Helping young people take control of their drinking with support, data, and compassion (6 min read)
Helping young people take control of their drinking with support, data, and compassion (6 min read)
Helping young people take control of their drinking with support, data, and compassion
(6 min read)
Health Tech · Mobile App · Group Project · MSc UX
Health Tech · Mobile App · Group Project · MSc UX
👋🏽 Project overview
👋🏽 Project overview
Clink is an alcohol management mobile app designed for young people who are ready to change their relationship with alcohol but need more than a drink log to do it.
Built as part of my MSc in User Experience Design at Birmingham City University, it combines sobriety tracking, conversational AI, anonymous community support, and therapist access in a single, compassionate experience.
Clink is an alcohol management mobile app designed for young people who are ready to change their relationship with alcohol but need more than a drink log to do it.
Built as part of my MSc in User Experience Design at Birmingham City University, it combines sobriety tracking, conversational AI, anonymous community support, and therapist access in a single, compassionate experience.
My Role
UI/UX Designer
UI/UX Designer
Research synthesis
Research synthesis
Low-fi wireframes
Low-fi wireframes
Visual design
Visual design
High-fi designs
High-fi designs
User journey mapping
User journey mapping
Competitive analysis
Competitive analysis
Accessibility design
Accessibility design
Prototype
Prototype
Platforms
Platforms
iOS
iOS
Android
Android
Year
Year
2024
2024
✅ The Challenge
✅ The Challenge
Alcohol addiction among young people in the UK is a serious and under-addressed public health problem. 10.4 million people in the UK are drinking at increasing or high-risk levels.
There are an estimated 602,391 dependent drinkers in England alone, and 82% of them are not receiving any treatment.
The barriers aren’t just practical. Social stigma makes people afraid to ask for help.
Mental health issues, depression, anxiety, and trauma frequently co-exist with alcohol dependency, each making the other worse. And the apps that did exist were passive: log your drinks, see a calendar, get a reminder. They tracked the problem without addressing the person behind it.
Our brief was to design something better: a digital solution that could meet young people where they are, reduce the friction of seeking help, and support them through the full journey, not just on their best days.
Alcohol addiction among young people in the UK is a serious and under-addressed public health problem. 10.4 million people in the UK are drinking at increasing or high-risk levels.
There are an estimated 602,391 dependent drinkers in England alone, and 82% of them are not receiving any treatment.
The barriers aren’t just practical. Social stigma makes people afraid to ask for help.
Mental health issues, depression, anxiety, and trauma frequently co-exist with alcohol dependency, each making the other worse. And the apps that did exist were passive: log your drinks, see a calendar, get a reminder. They tracked the problem without addressing the person behind it.
Our brief was to design something better: a digital solution that could meet young people where they are, reduce the friction of seeking help, and support them through the full journey, not just on their best days.
💻 My Responsibilities
💻 My Responsibilities
As one of four UX designers in Group B4, I contributed across the full project arc:
As one of four UX designers in Group B4, I contributed across the full project arc:
• Led the competitive analysis of existing alcohol management apps
• Led the competitive analysis of existing alcohol management apps
Sober Sidekick, NHS Drink Free Days, and Try Dry January, identifying gaps in progress tracking, moderation tools, and community safety.
Sober Sidekick, NHS Drink Free Days, and Try Dry January, identifying gaps in progress tracking, moderation tools, and community safety.
• Conducted and synthesised survey research with 11 respondents
• Conducted and synthesised survey research with 11 respondents
Identifying that 9 out of 10 did not use any app to manage their drinking and that health was the primary motivation for wanting to change.
Identifying that 9 out of 10 did not use any app to manage their drinking and that health was the primary motivation for wanting to change.
• Contributed to the creation of four user personas
• Contributed to the creation of four user personas
Including two personas with disabilities (paraplegia and visual impairment), ensuring the design was inclusive from the start.
Including two personas with disabilities (paraplegia and visual impairment), ensuring the design was inclusive from the start.
• Built empathy maps
• Built empathy maps
An information architecture diagram, user journey diagrams, and a full user journey map with scenarios based on the personas.
An information architecture diagram, user journey diagrams, and a full user journey map with scenarios based on the personas.
• Designed low-fidelity wireframes
• Designed low-fidelity wireframes
For the digital diary, home screen, conversational AI onboarding, and community screens
For the digital diary, home screen, conversational AI onboarding, and community screens
• Contributed to the high-fidelity mobile designs
• Contributed to the high-fidelity mobile designs
Across the onboarding, home, therapist booking, and community flows.
Across the onboarding, home, therapist booking, and community flows.
🛠️ Problem Statement
🛠️ Problem Statement
How might we design a digital experience that helps young people in the UK reduce or stop alcohol consumption in a way that feels safe and non-judgemental, addresses the emotional and social barriers to seeking help, and supports users through both good days and relapses?
How might we design a digital experience that helps young people in the UK reduce or stop alcohol consumption in a way that feels safe and non-judgemental, addresses the emotional and social barriers to seeking help, and supports users through both good days and relapses?
🧠 Design Thinking Process
🧠 Design Thinking Process
We followed a human-centred design process across five stages, using each phase to ground our decisions in real user needs rather than assumptions.
• Empathise
• Empathise
We ran a survey with 11 respondents to understand drinking habits, motivations for change, and app usage. We also reviewed existing research on alcohol’s neurological effects and its relationship to mental health in the UK context.
We ran a survey with 11 respondents to understand drinking habits, motivations for change, and app usage. We also reviewed existing research on alcohol’s neurological effects and its relationship to mental health in the UK context.
• Define
• Define
We synthesised survey findings, competitive analysis, and secondary research into four personas, two empathy maps, and a clear problem statement. A key finding: 55% of respondents said health was their primary motivation to quit, yet 90% weren’t using any app to help them.
We synthesised survey findings, competitive analysis, and secondary research into four personas, two empathy maps, and a clear problem statement. A key finding: 55% of respondents said health was their primary motivation to quit, yet 90% weren’t using any app to help them.
• Ideate
• Ideate
Using FigJam, we mapped an information architecture across six core product areas (Health Topics, Digital Diary, Conversational AI, Community, Therapists, and Notifications) and generated feature concepts through structured ideation.
Using FigJam, we mapped an information architecture across six core product areas (Health Topics, Digital Diary, Conversational AI, Community, Therapists, and Notifications) and generated feature concepts through structured ideation.
• Prototype
• Prototype
We built low-fidelity paper wireframes covering 12+ screens before moving into high-fidelity Figma designs. The prototype covered onboarding, home, diary, community, therapist booking, and health resources.
We built low-fidelity paper wireframes covering 12+ screens before moving into high-fidelity Figma designs. The prototype covered onboarding, home, diary, community, therapist booking, and health resources.
• Test
• Test
We validated the prototype against our four personas and gathered feedback that confirmed the community feature and digital diary resonated most, and identified the need for wearable integration as a future priority.
We validated the prototype against our four personas and gathered feedback that confirmed the community feature and digital diary resonated most, and identified the need for wearable integration as a future priority.
🔎 Key Insights from Research
🔎 Key Insights from Research
Our research combined a survey of 11 respondents with secondary data on alcohol use in the UK and a competitive audit of three existing apps. Here’s what shaped our design decisions:
Our research combined a survey of 11 respondents with secondary data on alcohol use in the UK and a competitive audit of three existing apps. Here’s what shaped our design decisions:
📊 Survey findings
📊 Survey findings
• Drinking frequency
• Drinking frequency
5 out of 10 respondents drank 2–3 times a week. 2 drank 4 or more times a week, a clinically significant frequency.
5 out of 10 respondents drank 2–3 times a week. 2 drank 4 or more times a week, a clinically significant frequency.
• No apps in use
• No apps in use
9 out of 10 respondents said they did not use any mobile app to manage their drinking. The market gap was real
9 out of 10 respondents said they did not use any mobile app to manage their drinking. The market gap was real
• Health as the primary motivator
• Health as the primary motivator
55% of those wanting to quit cited health as the main reason. This told us the app needed to make health consequences visible and personal not abstract.
55% of those wanting to quit cited health as the main reason. This told us the app needed to make health consequences visible and personal not abstract.
• Prior attempts relied on lifestyle changes
• Prior attempts relied on lifestyle changes
Most quit attempts involved exercise, yoga, or simply ‘distraction’ not structured support. This validated the need for structured tools.
Most quit attempts involved exercise, yoga, or simply ‘distraction’ not structured support. This validated the need for structured tools.
• Mixed appetite for professional help
• Mixed appetite for professional help
50% said they’d seek professional help through an app if not currently getting it, and 50% were open to connecting with a community of others trying to quit. Both features needed to be in the product
50% said they’d seek professional help through an app if not currently getting it, and 50% were open to connecting with a community of others trying to quit. Both features needed to be in the product
📊 Competitive analysis findings
📊 Competitive analysis findings
• Sober Sidekick
• Sober Sidekick
Strong on community and anonymous sharing, but lacked a proper progress tracker and had moderation risks with unfiltered posts.
Strong on community and anonymous sharing, but lacked a proper progress tracker and had moderation risks with unfiltered posts.
• NHS Drink Free Days
• NHS Drink Free Days
Good at awareness and milestone celebration, but entirely passive, it could track and cut down drinking but couldn’t help users overcome it.
Good at awareness and milestone celebration, but entirely passive, it could track and cut down drinking but couldn’t help users overcome it.
• Try Dry January
• Try Dry January
Mood, badge, and mission system was engaging, but still static and not designed for long-term behaviour change
Mood, badge, and mission system was engaging, but still static and not designed for long-term behaviour change
The gap across all three: no single app combined structured progress tracking, community, professional access, and personalised AI support. That combination became Clink’s core proposition.
The gap across all three: no single app combined structured progress tracking, community, professional access, and personalised AI support. That combination became Clink’s core proposition.
🧩 Solution Highlights
🧠 Conversational AI
Our survey revealed that most previous quit attempts relied on distraction and lifestyle changes rather than structured support. The conversational AI was designed to fill that gap, providing a private, non-judgemental space for users to reflect on cravings, log how they’re feeling, and receive personalised guidance.
Crucially, it doubles as the onboarding mechanism: instead of a form, users answer questions through a conversation, making the experience feel human from the first interaction.
Our survey revealed that most previous quit attempts relied on distraction and lifestyle changes rather than structured support. The conversational AI was designed to fill that gap, providing a private, non-judgemental space for users to reflect on cravings, log how they’re feeling, and receive personalised guidance.
Crucially, it doubles as the onboarding mechanism: instead of a form, users answer questions through a conversation, making the experience feel human from the first interaction.
📈 Personalised Dashboard
One of the clearest signals from research was that users wanted to track progress but existing apps tracked only what they drank, not how they were changing. The Clink dashboard surfaces a sober tracker score, a logged streak, alcohol savings in pounds, and a mood check-in on a single screen.
Every metric was chosen because it answers a question users actually care about: Am I improving? What am I gaining? How do I feel today?
One of the clearest signals from research was that users wanted to track progress but existing apps tracked only what they drank, not how they were changing. The Clink dashboard surfaces a sober tracker score, a logged streak, alcohol savings in pounds, and a mood check-in on a single screen.
Every metric was chosen because it answers a question users actually care about: Am I improving? What am I gaining? How do I feel today?
🫂 Anonymous Support Community
50% of survey respondents said they’d be interested in connecting with others trying to quit.
But stigma was the primary barrier to seeking help in the first place. We designed the community as fully anonymous by default, with no direct messaging (a deliberate choice to address the safety weakness we identified in Sober Sidekick).
Users can post, comment, and offer empathy badges, but within a moderated, safe environment.
50% of survey respondents said they’d be interested in connecting with others trying to quit.
But stigma was the primary barrier to seeking help in the first place. We designed the community as fully anonymous by default, with no direct messaging (a deliberate choice to address the safety weakness we identified in Sober Sidekick).
Users can post, comment, and offer empathy badges, but within a moderated, safe environment.
🧑⚕️ Therapist Access
The competitive audit showed no existing app made it easy to connect to a licensed therapist within the same experience. Clink’s therapist module lets users browse certified therapists, view their specialisations and patient counts, and book appointments directly with calendar integration and email confirmation.
The design deliberately shows therapist credibility signals (years of experience, patient count, reviews) before the booking step, addressing the trust barrier our research surfaced.
The competitive audit showed no existing app made it easy to connect to a licensed therapist within the same experience. Clink’s therapist module lets users browse certified therapists, view their specialisations and patient counts, and book appointments directly with calendar integration and email confirmation.
The design deliberately shows therapist credibility signals (years of experience, patient count, reviews) before the booking step, addressing the trust barrier our research surfaced.
♿ Inclusive UX for Users with Disabilities
We designed explicitly for users with physical and sensory disabilities. William (paraplegia) and Maria (visual impairment) were full personas with distinct goals, habits, and pain points, not afterthoughts.
For Maria, this meant designing with screen reader compatibility, voice-guided navigation, and accessible content formats in mind. This pushed us to question every design decision: does this work if you can’t see it? Does this work if you can’t use your hands?
We designed explicitly for users with physical and sensory disabilities. William (paraplegia) and Maria (visual impairment) were full personas with distinct goals, habits, and pain points, not afterthoughts.
For Maria, this meant designing with screen reader compatibility, voice-guided navigation, and accessible content formats in mind. This pushed us to question every design decision: does this work if you can’t see it? Does this work if you can’t use your hands?
📊 The Results
💡 What I Learned
• People recovering from addiction don’t just need tools, they need safety, empathy, and autonomy
• People recovering from addiction don’t just need tools, they need safety, empathy, and autonomy
Every design decision had to pass a test: does this feel supportive, or does it feel like surveillance? The difference between a progress tracker that motivates and one that shames is almost entirely in the framing.
Every design decision had to pass a test: does this feel supportive, or does it feel like surveillance? The difference between a progress tracker that motivates and one that shames is almost entirely in the framing.
• Building for inclusivity pushes you to design better for everyone
• Building for inclusivity pushes you to design better for everyone
Designing explicitly for Maria’s visual impairment and William’s paraplegia forced our team to question assumptions we’d have otherwise left unexamined. The result was a more considered product for every user.
Designing explicitly for Maria’s visual impairment and William’s paraplegia forced our team to question assumptions we’d have otherwise left unexamined. The result was a more considered product for every user.
• Sobriety is personal. Apps should support, not dictate, the journey
• Sobriety is personal. Apps should support, not dictate, the journey
Our survey showed that people’s motivations for quitting were deeply individual: health, family, money, and self-worth. Clink was designed to let users define their own version of success rather than imposing a single sobriety metric on everyone.
Our survey showed that people’s motivations for quitting were deeply individual: health, family, money, and self-worth. Clink was designed to let users define their own version of success rather than imposing a single sobriety metric on everyone.
• Group design is a design challenge in itself
• Group design is a design challenge in itself
Coordinating across four designers required the same skills as coordinating across four stakeholders: clear communication, shared language, willingness to critique and be critiqued.
Coordinating across four designers required the same skills as coordinating across four stakeholders: clear communication, shared language, willingness to critique and be critiqued.
