SperoRo
A Trauma-Informed Anonymous Support Platform
Duration: 4 weeks
Role: UX/UI Designer
Overview
The name combines the Latin word Spero (I hope) and Nordic word Ro (calm peace) reflecting the platform’s ideation to help users find comfort, connection and emotional support.
It focuses on connecting people anonymously and choose from options to do based on how they are feeling in the moment, providing a safe and judgement-free environment.
Problem Statement
The challenge was to design a trauma-sensitive platform that enables users to safely connect, reflect, regulate emotions, and access support through multiple pathways while maintaining anonymity and psychological safety.
Research
Due to the highly sensitive nature of trauma-related experiences, primary interviews and surveys were not conducted. Many individuals may feel uncomfortable discussing deeply personal experiences or identifying themselves as recipients of emotional support.
To ensure ethical consideration while gathering meaningful insights, the research relied on:
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Secondary research
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Competitor analysis
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Public user reviews
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Mental wellness literature
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Existing peer-support platforms
Research Goals
The research focused on understanding:
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How people seek emotional support online
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What prevents users from opening up about traumatic experiences
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Which forms of support users prefer during different emotional states
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How anonymity influences trust and safety
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What gaps exist within existing support platforms
Competitive Analysis
Feature
Anonymous Support
One-on-One Conversation
Community Spaces
Journaling
Mood-Based Entry Point
Distraction & Comfort Tools
7Cups
✓
✓
Limited
Basic
✕
Limited
TalkLife
✓
Limited
✓
Basic
✕
✕
Wysa
Partial
AI-based
✕
✓
Partial
✓
SperoRo
✓
✓ Human
✓
✓
✓
✓
User Personas
Maya Rao
Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Location: Bangalore, India
“Sometimes I don’t need advice. I just need somewhere to let my thoughts exist.”
Goals
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Express her emotions safely
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Reflect on her feelings without pressure
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Feel understood and accepted
Pain Points
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Fear of being judged
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Finds it hard to open up
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Existing apps feel overwhelming
Arjun Mehta
Age: 28
Occupation: IT Engineer
Location: Pune, India
“Knowing someone else understands what I’m going through makes a huge difference.”
Goals
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Connect with supportive people
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Feel less alone in his struggles
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Share his emotions anonymously
Pain Points
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Fear of stigma and judgement
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Hard to find people who understand
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Struggles to express his feelings
Design Strategy
Key Insight:
People experiencing emotional distress do not wish to seek the same support as all. Few want a distraction or something to do, while others might need a person who listens.
How might we?
'“How might we help individuals experiencing emotional distress find the right type of support at the right moment without fear of judgment or pressure?”
User Flow
Wireframes
Hi-Fi Designs
The final design provides a safe, supportive space where users can easily communicate and connect with people in a judgement-free environment and anonymously.
Prototype
The link mentioned in this section leads to an interactive prototype where all the above mockups shows the user flow.
Reflection
This project challenged me to focus on the emotional side of the users and what they would need depending on their feelings.
I discovered that not all people want some therapy for their emotional distress but something else. I learnt that there are many ways a person can make themselves feel better when overwhelmed and they often not like to be treated as some patients.
I would like to do more research and talk to some people dealing with their emotions, also with the mental health professionals to explore more support recommendations based on people’s emotional patterns.