7 Cups of Tea: Gamification and User Experience Enhancement Project

7 Cups of Tea: Gamification and User Experience Enhancement Project

Overview

7 Cups of Tea is an on-demand emotional health and well-being service connecting individuals seeking emotional support with trained, compassionate listeners in a secure, anonymous, one-on-one chat environment. The platform’s diverse network of listeners comes from various backgrounds and life experiences, offering empathetic support to those in need. Unlike conversations with family or friends, these listeners provide non-judgmental support without attempting to solve problems or offer unsolicited advice, creating a safe space for users to clear their minds and gain clarity.

My Role

As the UX and Gamification Design Consultant for 7 Cups of Tea, I was responsible for enhancing user engagement and retention through several key activities:

  • Conducted an audit of the existing user experience system to identify areas of improvement.
  • Designed new gamification components aimed at retaining users and encouraging prolonged engagement on the platform.
  • Developed short-term and long-term challenges/goals to maintain a continuous loop of user retention and convert members to listeners.
  • Enhanced the user experience based on qualitative analyses gathered from user feedback.
  • Used Google Analytics to design custom funnel systems, understand user behaviour, and refine the platform design accordingly.

Approach

  1. Audit and analysis: I began with a comprehensive audit of the existing user experience, identifying critical pain points and areas for enhancement. This included evaluating the user journey, interface design, content flow, and engagement metrics.
  2. Designing gamification components: Based on the insights gathered, I designed new gamification elements to help retain users and promote continuous engagement. These elements included:
    • Badges and recognition: Creating a variety of badges for listeners and members to acknowledge their contributions, achievements, and participation in platform activities, such as “Listening Quality,” “Member Support,” and “Community Interaction.”
    • Rewards system: Implementing both fixed and variable ratio rewards schedules, such as cheers, growth points, badges, and stickers, to keep users motivated and engaged.
    • User path visibility: Develop visual progress indicators, like progress bars and step indicators, to clearly communicate users’ progress and next steps.
  3. Developing engagement strategies: I crafted a series of daily bonuses and continuous reward systems to encourage regular participation and prevent user burnout. This strategy aimed to increase user retention by offering incentives that scale with consecutive engagement days.
  4. User feedback and iterative design: I conducted remote conversations with live users to gather qualitative feedback on the platform’s usability and overall experience. This feedback informed iterative design changes, ensuring the platform meets users’ needs and expectations.
  5. Custom funnel design and analytics: I utilised Google Analytics to design custom funnel systems that track user behaviour, identify drop-off points, and understand user motivations. This data-driven approach allowed me to refine the platform design and improve the overall user experience.

Rationale

The colours, user journey, and metrics designed for 7 Cups of Tea were informed by existing literature on colour therapy and successful emotional support platforms such as Golantern and Talklife. More importantly, all features and flows were created using a design-through-research approach, conducting interviews with users to understand their needs and preferences.

Methodology

I employed the “Design Through Research” (DtR) methodology to ensure the design was deeply rooted in user needs and behaviours. I used Agile methodologies for the development process to allow for flexibility, iterative improvements, and rapid response to user feedback.

Tools Used

  • SurveyMonkey: For quantitative analysis and gathering user feedback.
  • Evernote: For collaboration with clients and remote documentation.
  • Adobe Suite: For creating wireframes and visual design elements.

Impact

The redesigned user experience and gamification strategy significantly improved user engagement and retention on the 7 Cups of Tea platform. Introducing new gamified elements, clearer user paths, and continuous feedback loops created a more engaging and supportive environment, helping users feel more connected and appreciated.