Cerebloom
As a thesis project, Cerebloom started with a simple question: if we track the body, why not the mind? It's a mobile app that turns everyday activities into a gentle way to measure and strengthen cognitive health.
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problem
Wellness apps calm the mind. Productivity apps speed it up. Nothing trains it. Meditation apps focus on relaxation, brain-training apps rely on isolated games with weak transfer to daily life. There was no product treating cognitive skills the way fitness treats physical ones.
solution
A fitness-style tracker for the mind. Users log activities they already do (reading, chess, a new language) across six cognitive domains, and watch their progress grow over weeks, the way they'd track runs or lifts.
People were already training their brains, with no way to see it.
Cerebloom is my thesis project, a mobile app that brings fitness-style tracking to cognitive health. I had apps tracking every workout and every hour of sleep, but nothing for my brain. Research and interviews showed the same gap: most brain apps ask for more screen time with games, while the real benefits come from everyday life. Cerebloom lets people log the activities they already do, see their progress, and build cognitive reserve over time in a warm, encouraging way.
year
2026
timeframe
4 months
tools
Figma, Adobe Illustrator
category
Personal Project
the research
Before designing anything, I wanted to understand what people already do for their brains. I interviewed 6 adults aged 25–55, in person and online, across different professions and comfort levels with health-tech. What I heard → what I designed People already read, learn languages and play chess, but can't see the benefit → Cerebloom tracks real-life activities, not in-app games. Busy professionals want proof, not promises → clear trends and insights per cognitive domain. Others have no time for another app → one-tap logging and one clear insight a day.
who is it for
the flow
Mapped six user flows and the IA to understand how people would actually move through the app — before designing a single screen.
sketching a clearer path
Low-fidelity wireframes let me test the flows before committing to visuals. I focused on three questions: how fast can someone log an activity, how do progress and streaks feel encouraging rather than judgmental, and how much data is too much on a single screen. Logging went from a multi-step form to a few taps, with details made optional.
the system
One system, built to fit into daily life. Reusable components for the nav, buttons, chips, cards and icons, a colour for each cognitive domain. Simple enough to use every day, consistent enough to feel familiar from the first tap.
the app
Where research becomes a real product. From a welcoming onboarding to one-tap logging, visual insights and a friendly library, every screen is designed to make brain health visible, simple and encouraging.
the hardest part was keeping a health app free of anxiety. Copy, color, empty states and notifications were all designed to encourage, never to guilt.
designing health-tech isn't just UX, it's responsibility: every word reaches people trusting the app with their wellbeing.
next: a smartwatch companion for one-tap logging, group challenges like a shared book club, and a caregiver mode for older relatives.
