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Happy hero
Services & Technologies
Deliverables
task
To transform Happy Hero's initial concept into a functional design, readying it for MVP development.
year
About the project
How We Built the MVP-ready Design of a Mental Health App from Zero
Happy Hero came to us with a pretty exciting challenge: they needed help building their app from the ground up. We at INSAIM specialize in designing for MVPs, so we rolled up our sleeves and dived into the task, combining our design and tech expertise to bring their vision to life. In the following text, we'll detail our design process and share some dos and don'ts for startup founders or really anyone looking to build an app from zero.
Happy Hero is a mental health startup focused on personal well-being, currently in the process of launching their main product. They are developing an app aimed at helping users measure their happiness and discover practical ways to enhance it. At the pre-seed stage, their objective was to design and build an MVP, following the validation of their initial hypotheses.
Team involved
Alina
Alina
Liuda
Liuda
Julia
Julia
01 / Work Progress
Initial Assessment and Requirement Gathering
The client came to us with three app prototypes, each with a unique design and functionality. These versions served more as research objects, helping to shape the vision of the final product
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02 / Discovery and Prototyping
We realized we had to start over and make a simpler version of the app
It can be tough to accept, but at this stage, the product will be significantly limited to a few main features. That’s why it’s crucial to have your initial hypothesis tested and confirmed by this point—it’s better to know which core features users truly need and what is merely nice to have.
We focused on identifying the MVP's key features, ensuring no time or resources were wasted on less critical aspects. To demonstrate how people would interact with the app, we crafted easy-to-understand, black-and-white designs and user flows.
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03 / branding
Creation of a Visual Language
We realized we had to start over and make a simpler version of the app. It can be tough to accept, but at this stage, the product will be significantly limited to a few main features. That’s why it’s crucial to have your initial hypothesis tested and confirmed by this point—it’s better to know which core features users truly need and what is merely nice to have.
We focused on identifying the MVP's key features, ensuring no time or resources were wasted on less critical aspects. To demonstrate how people would interact with the app, we crafted easy-to-understand, black-and-white designs and user flows.
04 / development
Iterative Development and Testing
Together with Happy Hero's team, we went through about six iterations, including initial prototypes and further iterations of design and functionality. Designers from our side, and the founder and CTO from the startup's side, were involved. At this stage, while direct development wasn't needed, understanding technical scope and limits was essential. Our goal was a ready-to-develop MVP without needing changes in the next stage.
05 / Managing
Communication and Collaboration
Typically, early startups have small teams where roles overlap; here, the project management role was shared between our designer and the founder. Ideally, a dedicated project manager is preferred, but effective, clear communication can also work well in such setups.
Effective collaboration and communication are key. We scheduled 2-3 weekly calls to review design updates. After each, tasks were assigned: our designer addressed feedback, while the team tackled questions and product decisions.
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06 / final
Finalization and Preparation for Development
The last step included approving the app’s visual style and functionality and handing over detailed documentation to developers for a seamless design-to-code transition.
Key Challenges
Every design process is unique, yet certain key insights emerge after working with numerous startups.
It's okay to start without a full team, but the founder and the lead developer must be involved from day one. Often, the challenging aspects of creating a basic version of your app lie in the technical details, not just the design.
You might not have a dedicated project manager, and that's fine. The founder and the designers will need to collaborate closely. A skilled product designer, especially with studio experience and broad exposure to product design processes, can be very valuable in such a case.
You don't need to map out every user interaction from the start, but you should clarify these details during the design phase. It's important because:
It ensures all teams (client, design, development) are synchronized
Editing layouts is quicker than coding; thus, achieving a clear understanding at this stage can significantly reduce costs in the development phase.
Estimating the time and budget needed to complete your app can be challenging. Startups frequently anticipate needing only minor adjustments, but these can evolve into extensive, month-long projects. To prevent overspending, consider Time & Materials approach.
Selecting core features is tough. It's tempting to emulate the success of large apps but remember, they all started small.
Finding the perfect design team can be hard. Some teams find us after several shots.
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ux/ui design agency TIPS
Lessons for Startups
Start with the Essentials: A clear brand identity and a professional landing page set the tone for future growth and build trust with your audience.
Phased Approach: Prioritizing critical deliverables ensures efficient resource allocation and early impactful results. Focus on what matters most at each stage of your startup’s journey.
Leverage AI Tools Smartly: AI tools like ReCraft sped up visual content creation and freed up time for strategic refinements. However, you can’t do everything with AI—human touch remains essential for truly unique and impactful designs.
Unified Branding and Design: By building everything from scratch—logo, website, and characters—consistency was maintained, avoiding the pitfalls of adapting outdated designs.
Think Long-Term: Create assets that can evolve with your startup. It’s good practice to work with a single team to ensure your app design process remains cohesive—from logos and branding guidelines to a custom mobile app design ready for development.
At Happy Hero, we built an MVP-ready design from scratch, focusing on core features and an intuitive experience. This targeted approach keeps the project agile and adaptable for growth.
Julia
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