Age-Inclusive User Interface Design for an AI Mindfulness App (LugnAI)

Sammanfattning

Voice-based mindfulness applications are emerging as valuable tools for promoting emotional well-being in digital health. Despite the growth of mobile health (mHealth) apps, many still lack attention to inclusive design practices that consider users with varying accessibility, cognitive, and emotional needs. This study presents a user-centered design (UCD) process aimed at developing a functional, accessible prototype for a voice-guided mindfulness application. The goal was to generate actionable design insights to support future development of digital mindfulness tools. The project followed a five-step methodology: (1) a literature review on accessibility and usability principles; (2) interface prototyping using Figma; (3) mobile app development in Flutter; (4) participatory co-design workshops with target users; and (5) a qualitative analysis of user feedback. The process emphasized core elements such as layout clarity, personalization, interface, tone, privacy and transparency. Findings revealed user expectations for calm, neutral voice guidance, control over personalization and reminders, high visual clarity, and support for screen-free interaction. Participants expressed a preference for ambient, emotionally safe experiences over performance-driven feedback. By integrating direct user input into design decisions, this study advances inclusive approaches to digital mental health technologies. The results demonstrate how human-centered interaction design can improve accessibility, usability, and emotional engagement across diverse user groups.