Active
The project aims to reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases among Kharkiv residents by promoting preventive measures.
Industry
Position
What I did
As a Product Designer, I led discovery, research, and concept design for Active, a preventive-health platform aimed at reducing cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among Kharkiv residents. I ran a full research cycle: a 175-respondent survey plus 7 in-depth interviews to understand why people know the risk factors but still don't act on them; the results validated 5 of 8 initial hypotheses and directly shaped the product's motivational strategy. From there, I built personas, mapped the customer journey, benchmarked 15 competing health/fitness products, prioritized features with MoSCoW, and defined the Lean Canvas and value proposition before landing on the MVP concept: a QR-code-driven Android app built around a "life expectancy" score that turns preventive behavior into an immediate, emotional feedback loop.
How I did it, and what I used:
Started from research, not assumptions
Ran a 175-respondent survey and 7 in-depth interviews to test 8 hypotheses about why Ukrainians know the risks of cardiovascular disease but don't act on them, rather than designing straight from a brief.Found the real gap: awareness without action
The data confirmed people understand CVD risk factors (60% ignore nutrition, half don't exercise, 20% smoke) but only change behavior after a health scare, not from information alone, which killed the "just educate them" approach.Benchmarked the competitive landscape
Analyzed 15 existing CVD and fitness products and found no localized, Ukrainian-language solution that combined health education, activity motivation, and community in one place.Designed for motivation, not just information
Since research showed digital tools alone don't drive behavior change, I built the concept around a "life expectancy" score, gamified progress, and community support instead of a static content feed.Structured the discovery around real stakeholders
Mapped goals across users, employers (e.g., EPAM), sports organizations, and government health bodies, then set design principles ("Be a friend," "Be an inspiration," "Be a piece of cake") to keep the product grounded in their actual needs.Prioritized and validated before building
Used empathy maps, personas, and a customer journey map to synthesize research, then MoSCoW prioritization and a Lean Canvas to scope a buildable Android MVP across an 11-week process, from discovery through prototyping and testing.
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