Concept
Flux is a holistic and inclusive approach to hormonal healthcare, designed for women, non-binary individuals, and those in gender transition who experience a monthly hormonal cycle, with or without menstruation. Unlike traditional menstrual cycle tracking apps that primarily focus on fertility and family planning, Flux aims to provide a broader perspective on the impact of hormones on overall health and well-being. By leveraging AI, Flux creates a personalized data experience that empowers users to gain deeper insights into their bodies and take control of their hormonal health.

Approach
The development of Flux followed a methodology rooted in design and product thinking, with a particular focus on addressing the gap in women’s health—a field often overshadowed by, and viewed through the lens of, men’s health. This discrepancy leaves a significant gap in knowledge and understanding, particularly regarding hormonal health. To address this, a screener survey was created to recruit interview participants from the target group, ensuring that the app would be designed with their specific needs in mind.

The insights gathered from participant interviews were analyzed using empathy maps, which were then aggregated to identify core user needs. Journey mapping was also employed to gain a holistic view of the current problem space, helping to refine the app’s focus. The problem statement, “Individuals with monthly hormonal cycles want to more deeply understand their cycles, but find that there’s little science-backed research. This leads them to normalizing their discomfort instead of having the agency to make informed decisions about how to best care for their mental and physical health,” was crafted to succinctly capture the challenge that Flux aims to solve.

A competitive audit and feasibility report were conducted to analyze the core functionality of the app, ensuring that it was both compelling and practical. The final value proposition of the app was articulated as: “Our app and smart mirror help those with a monthly hormonal cycle who want to understand their cycles, excel in the areas of their life that matter most, and connect with a supportive community, by providing science-backed data and AI-powered analysis that is personalized and shared with the user in ways that are integrated seamlessly into their daily, often busy lives.”

After many rounds of ideation, sketching, wireframing, and usability testing, the final Flux product was designed. The interface features a bright and optimistic color palette, along with compelling and informative visuals that help users understand the implications of their hormonal cycles. A complete design system, including documentation and a component library, was developed to ensure consistency across all screens and platforms.

In addition to the app, a prototype of the Flux smart mirror was developed. This prototype was instrumental in refining the mirror’s interface and testing its usefulness with participants, further enhancing the holistic approach to hormonal healthcare that Flux provides.