OVERVIEW
KINTSUGI- HEALING BEYOND BREAKUP
My Role
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Led project direction, ensuring alignment with user needs and emotional sensitivity
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Facilitated collaboration across research, design, and development
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Translated insights into actionable design strategies through ideation and synthesis
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Managed timelines, deliverables, and usability testing coordination
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Maintained clear team communication to deliver a user-centered, empathetic solution
Methodology
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UX Research: Surveys, interviews, journey mapping, Design with Intent(by Dan Lockton), card sorting
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Design Planning: Information architecture, user flow mapping
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Visual Design: Mid-fi to hi-fi prototyping, UI systems
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Rapid Prototyping: Iterative wireframing and usability refinement
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Usability Testing: Conceptual and high-fidelity testing rounds
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Collaborative Workflows: Team coordination and agile sprints
Tools
Figma, Dovetail, Zoom, Provenbyusers, Adobe Illustrator, Google forms, Otter.ai, Monday.com, Trello
Time Frame
11 weeks
Objective
Offer personalized, self-directed breakup recovery support
Support users in building emotional resilience and self-growth
Provide tools to manage digital memories with user autonomy
Success Metrics
+31% SUS Score Improvement
Improved System Usability Score (SUS) from 67.5 → 88.75, reflecting a more intuitive and emotionally resonant experience.
+60 NPS Score
Achieved strong positive user feedback, indicating high value and recommendation intent.
Positive Emotional Feedback
Users praised the empathetic tone, calming visuals, and intuitive user flow, particularly appreciating the Kintsugi metaphor.
Where Emotional Growth Meets Thoughtful Design
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Relationship endings come with emotional complexity and lingering digital memories.
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While many wellness apps offer general mental health tools, they often overlook this deeply personal experience.
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Kintsugi bridges this gap by blending psychological insight, digital well-being, and compassionate design to support users through every stage of self-recovery.
The Challenge
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Emotional Sensitivity
Recognizing each user’s journey is personal and requires compassionate handling.
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Respect for Privacy
Prioritizing user control over their memories and data.
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Timeframe
Delivering research, design, and testing within a focused 11-week timeline.
In today’s digital age, emotional recovery is often complicated by the presence of memories spread across social platforms. Through research, the team uncovered three key user needs:
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Respect for individual journeys: Users want support that acknowledges their unique emotional path
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Judgment-free guidance: Gentle, compassionate direction is preferred over prescriptive advice
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Control over digital memories: Autonomy in managing photos, messages, and online footprints is essential
How Might We Empower People to Redefine Themselves After Breakups?
User Research
Understanding Emotional Recovery in a Digital World
Studied attachment theory, CBT, identity reconstruction, and digital memory entanglement. These insights highlighted the need for structured guidance, self-reflection, and digital autonomy.
Survey & Interview
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Participants
55 participants completed the survey; 11 participated in in-depth interviews.
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Approach
Designed a mix of open and closed-ended questions to explore emotional recovery needs.
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Surveys over interviews
Many feared judgment, due to the sensitive nature of heartbreak emphasizing the need for a safe, non-intrusive space for healing.
Personalization + Choice = Confidence in Healing
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Providing users with personalized pathways, flexible support options, and control over their digital narratives fosters emotional resilience and clarity.
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Kintsugi was designed to strike a balance between gentle structure and user autonomy, allowing individuals to navigate healing at their own pace with confidence and care.
Insight 1
Character development is an outcome of break ups
Kintsugi should support users in their character development journey and help foster a growth mindset.
Card Sorting
25 participants helped us refine the information architecture by structuring intuitive navigation and organizing features around Growth, Community, and Digital Management.
Ideation
Planting Seeds for Growth-Focused Design
Behavioral Science Applications
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Controlled Choice Models
Borrowing from how kids prefer structured options, we provide clear, defined paths instead of overwhelming choices.
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Showcasing All Options
Rather than relying on dropdowns or search functions, key options are displayed upfront for easier decision-making.
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User Autonomy
Users have control over their healing journey, boosting motivation and retention.
Mid-Fi Wireframes
An essential step between low-fi sketches and high-fidelity mockups, these wireframes refine structure and interactivity based on early user feedback.
COnceptual Testing
From Concepts to Clarity
Concept Testing Findings
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Digital Detox Dropped
Users preferred personal memory management methods; concerns about unnecessary digital footprint.
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AI & Data Privacy
Users were hesitant about AI scanning personal data and its access control.
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Empathetic Language
Simplified and softened language for a more comforting user experience.
Concept Testing Results
67.5 SUS
Users found the app fairly usable, but some inconsistencies impacted the experience.
66.67 NPS
Refining usability could boost user satisfaction and engagement.
Design
Hi-Fi Wireframes
Building on user feedback from the mid-fi stage, this high-fidelity prototype refines the layout, navigation, and aesthetics to enhance usability and engagement.
Kintsugi Animation
Broken pieces come together with dialogues explaining Kintsugi’s philosophy.
Language Refinement
Users were hesitant about AI scanning personal data and its access control.
Brand Guidelines
Ensured consistency in colors, typography, and UI components.
usability Testing
Refining Through Real Voices
Usability Testing Findings
Buddy Match % percentage invisible
Intuitive
user flow
Users want info about their buddy post-match.
Users loved Kintsugi’s smooth UI
Sleek animations and graphics
Calm, supportive language
Usability Testing Results
88.5 SUS
Users found the app fairly usable, but some inconsistencies impacted the experience.
60 NPS
Refining usability could boost user satisfaction and engagement.
Lessons Learned
Retrospective
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Empathy Meets Usability
Designing for emotionally sensitive experiences like breakups requires a delicate balance. The Kintsugi project reinforced how critical it is to create a safe, human-centered space where users feel both supported and in control. Every research method—surveys, interviews, usability testing—helped shape features that felt truly compassionate yet functional.
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Leadership Through Collaboration
Stepping into the project manager role highlighted the power of effective teamwork and clear communication. Coordinating check-ins, redistributing tasks based on team strengths, and keeping everyone aligned provided valuable experience in leading with empathy and flexibility.
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Autonomy Builds Trust
One of the key insights was how much users value control, especially around personal digital memories. Adjusting features like the Digital Detox based on privacy feedback taught the team the importance of responsibility, adaptability, and respect for user agency.
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The Power of Iteration & Behavioral Science
Kintsugi’s success came from constant iteration, guided by user voices and behavioral science. Thoughtful workshops like Design with Intent played a pivotal role in generating meaningful, user-centered solutions. If given more time, the team would expand on these to explore long-term engagement strategies and deeper emotional touchpoints.