Desirable design: What aesthetics are important to young people when designing a mental health app?

Garrido, S; Doran, B; Oliver, E; Boydell, K

Desirable design: What aesthetics are important to young people when designing a mental health app?

Garrido, S Doran, B

Oliver, E Boydell, K

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Publisher:: SAGE Publications
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Health Informatics J, 2024, 30, (4), pp. 14604582241295948
Issue Date:: 2024

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Garrido, S
dc.contributor.author	Doran, B https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3951-4546
dc.contributor.author	Oliver, E
dc.contributor.author	Boydell, K
dc.date.accessioned	2025-01-31T04:59:39Z
dc.date.available	2025-01-31T04:59:39Z
dc.date.issued	2024
dc.identifier.citation	Health Informatics J, 2024, 30, (4), pp. 14604582241295948
dc.identifier.issn	1460-4582
dc.identifier.issn	1741-2811
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/184748
dc.description.abstract	Objectives: Smartphone apps can be highly effective in supporting young people experiencing mood disorders, but an appealing visual design is a key predictor of engagement with such apps. However, there has been little research about the interaction between visual design, mood and wellbeing in young people using a mental health app. This study aimed to explore young people's perspectives on colour and visual design in the development of a music-based app for mood management. Methods: Workshops were conducted with 24 participants (aged 13-25 years) with data analysis following a general inductive approach. Results: Results indicated that colour could impact wellbeing in both positive and negative ways. Participants favoured a subtle use of colour within sophisticated, dark palettes and were influenced by a complex interplay of common semiotic values, experiences with other apps, and mood. Conclusions: These findings highlight the highly contextual nature of the relationship between colour and mood, emphasising the importance of co-design in app development.
dc.format	Print
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	SAGE Publications
dc.relation.ispartof	Health Informatics J
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1177/14604582241295948
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	0806 Information Systems, 0807 Library and Information Studies
dc.subject.classification	Medical Informatics
dc.subject.classification	4203 Health services and systems
dc.subject.classification	4601 Applied computing
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent
dc.subject.mesh	Mobile Applications
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Esthetics
dc.subject.mesh	Smartphone
dc.subject.mesh	Mental Health
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Mental Health
dc.subject.mesh	Esthetics
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Mobile Applications
dc.subject.mesh	Smartphone
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent
dc.subject.mesh	Mobile Applications
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Esthetics
dc.subject.mesh	Smartphone
dc.subject.mesh	Mental Health
dc.title	Desirable design: What aesthetics are important to young people when designing a mental health app?
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	30
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	0806 Information Systems
utslib.for	0807 Library and Information Studies
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Provost
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Provost/TD School
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2025-01-31T04:59:37Z
pubs.issue	4
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	30
utslib.citation.issue	4

Abstract:

Objectives: Smartphone apps can be highly effective in supporting young people experiencing mood disorders, but an appealing visual design is a key predictor of engagement with such apps. However, there has been little research about the interaction between visual design, mood and wellbeing in young people using a mental health app. This study aimed to explore young people's perspectives on colour and visual design in the development of a music-based app for mood management. Methods: Workshops were conducted with 24 participants (aged 13-25 years) with data analysis following a general inductive approach. Results: Results indicated that colour could impact wellbeing in both positive and negative ways. Participants favoured a subtle use of colour within sophisticated, dark palettes and were influenced by a complex interplay of common semiotic values, experiences with other apps, and mood. Conclusions: These findings highlight the highly contextual nature of the relationship between colour and mood, emphasising the importance of co-design in app development.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/184748