[ AttainAble ]
Social, Employment & Wellbeing Platform

UX, UI, Branding

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Sector: Health / Wellbeing / Social / Employment

Timeline: 4-week design sprint (2024)

Tools: Figma, FigJam

Role: Research Lead & UX/UI Designer (Led team of 10
designers)​

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[Overview]

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AttainAble is a concept platform designed to support people living with chronic illness by improving access to social connection, flexible employment, and wellbeing resources.

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People with chronic illness often have valuable experience and skills but face barriers to participating fully in work and social environments due to fluctuating energy levels and limited support systems.

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The goal of this project was to design a platform that could better connect individuals with opportunities, resources, and communities in a way that respects their capacity and lived experience.

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[The Problem]

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People living with chronic illness face a fragmented and often overwhelming digital landscape.

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Key challenges include:

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• managing limited physical and mental energy

• navigating multiple platforms for social, work, and support needs

• difficulty finding flexible and suitable employment

• lack of understanding from employers and peers

• challenges in asking for and receiving help

• limited visibility into available resources and support systems

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Additionally, friends, family, and allies often lack the tools and understanding needed to provide meaningful support.

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The challenge was to design a platform that could:

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• reduce cognitive and emotional load

• centralise key needs into one system

• foster meaningful connections

• support both individuals with chronic illness and their wider networks​​​​

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[Discovery & Research]
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As Research Lead, I led a team of 10 designers through a fast-paced discovery phase.

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This included:

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• stakeholder engagement and alignment

• user interviews with individuals living with chronic illness

• competitor and landscape analysis

• affinity mapping and synthesis of insights

• development of personas, user journeys, and “How Might We” statements

 

The goal was to deeply understand user needs, behaviours, and emotional drivers within a constrained timeline.

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[Key Insights]

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Several critical insights emerged:

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1. Energy is the primary constraint
   Users must carefully manage limited daily energy, affecting their ability to work, socialise, and complete tasks.
    

2. Platform fatigue is a real issue
   Managing multiple apps for different needs creates cognitive overload and reduces engagement.
    

3. Support systems lack visibility
   Friends and family want to help but often don’t know how or when support is needed.
    

4. Employment opportunities are not aligned to capacity
   Traditional job structures rarely accommodate fluctuating energy levels.
    

5. Emotional safety is essential
   Users need environments where vulnerability feels safe and supported.

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[Design Strategy]

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The design strategy focused on creating a centralised, flexible, and empathetic platform.

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Key principles included:

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• consolidating multiple needs into a single ecosystem

• designing around fluctuating energy levels

• enabling both independence and support

• creating a safe and inclusive environment

• supporting both users and their wider networks (allies)

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A key concept that shaped the product was The Spoon Theory - a framework used by people with chronic illness to represent daily energy levels.

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This became foundational to how the platform structured interaction and support.

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[Product Design]

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The platform was designed as a hybrid system combining social, employment, and wellbeing functionality.

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Key features included:

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• Energy tracking system (Spoon Theory integration)
  Users track daily energy levels and allocate capacity to tasks and activities.
   

• Support sharing system
  Users can offer or request help, including “sharing spoons” to assist with tasks.
   

• Social and messaging platform
  Facilitates connection, conversation, and community-building.
   

• Employment marketplace
  Flexible job opportunities aligned to user capacity and capability.
   

• Resource hub
  Educational content for both individuals with chronic illness and their support networks.
   

• Wellbeing and activity integration
  Access to activities such as yoga, meditation, and talks.
   

My contributions included:
 

• leading research direction and synthesis
• facilitating workshops and team alignment
• translating insights into product opportunities
• defining information architecture and user flows
• contributing to wireframes and interaction design
• developing high-fidelity prototypes post-sprint

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[Outcome]

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The final concept consolidated multiple fragmented needs into a single, cohesive platform designed around user capacity and real-world constraints.

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By centring the experience on energy management and support systems, the platform aimed to:

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• reduce cognitive and emotional load

• improve access to flexible opportunities

• strengthen social and support networks

• create a more inclusive and understanding digital environment

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[Future Opportunities]

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The concept highlights potential for:

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• increased social connection and reduced isolation

• more accessible and flexible employment pathways

• improved communication between individuals and their support networks

• greater awareness and understanding of chronic illness

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[Reflection]

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Leading research within a compressed timeframe reinforced the importance of clear prioritisation, strong team alignment, and rapid synthesis of insights. This project highlighted how deeply understanding user constraints — particularly around energy and capacity — can fundamentally shape product direction and create more meaningful, inclusive solutions.