Tina Hui

Designing for Healthy Workspaces: Bridging Body Balance and Workplace Wellness Through UI/UX

Abstract

In an age where desk-based work dominates, musculoskeletal discomfort has become a widespread issue. Inspired by the structure of the spine’s structure—cervical, thoracic, and lumbar—this project reimagines how communication design approaches workplace wellness. By blending UI/UX principles with spinal mobility concepts, it envisions a transformative, user-friendly stretching program that integrates effortlessly into the daily routine.

The purpose of this phase was to explore and understand the connection between mind-body balance and its influence on sports engagement through visual design elements. This phase revealed how sports entities strategically utilize branding, color schemes, and visual components to convey their core essence and values, thereby fostering emotional connections with audiences. This was important to my practice as it highlighted the significant role of visual identity and design in bridging physical movement with human sensory perception, showing how design choices can deeply influence emotional responses. Reflecting on literature, I recognized that optimizing design strategies—particularly through thoughtful integration of branding and sensory-aligned visuals—can enhance user engagement and create a more profound, meaningful connection within the sports experience.

The purpose of this phase was to evaluate current fitness applications, focusing on usability and accessibility for addressing physical discomfort from prolonged sitting. The review revealed that while apps like Apple Fitness+ and Just Dance include gamification and progress tracking, they often lack convenience for office settings due to space and time demands. This insight highlighted the need for a tailored design offering brief, desk-friendly exercises aligned with user needs, supporting research on user-centered design’s importance in targeting specific lifestyles. Additionally, the development of a user persona emphasized health-conscious, efficiency-seeking individuals, guiding design decisions toward unobtrusive and effective stretches. A user experience map then clarified the app’s user journey from onboarding to feedback, stressing intuitive navigation and retention. This approach, grounded in literature on information architecture and interactive prototyping, ensures the app’s seamless integration into daily routines.

The purpose of this phase was to gain expert insights on spinal health and posture through a consultation with Dr. Terence, a chiropractor who combines spinal mechanics with patient care. This phase revealed how targeted stretches can restore joint motion, reduce pain, and improve flexibility, particularly through specific movements for the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. This was important as it grounded my research in scientific knowledge, reinforcing the need for a user-friendly, educational app experience. The insights guided key design decisions for “Spine Flow,” with branding elements that visually reflect spinal structure—rounded letterforms to mimic bone curves—and a calming color palette inspired by natural skin tones and healing blues. This aligns with literature emphasizing scientifically grounded, engaging design for promoting user well-being.