When my team began working on Pawse, our goal was to create an app that would make mental wellness both accessible and engaging for Gen Z. With mental health challenges rising among younger generations, we saw an opportunity to design a product that could help people prioritize their well-being in a fun and meaningful way. After conducting thorough research, including user surveys and literature review, we identified that Gen Z not only struggles with mental health but also craves interactive and rewarding experiences that keep them engaged and interested. This insight led to the development of Pawse — a mental wellness app that combines gamification with the comfort of caring for a virtual pet.

Pawse is designed to make mental wellness feel like a fun, interactive experience. Users earn coins by completing wellness activities, such as a mood check in and an interactive diary, which they can spend on gifts for their virtual pet. The app’s playful design, with colorful visuals and gamified elements, helps make mental wellness a part of their daily routine.

Reflecting on the product journey, Pawse has successfully created a space where Gen Z can prioritize their mental wellness in an enjoyable way. The positive feedback from users shows that combining fun elements with evidence-based wellness tools can lead to long-term engagement and satisfaction. This project is a reminder of how design, when approached thoughtfully and holistically, can create solutions that not only address user needs but also promote meaningful change in the way people interact with themselves and their health.