Wellian: A Wellness Preventive Platform

Integrating Data Science, Design, and Human Behavior

The inspiration behind the Wellian project stemmed from the frustration of a lack of clear pathways to remedies and the absence of meaningful means of prevention. With an abundance of fragmented health data available online, Barbazi recognized the need to bring all this information into one place and provide users with a comprehensive and cohesive platform. The goal was to create a space where individuals could easily access and understand health-related information, ultimately empowering them to make informed decisions about their well-being.

What sets Wellian apart from other wellness platforms is its unique design and user interface. The mind map (graph) interface visually represents the interconnectivity of data, allowing users to easily navigate through different health conditions, symptoms, and lifestyle habits. The interface is not only visually appealing but also interactive, creating a sense of excitement and comfort for users. Additionally, all functions and information are translated into icons, simplifying complexity and breaking language barriers.

Wellian was realized through a rigorous process of strategic and scientific research. The content was carefully expanded to ensure meaningful connectivities, and extensive research was conducted on how people search for health-related information online. The website was designed using the latest JavaScript, HTML 5, CSS, and PHP technologies, with the majority of icons being SVG vector images. Wellian is fully responsive and cross-browser compatible, ensuring a seamless user experience across all devices.

On the homepage of Wellian, users are greeted with three major compartments: a dashboard providing clues about each disease (wellclue), a viewer displaying the interconnectivity of habitual data, diets, and symptoms (wellview), and an in-development personalization app (wellfolio). By clicking on each symptom or lifestyle habit in wellclue, users can see all related diseases in wellview, and vice versa. Each color used in the interface represents a different data category, such as symptoms or treatments.

The development of Wellian took place over a span of 10 months, with the design team working in both Vancouver and Bristol. Throughout the project, scientific and ethnography research methodologies were employed to inform concept development, human-centered design, and product strategy. The team utilized data from the public domain and literature, conducted personas, user interviews, and systematic surveys, and performed user testing of prototypes. The result is a platform that not only simplifies the complex world of health and wellness but also helps users visualize the connections between lifestyle, health conditions, symptoms, and societal norms.

Wellian faced two major challenges during its development. Firstly, the team had to navigate the vast amount of contradictory information available in the literature and provide visitors with reliable knowledge in a scientifically challenging topic. Secondly, they had to create an interface that would calm users who are often visiting health or wellness websites due to their own or their loved ones' health concerns. By providing a coherent approach, trustworthy information, and a comforting design, Wellian aims to satisfy users and alleviate their anxiety.

Wellian has received recognition for its outstanding design and creativity. In 2018, it was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in the Website and Web Design category. This prestigious award is bestowed upon designs that demonstrate ingenuity, resourcefulness, and a commitment to improving quality of life. Wellian's incorporation of best practices in art, science, design, and technology sets it apart as a platform that contributes to making the world a better place.

Wellian, designed by Neda Barbazi, is a testament to the power of data science, design thinking, and human behavior in creating innovative solutions for wellness and preventive healthcare. By providing a visually appealing and user-friendly platform, Wellian empowers individuals to take control of their well-being and make informed decisions about their health.