Outcomes
Launched in December 2024, this AI-driven app is already making waves, with users engaging 12 times per week and sharing glowing feedback. As one user put it, “It’s crazy how much this app hits the nail on the head every time.” By blending AI with sharp UX strategy, we created a product that didn’t just meet Gen Z’s needs—it anticipated them.
Role
As Head of Product Design, I led the end-to-end product discovery and UX strategy—from initial user research and prototyping through final designs. I collaborated closely with the founder and head of engineering to define the MVP, shape the roadmap, and create a differentiated AI-powered experience tailored to Gen Z’s expectations.
The Challenge
Gen Z officially became the largest group of first-time parents in 2024—tech-native, AI-curious, and fluent in piecing together personalized solutions from many sources. But pregnancy apps hadn’t kept up.
Our early research surfaced critical gaps:
Stale, unpersonalized content: Gen Z wanted science-backed info and holistic, lifestyle-oriented guidance. They cared about making informed choices across modalities—from OBs and midwives to nutrition and supplements.
Mothers left out: Most existing apps focused heavily on fetal development. But users also wanted support for their own physical and emotional changes—how to prep their bodies, spaces, and minds each week.
Overload, not clarity: Our users were toggling between multiple apps and Google, curating their own patchwork of answers. They only used a fraction of most apps and cited poor personalization as a core reason.
Hypothesis:
If we created a highly personalized, AI-driven experience that combined holistic health guidance with real developmental support—for both baby and mom—we could become the go-to tool for Gen Z pregnancy.
The Approach
Our goal was to reimagine how a pregnancy app feels to use—more intuitive, less clinical. This meant building trust in AI, simplifying input/output, and aligning design with the ways Gen Z actually interacts with tech.
What we explored:
Multiple interaction styles: Early prototypes tested feature-rich flows like to-do lists, planners, and comparison tools. But users expected simplicity: easy inputs with smart, tailored outputs.
Ways to build trust: We tested different tones and interfaces to help users feel confident engaging with AI on personal topics like health, emotions, and lifestyle.
What we prioritized:
Simplicity and intelligence: Based on user feedback, we streamlined the experience so users could input a single question, or even better, tap personalized content that anticipated their questions before they even had to ask.
Layered engagement: The final experience included passive content (scrollable feeds and daily articles), personalized prompts for deeper interaction, and a “Groupchat” of curated peer questions.
Built-in memory: AI remembered personal details—due date, family structure, even hometown—to give more context-aware responses over time.
Conversational onboarding: To teach users how to engage with the app, we introduced a chatbot-style onboarding flow that modeled behavior from the start.
Gen Z-first visuals: Bold colors, a maximalist UI, and irreverent tone helped us differentiate from legacy apps and connect with our audience’s aesthetics.
As Head of Product Design, I worked closely with the founder and head of engineering to align user needs with technical feasibility. I led synthesis of the research, prototyped and tested feature ideas, and helped the team prioritize what would deliver the most impact in our MVP.
Results and Impact
We launched in December 2024 with a product that resonated deeply—both in metrics and in sentiment.
Strong early engagement: Users averaged 12 sessions per week, significantly higher than comparable apps in the category.
Validated resonance: I conducted post-launch interviews to test our hypothesis, and heard again and again that the app felt like it truly understood them:
“This app feels like it’s actually speaking to me.”
“It’s crazy how much this app hits the nail on the head every time.”
By designing with Gen Z’s needs, values, and tech fluency at the center—and by shaping AI into something usable and intuitive—we didn’t just meet expectations. We redefined what pregnancy support could feel like.
