AfterLife App Design

My Role.

In three weeks, design a high-fidelity mockup for the application. Specifically, they wanted user flows for how to sign-up, add photos, and “bank your brain”.

Challenge: Around 150,000 people pass away every day globally. Many people fear that they will be forgotten or that important information might not get into the right hands after they pass.

Solution: AfterLife is an application that connects those who have passed with their loved ones offering a way to help with funeral planning, setting beneficiaries, sharing memories, and more.

Insight.

In 2021, my client and his partner had an idea for an app they called AfterLife. They were looking to appeal to investors to fund the development of the application. With a short timeline, they were looking for me to help them provide visual aids that would allow them to show potential investors how the app would work. Had they received the funding, these designs would have served as a basis for getting a team started on the path of design thinking to create a better-tested and more finalized app.

Research & Analysis.

First, I conducted a brief competitive analysis of similar products on the market. My goal was to try to understand what others were offering, look at their branding, and think about how I could help make AfterLife stand out from the rest. There wasn’t much out there that included the specific features of AfterLife, and what did exist either was something different than the intent for this app or only had some of the components that this app would provide (direct and indirect competitors).

Normally, UX Designers integrate into the entire design process, easing transitions and ensuring team alignment. Research and analysis typically require significant time and attention. Because this was not a priority at this time, I only spent about an hour doing some secondary research.

Logo Design.

Once I understood the user flow and layout, I proposed branding ideas featuring a simple logo with golden yellow and turquoise colors. The logo symbolizes a connection to loved ones who have passed, with a reference to the future and a bright sun. I noted a connection to the Virgin Mary and symbology that could be incorporated into a finalized logo down the road if they receive the funding they were seeking for their app.

My notes:

  • Mother Mary or Virgin Mary

  • Life & Death Connection

  • “By choosing to become human and to be born of a woman, God showed that he values human life and desires to be intimately involved in our world. Mary, as the mother of Jesus, is thus seen as a symbol of God’s love and a reminder of the importance of human relationships and connections.” - ffhl.org, The Importance Of Devotion To Mary In The Catholic Faith

  • Open hands

  • Downwardly inclined flowers of the daffodil - “Marry looking down to us from heaven” as family and friends would do if you subscribe to that ideology

  • Cornflower, Mary’s crown, bleeding heart, begonia buds, caladium leaves

Lofi Wireframes

Next, I took my learnings and information that I gathered from my client on what they wanted to include in the app and began to sketch some low-fidelity wireframes. These wireframes focused on user flow and layout. The tasks involved were how to sign in, add photos, and “Bank Your Brain”.

Figma: Screens and User Flows.

Next, I began working in Figma, beginning with the sign-in/register screen and through the various screens that would provide the examples of user flows that my client had asked for. When I start working in Figma, I like to make a note of my style guide and put the colors and typography used at the top for reference. I designed most of the elements in Figma, however, I designed the icons in Adobe Illustrator.

Accessibility is important in anything I design, but when it comes to an app like this, which everyone on the planet can use, it’s especially vital to think about minorities. When you design for those often overlooked, you only help to create a better experience for everyone. Here, you can see a few considerations I made:

  • Voice recording options

  • Large icons

  • Universal symbology

  • High contrast

These integrations will specifically help users with poor eyesight and those who may have difficulty using their hands to type.

Final Design & User Flows.

Watch this video to view how I navigate through the screens to sign in, add photos, and Bank Your Brain.

This video was recorded using Camtasia Software.

A Little Hype.

I created this video for my client to quickly showcase the idea for this product.