N=YOU
Digital-printable system helping users track symptoms, test routines, and understand their skin
Challenge
People with eczema struggle to track symptoms, triggers, and treatments consistently. Current symptom tracking tools are often inconsistent or burdensome to maintain.
N=You is a smart skin tracking system that helps users run their own “skin experiments” by logging symptoms, testing routines, and comparing results. The app surfaces patterns and generates printable reports that make medical conversations clearer and more productive.
My Role
I was the sole designer for this project. I conducted exploratory and generative research, defined a problem, conceptualized solutions, and designed components. This project was completed as part of an Interaction Design Studio course at CMU.
PROBLEM SPACE
Eczema is hard to track, and without support, key patterns and insights often get lost
Without an easy way to document patterns, it’s hard to communicate clearly with doctors or make informed decisions about care. Eczema requires ongoing attention and management to prevent long-term impact on well-being.
GENERATIVE RESEARCH
Research showed that tracking is often confusing and hard to sustain
I interviewed 6 people and conducted 2 contextual inquiries to learn how individuals with eczema track symptoms in daily life. Insights revealed motivations, barriers, and the role of tracking for personal reflection, self-advocacy, and medical communication.
Based on this data, I asked:
How might we make eczema care easier by supporting experimentation, pattern-finding, and sharing?
DESIGN SYSTEM
Structured tools and shareable reports help users uncover patterns and advocate for better care
The design system encourages users to think like scientists by setting up their own structured “experiments”. The mobile app guides users in creating control and treatment groups, logging symptoms, and spotting potential triggers over time. It also suggests symptoms to track and suggested setups for the control and treatment groups. To build reliable routines, it offers custom reminders based on daily habits.
The system can generate a printable report that translates user insights into a clear, visual summary, making it easier to communicate with doctors or reflect on progress. It’s designed like a science fair poster for your own skin.
Reflections
From Science Research to Design Research
This project helped me turn research into something real and useful while also incorporating my background in science. I learned how to take big scientific ideas and make them simple and personal so people can better understand their skin, not just track symptoms.