Role
Product Designer
Type
Native Application
Tech stack
Figma
Context
In a rapidly growing femtech market (projected to reach $50 billion by 2025), Samphire Neuroscience is pioneering a new approach to women's health with a neurotech wearable device that helps alleviate menstrual symptoms. With 80% of women experiencing PMS symptoms that impact daily functioning, the need for innovative solutions beyond medication is significant. My challenge was to create the first app experience to accompany the wearable headband.
In this project I delivered:
- a comprehensive blueprint for their MVP app launch
- 4 core user flows that accommodate multiple segments
- scalable design system of 177 components aligned with their brand identity
This project aligned with my passion for translating complex health data into accessible, personalized experiences that empower users with meaningful health insights.
User personas
Through stakeholder interviews and market research, I identified four distinct user segments based on two key variables: whether users had predictable menstrual cycles and whether they owned the Samphire device. This segmentation revealed critical insights:
1. Primary Users (Predictable Cycle + Device Owners): Need seamless device activation and comprehensive cycle tracking
2. Future-state Users (Unpredictable Cycle + Device Owners): Require more personalized tracking with less emphasis on predictions
3. Potential Customers (Predictable Cycle + No Device): Need compelling device benefits integrated into cycle tracking
4. Educational Users (Unpredictable Cycle + No Device): Focus on symptom awareness and education
I prioritized the Primary User segment for initial development while designing a flexible architecture that could accommodate all segments in future iterations.
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Competitive research
I conducted a detailed analysis of leading period-tracking apps, identifying two key opportunity areas:
Data Visualization Gap: Existing apps presented limited correlation between symptoms and cycle phases
Integration Opportunity: No competitors effectively combined wearable data with cycle tracking
Most competitor apps suffered from cluttered interfaces with poor information hierarchy and lacked a cohesive approach to biometric data visualization—a critical area where my experience with health data interfaces could add significant value.
Unlike standard tracking apps, Samphire's unique value proposition is the hardware-software integration. I designed the navigation system to: prioritize device activation in the primary navigation, provide easy access to cycle tracking, and create clear paths for non-device owners to explore benefits.
I worked alongside the founders to define and block out key flows for the users, with First Open, Daily Tracking, Session Setup and more.
Intuitive cycle visualization
Tracking a user’s menstrual cycle offers up several complexities. Although using the device is the app’s primary action, cycle tracking will likely be the most frequently used feature, which is why I featured the Cycle prominently on the home screen.
I designed an interactive circular interface that streamlines how users understand their cycle with:
- Dual-layer visualization: Outer ring shows cycle days while inner ring displays device sessions
- Color-coded system: Red (menstruation), blue (ovulation), yellow (device usage)
- Interactive timeline: Users can drag indicators to see predictions and historical data
- Continuous biometric correlation: Shows relationships between device usage, symptoms, and cycle phases
This approach transforms abstract health data into an intuitive visual system.
Personalized tracking experience
Understanding that users have different tracking preferences, I designed three distinct modes:
Simple: Quick daily check-ins for minimal engagement
Complex: Detailed symptom and metric tracking for data-focused users
Custom: User-defined tags and metrics for personalized tracking
This tiered approach respects varying levels of user engagement while collecting valuable data for both users and the Samphire platform.
Cohesive data visualization
The calendar view needed to display multiple data layers while remaining scannable:
Multi-dimensional view: Shows symptoms, device sessions, and predictions simultaneously
Historical editing: Allows users to refine past entries as they recall additional details
Pattern recognition: Highlights correlations between device usage and symptom reduction
This foundational design work provided Samphire with: a comprehensive blueprint for their MVP app launch; 4 user flows that accommodate multiple user segments; and a scalable design system of 177 components aligned with their brand identity.
Because the hardware product has just launched, still pending analytics on the design's performance.
This project reinforced several critical insights about designing for health technology:
1. Biometric data visualization is a powerful tool for body literacy
When users can visualize their physiological patterns, they gain agency over their health decisions—a principle equally applicable to sleep, activity, and stress monitoring.
2. Effective health tracking must consider holistic patterns
Menstrual health must address all cycle phases and their interconnected impacts on wellbeing.
3. Health tech interfaces must balance scientific accuracy with emotional intelligence
Users need both data-driven insights and contextual understanding to make meaningful health changes.
4. Continuous monitoring creates new opportunities for pattern recognition
Combining wearable data with user-reported symptoms reveals insights impossible to capture through traditional tracking methods.
These learnings have shaped my approach to designing health interfaces that transform complex data into empowering insights.
Collaborators Alex Cook, Natalia Buendía, Mehr Singh
