​Lipedema is a relatively common condition, affecting 1 in 9 of those assigned female at birth, It is also under-researched, misunderstood, and  stigmatized, which means patients are often left on their own to navigate care and treatment with minimal support from doctors, therapists, and other professionals. Resources are often scattered, hard to find, reliant on word of mouth, and hard to verify for accuracy. 
​​LippyFriend helps those with lipedema manage their condition by tracking their symptoms, treatments, and nutrition, so they can take ownership of their health.
COMPETITOR RESEARCH
While there aren't any existing apps specifically for lipedema, there are som for more general tracking of symptoms, nutrition, and exercise. So I started my research with competitor analysis, conducting a SWOT analysis of the apps Bearable, Wave, and Juli, as well as the Lipedema Project's website.
Takeaways:
  • Current research on lipedema is not readily accessible by existing websites 
  • Most current symptom trackers are not condition-specific
  • Symptom trackers are often lacking in ability to include or customize certain details – especially when it comes to food or physical activity
  • Syncing with existing devices – e.g., FitBit, Apple Health, etc. – is a nearly universal feature
  • Community elements are not included – is it beneficial or would users prefer to stick to social media?
  • Directories and other information needs to be regularly vetted and updated to stay current
  • Too much novelty in features can come at the expense of usability – e.g., Juli chatbot
USER RESEARCH
  • 7 total participants
  • Individuals who have lipedema
​General Findings:
  • Some participants have previously used tracking apps, most have not
  • All are currently managing their condition through lifestyle changes; only one participant has had reduction surgery
  • Most seek community support via social media; many also get their information from there
  • Information about the condition is not easy to find
  • Social media is a nearly universal source of community for the participants
    • The most common place mentioned was Facebook Groups
  • Information about lipedema can be hard to find – most users mentioned difficulty in finding things that are up-to-date and accurate
  • Physicians seem to be the most difficult to find – especially ones that are able to diagnose the condition and are local to the participant
    • Additionally, insurance information is confusing and hard to navigate
What Do Users Want From an App?
  • They would like to be able to keep track of how often they use devices, wear compression, and undergo treatments like lymphatic drainage
  • Participants would like to keep track of their food and exercise, water intake, and sleep
  • They would also like to log their symptoms and severity, including numbers like blood pressure and sugar, swelling and pain, body measurements, and weight
  • Tracking these things would include the ability to see trends over time
  • There was interest in directory features – physicians, massage therapists, and others by locale 
  • Medical appointment tracking and reminders
  • Research and information repositories
PERSONA
BRANDING AND UI KIT
I wanted this app to be something users would want to open every day, so they are inspired to be consistent in their tracking. 

This led me to choose colors, icons, and typeface that are friendly and welcoming while still being sleek, trendy, and interesting. Health is a serious topic, but that doesn't mean the app needs to be bland or depressing. I chose to rely heavily on shades of purple, with only minimal accents in the secondary and tertiary shades, so users can stay focused on what is most important: keeping track of their condition. I wanted to design a space with minimal distraction.
FEATURE SET AND SCOPE
Based on my research, I decided symptom and treatment trackers would take priority and be the scope of this project, with nutrition, trends, community, and resources to come later.
SITE MAP AND USER FLOWS
The structure of this app is pretty straightforward. Each tool has its own section, with sub-functions held within. Some of the sections also have customization (which can be seen in the prototype of the symptom tracker). The areas with a box around them are features that are to come later.
There are several ways users can interact with this app. To track a symptom, they will navigate to the body graphic and tap on the appropriate body part. A pop-up overlay will appear that features sliders and scales to track symptom levels (e.g., pain, swelling), as well as places to add photos and notes.
Tracking treatments, including exercise, is also pretty simple. Within the treatment section there will be a section for each type -- movement, devices, medications, supplements, and massage, with the ability to add more -- and the user will open each one and log the treatment. They can add them for any given day, using a calendar that scrolls along the top of the screen.
WIREFRAMES
While building my wireframes, I decided to make the symptom tracker more dynamic and interactive. I also had a more involved onboarding process, which was later pared down significantly.
HIGH FIDELITY PROTOTYPE
It was important to me that this app be as inclusive as possible. I wanted to make sure to have body type options for the symptom tracker. Additionally, while lipedema almost exclusively affects AFAB people, I didn't want to exclude trans men, masculine-presenting non-binary individuals, or the small percentage of cis men who have the condition. The setup defaults to the feminine bodies, but users have the option to choose a masculine frame instead.
The symptom tracker allows users to select exactly where on the body they are experiencing their symptoms, through a dynamic and animated graphic. Pop-up overlays for each body part, as well as the whole body, allow users to track pain, swelling, and any other symptom they need to. It also has space to keep notes and photos.
Treatment for lipedema varies greatly by person, so the tracking section needed to be as customizable as possible. I separated treatment into a few areas: movement, device usage (e.g., leg pumps, vibration plates), medications and supplements, and massage (e.g., manual lymphatic drainage). There are options under each subsection to add and customize.
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FINAL PROTOTYPE
See the app in action by watching the videos below.