MelloMind meditation

Short sumaary

$500K

Raise in seed valuation

24

Sessions of usability testing

56.6 -> 81

Increased system usability scale Score

Key features

All in one menu

A simple, well-organized main menu reduces cognitive load and helps users stay focused on the meditative experience

Pleasant scape from the reality

VR scenes are designed to fully immerse users in calm, surreal environments—offering a break from everyday stress and distractions

Design process

XR research

ISM began with a pilot research phase to explore VR meditation, resulting in a testable prototype before I joined as the VR designer. Early usability testing provided key insights that shaped our design direction. Building on those findings and considering VR constraints, we moved into a competitive audit to identify gaps and opportunities in the market.

3D design and initial VR prototype

ISM and EsVedra collaboratively decided on designing new VR scenes with a different look. We picked themes and moods for these immersive spaces, creating various concepts based on XR research. After discussions with the team to decide on the experience for each scene, including the environment, storyboards, and architecture, we moved on to 3D design and developed them for initial VR testing.

Iteration and VR testing

After the initial testing, we fine-tuned the experience and 3D design. We brought the 3D spaces into the Unreal game engine, incorporated environmental sounds and motions. Different videos were created as a mock-up of the experience and were shared with EsVedra for additional feedback. With all the feedback in hand, we made further technical refinements before passing the designs on to the development team.

Previus UI

Following the XR design phase, I took on the role of lead product designer in the project. Given my experience in designing VR scenes, I worked with the team to polish the product’s end-to-end experience and establish a cohesive design language. We kept iterating, guided by insights from our first usability test and feedback from the design review.

The initial menu UI (created by the previous design team)

Usability testing feedback + our design review notes for the first UI

Whole product view + second UI

We used insights from our first usability test to shape our next design steps. I planned and organized a second round of testing using a mid-fidelity prototype based on our initial user flow. Our goal was to get feedback on the new VR maps, understand what users liked or struggled with, and improve the overall flow before finalizing the design.

Usability Testing for the second UI (Mid-fi prototype)

Usability testing feedback from the second UI

Competitors

To find solutions that truly mattered to users, we analyzed how competitors tackled similar design challenges. We organized hands-on sessions where team members explored competitor products using VR headsets to gain deeper insights.

MelloMind user flow

User feedback and competitor analysis helped us spot gaps in the user flow that we had initially missed. Around this time, EsVedra introduced the product’s new name, “MelloMind.” As we moved into final UI design, we refined and improved the user flow accordingly.

Pivot the VR experience final product

In-depth user research and multiple rounds of usability testing helped us uncover key challenges and identify the most effective solutions.

Challenge 1

• Poor readability of written content the headset
• Reading lengthy text causes motion sickness in VR

Solutions

• Created cards for key information about each scene
• Added informative naming and removed the long description
• Used a cover image to communicate the scene’s feel
• Implemented a curved ergonomic menu

Challenge 2

• VR interface is new for a lot of users
• Complicating the flow increases user cognitive load.

Solutions

• combined all functionalities in one menu
• Used standard icons for play, pause, and restart actions
• Visualized meditation progress with a circular status bar
• Differentiate current meditation card from others

Challenge 3

• No control over sensory experience negatively impacts the VR practice

Solutions

• Access brightness and volume controllers on the main menu
• Ensured button size met VR accessibility standards

Challenge 4

• Users need to be reminded of how to use the controllers in VR as well as in our product

Solutions

• Designed an easy to follow tutorial cards with a voice over
• Visuals to help locate controller buttons with headset on

Developer Walkthrough: Feature & UX Improvements

Reflections

This project combined my industrial design background with product design skills and deepened my understanding of VR’s unique challenges. Unlike mobile or desktop platforms, VR required greater sensitivity to space, motion and hardware limitations—pushing me to adapt my design thinking.

A major lesson was learning to detach from early ideas. Letting go of assumptions led to clearer user insights and a more focused product vision. Iterative testing revealed gaps between intention and real user behavior, requiring us to pivot and refine.