
Eryn
Well-Being Collective Student Lead, Wolverine Wellness
Well-Being Collective Student Lead, Wolverine Wellness
POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
POTENTIAL NEXT STEPS
Conduct a second round of usability testing on the final prototype to validate the changes made and identify remaining friction points.
Conduct a second round of usability testing on the final prototype to validate the changes made and identify remaining friction points.
Design a mobile version to support on-the-go discovery.
Design a mobile version to support on-the-go discovery.
Work with the client on data integration and implementation planning.
Work with the client on data integration and implementation planning.
WHAT I LEARNED
WHAT I LEARNED
This was my first time leading a project end to end. I independently ran the survey analysis across 137 responses, conducted affinity mapping from 7 interviews, and built the mid-fidelity prototype from scratch, while coordinating the overall timeline and stakeholder communication. It taught me how research decisions compound into design decisions, and what it takes to carry a project from a client brief to a finished product.
This was my first time leading a project end to end. I independently ran the survey analysis across 137 responses, conducted affinity mapping from 7 interviews, and built the mid-fidelity prototype from scratch, while coordinating the overall timeline and stakeholder communication. It taught me how research decisions compound into design decisions, and what it takes to carry a project from a client brief to a finished product.
Copyright 2026 by Chentao Lai
Copyright 2026 by Chentao Lai
Copyright 2026 by Chentao Lai