LifeLink

A mental health support app for caregivers of individuals at risk of suicide

🎖️ Awarded the Graduate Research Scholarship by Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Computer Science (September 2023)

Overview

Problem

Caregivers supporting individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts face significant emotional and practical challenges (such as personal struggles with mental health and limited access to timely resources). Existing support systems are fragmented and not tailored to caregivers’ specific needs, leaving them feeling isolated and overwhelmed.

Constraints

Budget constraints for participant recruitment and compensation; time pressure; limited access to specific users (niche caregiver community); ethical considerations to avoid harm or discomfort; designing for caregivers in time-sensitive crisis situations.

My Role

UX Researcher, Product Designer.

Led research, analysis, and user testing efforts to uncover caregiver needs and pain points. Contributed to product design and development to deliver an actionable, user-centered solution for supporting caregivers of individuals at risk of suicide.

UX Process

The LifeLink app was developed using a user-centered design process, consisting of 3 distinct phases: Research, Ideation & Design, and Evaluation.

Problem

Caregivers supporting individuals at risk of suicide face significant challenges:

  • Emotional and psychological stress

  • Limited access to specialized resources

  • Lack of integrated tools for effective crisis management

Digital solutions tailored to caregivers’ specific needs are scarce, highlighting a critical gap in mental health technology. LifeLink addresses this gap by offering an evidence-based mobile solution equipped with tools for immediate support, resource management, and emotional resilience.

Evaluative and Strategic Research

Research Objectives

  • Understand caregivers' unique needs and pain points in supporting individuals at risk of suicide

  • Design LifeLink, a targeted digital solution to improve caregiver support

  • Evaluate whether the LifeLink app aligns with users' current behaviors and expectations.

Research Questions

Overarching question: How can we design a mobile app to assist caregivers of individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts?

RQ1. What are the limitations of existing suicide prevention mobile apps?

RQ2. What are caregivers' needs and challenges in supporting individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts?

RQ3. What persuasive design strategies can effectively support caregivers?

RQ4. How usable, engaging, and impactful is the LifeLink app?

RQ5. Does LifeLink create a positive user experience for caregivers?

Methodology & Procedure

Research

  • Objective: Identify gaps in current suicide-prevention apps and key factors influencing suicidality to inform the design of better mobile solutions.

  • Activities:

    • Literature review of key risk factors for suicidality.

    • Reviewed existing mobile apps for suicide prevention.

    • Partnered with community organizations. 

  • Challenge: Establishing project partnerships; the scope of the project was ambiguous— defined it by reviewing existing apps and the field, and conducting brainstorming workshops in the next phase.

  • Outcome: Gained insights into functionality gaps in current tools.

Ideation

  • Objective: Conduct research on the problem and users

  • Activities:

    • Created a mind map to define scope, identify risks and constraints, brainstorm potential ideas and conceptualize research plan.

    • Conducted stakeholder meetings to align on a shared vision and gain feedback on current research plan.

  • Challenge: 

    • How do we anticipate project and community-related risks in a niche area like suicide? → conducted brainstorming workshops with subject matter experts (psychiatry researchers), clinicians, wellness centre leaders, community leaders (working in mental health and suicide prevention space in NS and BC). Decision: design the app for caregivers instead of individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts.

    • Recruitment can be difficult, as people with lived experiences may not publicly identify themselves due to the stigma associated with suicide → partnered with the local community organization ‘Roots of Hope Nova Scotia’ which works with community members dealing with suicidality through community events and has access to a Canadian network of suicide prevention organizations; funded by the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

  • Constraint: Time-bound project with logistical and funding constraints in clinician integration → Decision: standalone app instead of one integrated with clinicians. Target population: Caregivers instead of mentally diagnosed individual experiencing suicidal thoughts.

  • Outcome: Finalized research plan

UX research journey map for the LifeLink project

Stakeholder workshops with mental health experts and community leaders informing research strategy

Mind map documenting research framework and study design decisions

Descriptive statistics and results of one-sample t-test for engagement, simplicity and intention to use LifeLink

Design 

  • Goal: Develop a low-fidelity prototype addressing current gaps in suicide prevention apps:

    • potential to leverage persuasive design principles in app design

    • lack of evidence-based sources

    • low user engagement 

  • Method: Created a prototype/wireframe building on gaps and using selected well-designed apps for inspiration. Stakeholder presentation with MHCC

  • Tools Used: Balsamiq

Concept testing

  • Goals:

    • Understand caregiver needs and pain points

    • Identify must-have tools and features

    • Validate early concepts through wireframe feedback

  • Method:

    • Mixed-methods: Surveys (n=45) + interviews (n=14)

    • Used wireframe testing for concept validation

    • Recruited caregivers (including partners, families, friends, teachers, social workers) living in Canada, who are or had supported another individual experiencing suicidal thoughts.

  • Key Findings:

  1. Caregivers need a balance between practical functionality and emotional support

  2. High-stress context requires intuitive design

  3. Strong interest in peer experiences (connecting with folks in similar situations)

  4. Users want more engaging features

  • Challenges & Solutions:

    • Time constraints → Conducted surveys (quicker)

    • Tech literacy barriers in different user groups → Used simple wireframes for testing vs complex prototype

    • Emotional topics → Developed protocol for sensitive conversations

  • Impact:

    • Generated 8 design recommendations to refine app design

    • Identified Power Stories as key feature

    • Informed specific design principles like simplified navigation for stressed users, clear information hierarchy and one-tap access to crisis resources

Final Design

  • Objectives:

    • Translate user study insights into high-fidelity prototype

    • Address core caregiver needs identified in research

  • Process:

  1. Created sitemap to establish information architecture

  2. Designed high-fidelity mockups in Figma

  3. Validated navigation and flows through peer review

  • Key Design Decisions:

    • Quick access to crisis resources

    • Simplified information hierarchy

    • Power Stories feature for knowing about people in similar situations

    • Self-care tracking tools

    • Light/dark mode for accessibility

Example survey items in Opinio

Research-informed sitemap showcasing LifeLink's information architecture and user flows. Access enlarged version

App Development

Content Strategy:

  • Curated evidence-based content from healthcare websites

  • Developed content guidelines for sensitive topics

Challenge and Solution:

  • Decision: Android vs iOS app?

  • iOS has greater restrictions in app deployment – sensitive space.

  • Time and budget constraints — difficulty beta testing with iOS. Android has higher flexibility in APK distribution → easier testing

Core Features:

  1. Track: Self-Care Tools

    • Sleep, diet, physical activity tracking

    • Journal entries

    • Stressors tracking

    • Progress visualization

  2. Supporter Guide: Resource Hub

    • Educational modules

    • Keyword search for suicide prevention related information

  3. Contact: Support Network

    • Crisis support contacts and quick access to trusted contacts

    • Province-based support resources

  4. Favourites:

  • Store favourite content of the person caregiver is supporting, start conversations with them and engage in activities together.

  • Poetry, artwork, hiking, videos, photos

5. Power Stories:

  • Browse videos and stories of real-life survivors and caregivers

Pilot Testing

Pre-launch usability evaluation with 9 UX professionals to validate core functionality and identify final refinements.

Method:

  • Participants: 9 UX designers and researchers

  • Duration: 1 week testing period

  • Data Collection: Usability testing + structured feedback survey

Key Issues Identified:

  1. Navigation Flow

    • Enhanced heading color contrast

    • Improved deletion flow for journal entries

  2. Content Clarity

    • Refined About Us section copy

    • Enhanced infographic resolution in Supporter Guide

  3. Visual Hierarchy

    • Adjusted information density

    • Improved readability

Into-the-Wild Evaluation Study

Methods:

  • Conducted a one-week study with 50 caregivers based in Canada.

  • Mixed-methods approach: Pre-study survey, 1-week app usage, post-study survey, and semi-structured interviews

  • Pre- and post-study surveys to assess changes in caregiver well-being, confidence, and app usage.

  • In-depth interviews to gather qualitative feedback on user experience and identify areas for improvement.

Challenges:

  • Navigating institutional review board (IRB) processes

  • Time and budget constraints in participant recruitment: Literature review informed 1-week study duration to balance data collection and participant retention without financial incentives

  • Ethical Considerations: Ensuring participant well-being when interacting with sensitive app content, by providing support mechanisms and managing emotional responses during the study.

Key Findings:

  • Improved Mental Wellbeing: One week of app usage resulted in a significant increase in caregivers’ wellbeing scores (from 24.20 to 26.86), with 80% of participants reporting increased confidence in their ability to support individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts.

  • High User Engagement: 80% of caregivers reported high engagement, with 56% engaging multiple times weekly. The app achieved an average engagement score of 4.6/5 on the User Engagement Scale, with 90% of participants recommending it to other caregivers. Achieved a System Usability Score of 72.08/100, ranking "above average" with 89% of users finding the app easy to navigate.

  • Effective Persuasive Design: All implemented persuasive strategies were rated significantly effective (p < 0.001), with Power Stories (M = 4.02/5) and Contact (M = 3.99/5) features rated most impactful. 92% of users reported the app positively influenced their caregiving approach.

  • Positive feedback received on emotional support tools

  • Qualitative insights gathered on user experience and areas for improvement

Impact:

  • Tangible improvements in user confidence and app adoption

  • Actionable insights to guide future app development and refinement

Descriptive statistics and normality test results of Mental Wellbeing (SWEMWBS) scale. (M = Mean, SD = Standard Deviation, W = test statistic, df = degrees of freedom, p = probability value)

Ranks table with mean ranks result from Wilcoxon-signed rank test

User feedback quotes on impact of LifeLink on confidence levels (above) and value-added (below)

Frequency distribution of user engagement ratings

Next Steps

Building upon the evaluation study’s outcomes, the following next steps are identified to enhance LifeLink’s impact and scalability:

  • Design Refinements:

    • Implementing the eight actionable design principles generated from user research to address feedback for improved user engagement and accessibility.

    • Enhancing features like Power Stories and Contact tools to better support diverse caregiver needs.

  • Extended Testing:

    • Conducting a longitudinal study to evaluate sustained impacts of LifeLink over months of use.

    • Exploring variations in app effectiveness across different caregiver demographics.

  • Stakeholder presentation:

    • Presenting findings to stakeholders and partners (such as clinicians) for further validation.

Caregivers’ mental wellbeing scores pre and post-study

Stakeholder feedback

Challenges and Learnings

  • Challenges:

    • Balancing emotional sensitivity with technical functionality.

    • Designing for stressed, time-constrained users.

  • Key Learnings:

    • Empathy-driven design leads to better adoption.

    • Continuous user feedback is critical for tools addressing mental health needs.

Outcome and Impact

  • Final Product: LifeLink successfully addresses caregiver needs through intuitive design and functionality.

  • Outcomes:

    • Improved Mental Wellbeing: One week of app usage resulted in a significant increase in caregivers’ wellbeing scores (from 24.20 to 26.86), with 80% of participants showing improved scores post-study.

    • High User Engagement: 80% of caregivers reported high engagement, with 56% engaging multiple times weekly. The app achieved an average engagement score of 4.6/5 on the User Engagement Scale, with 90% of participants recommending it to other caregivers. Achieved a System Usability Score of 72.08/100, ranking "above average" with 89% of users finding the app easy to navigate.

    • Effective Persuasive Design: All implemented persuasive strategies were rated significantly effective (p < 0.001), with Power Stories (M = 4.02/5) and Contact (M = 3.99/5) features rated most impactful. 92% of users reported the app positively influenced their caregiving approach.

  • Impact:

    • Targeted Solution: Developed the first suicide prevention Android app for Canadian caregivers, filling a critical gap in suicide prevention solutions by addressing their unique needs.

    • Novel Research Approach: Created a caregiver-centered design approach, involving caregivers directly in app design, revealing previously unexplored needs and challenges through two-phase user research with 95 participants.

    • Design Guidelines: Generated eight actionable design principles for designing mental health applications to support caregivers, contributing to the broader field of mental health technology.

  • Future Plans: Scaling the app to reach larger caregiver communities.

Reflection

Designing the LifeLink app to support caregivers of individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts has been a transformative experience that has deepened my understanding of UX research and user-centered design. This project has taught me several valuable lessons:

  1. Empathy is Crucial: Working on a sensitive and high-impact area highlighted the importance of empathy in UX research. Understanding the emotional challenges and unique needs of caregivers was essential to create a truly supportive app. Actively listening to user stories helped me gain a deeper understanding of their experiences.

  2. User Involvement is Key: Engaging caregivers throughout the design process was crucial to ensure the app met their needs effectively. This project reinforced the importance of involving users early and often, as they are the experts in their own experiences.

  3. Balancing Functionality and Sensitivity: Designing for a sensitive topic like suicide prevention required striking a delicate balance between providing comprehensive support and maintaining a non-triggering, emotionally safe user experience. This taught me the importance of carefully considering the potential impact of each design decision and prioritizing user well-being throughout the research and design process.

  4. Collaboration is Powerful: Collaborating with mental health experts, community organizations, and other stakeholders brought diverse perspectives and expertise to the project. This collaboration enriched the design process and grounded the app in best practices and real-world contexts. It taught me the power of interdisciplinary collaboration in creating meaningful and impactful solutions.

Behind the Scenes

  • Name Evolution: Evolved from 'RescYou' and 'LifeSave' to 'LifeLink' to emphasize connection and empowerment over rescue - a key insight from caregiver research.

  • Intentional Design Details: Sample artworks within the app feature Van Gogh, Virginia Woolf, and Avicii - influential artists lost to suicide - creating deeper resonance with users while preserving artistic heritage.

  • Design Inspiration: Combined UI patterns from leading mental health apps (Headspace, Calm) with design elements from Spotify and Waking Up to create an experience that balances utility with emotional support.

Additional Project Documentation

  • Publications

  1. Smriti Jha, Gerry Chan, Seana Jewer, Vincent I O Agyapong, and Rita Orji (2025). “Bring them back to life”: LifeLink Application for Caregivers Dealing with Suicidality”. In 2025 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. Accepted January 2025.

  2. Smriti Jha, Gerry Chan, Seana Jewer, Vincent I O Agyapong, and Rita Orji (2025). “Engaging Caregivers in the Design of LifeLink : A Persuasive Mobile Application for Suicide Prevention”. In International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction, January 2025. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2025.2453608

  3. Smriti Jha (2024). Design and Evaluation of LifeLink: A Persuasive Mobile Application for Caregivers Dealing with Suicidality. [Master's Thesis]. Dalhousie University. In DalSpace, October 2024. http://hdl.handle.net/10222/84647

  4. Smriti Jha, Seana Jewer, Vincent I.O Agyapong, Rita Orji (2024). Can Your Smartphone Save A Life? A Systematic Review of Mobile-Based Interventions For Suicide Prevention. In International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction, March 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/10447318.2024.2323274

  5. Smriti Jha, Gerry Chan, Rita Orji (2023). Identification of Risk Factors for Suicide and Insights for Developing Suicide Prevention Technologies: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis. In Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, March 2023. https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/3923097

Thanks for reading! If you have any questions about the process for this study, feel free to contact me and I would be happy to go over in more detail!

User feedback themes and improvement suggestions from the qualitative analysis

My Contribution

Led the end-to-end UX research and design of LifeLink, the first suicide prevention app specifically for caregivers:

  • Targeted Solution: Developed a pioneering Android app for Canadian caregivers, filling a critical gap in suicide prevention solutions by addressing their unique needs.

  • Novel Research Approach: Created a caregiver-centered design approach, involving caregivers directly in app design, revealing previously unexplored needs and challenges through two-phase user research with 95 participants.

  • Design Guidelines: Generated eight actionable design principles for designing mental health applications to support caregivers, contributing to the broader field of mental health technology.

Outcomes

  1. Improved Mental Wellbeing: One week of app usage resulted in a significant increase in caregivers’ wellbeing scores (from 24.20 to 26.86), with 80% of participants showing improved scores post-study.

  2. High User Engagement: 80% of caregivers reported high engagement, with 56% engaging multiple times weekly. The app achieved an average engagement score of 4.6/5 on the User Engagement Scale, with 90% of participants recommending it to other caregivers. Achieved a System Usability Score of 72.08/100, ranking "above average" with 89% of users finding the app easy to navigate.

  3. Effective Persuasive Design: All implemented persuasive strategies were rated significantly effective (p < 0.001), with Power Stories (M = 4.02/5) and Contact (M = 3.99/5) features rated most impactful. 92% of users reported the app positively influenced their caregiving approach.

Relevant Tools

Figma, Miro, Balsamiq, Lucidchart, SPSS, Excel, Atlas.Ti, Python, Teams, Opinio

Link

Download the app📱