Case Study

CARMEN

CARMEN is a gentle fitness companion created to help new mothers reconnect with their strength and confidence through short, safe workouts that fit naturally into the unpredictable rhythm of life with a newborn.

Background

The more we listened to new mothers, the clearer it became: the desire to feel strong again was there, but time wasn’t. Their days were filled with caring for someone else, leaving little space for themselves. And even when a quiet moment appeared, many weren’t sure what kind of exercise was safe or where to begin.

This project grew out of that reality. Our goal wasn’t to push mothers into routines they couldn’t maintain but to design something that understood them. Something that respected exhaustion, celebrated small victories, and made self-care feel possible again.

 

Goal

We wanted to design a fitness experience that adapts to a mother’s day, not the other way around. CARMEN’s purpose is simple: Make movement feel achievable, supportive, and emotionally uplifting for women recovering after birth.

 

Process

We started by gathering stories. Through interviews, surveys and literature, we saw the same patterns appear: limited time, low energy, interruptions, and uncertainty around post-natal safety. From these insights emerged “Busy Becky,” our primary persona, a warm, determined mother doing her best, yet often stretched thin.

 

Using Becky’s everyday life as our anchor, we created scenarios that showed both the frustration of interrupted workouts and the joy of moments shared between mother and child. These stories shaped our design decisions: one-hand navigation, quick access to workouts, short video formats, and a calm visual tone.

 

We developed user flows and wireframes that prioritized clarity, simplicity and reassurance. Guided by Norman’s Three Levels of Design, we built an experience where visuals feel safe, interactions feel intuitive, and emotional touchpoints, like gentle affirmations or progress reminders, play a supportive role.

 

With each iteration, CARMEN became less like a traditional fitness app and more like a small, steady companion in an unpredictable chapter of life.

 

 

 

Result

CARMEN is a soft, welcoming space where mothers can show up for themselves, even if only for a few minutes. The app offers:

  • short, guided workouts designed for post-natal needs
  • quick navigation that respects limited time
  • simple goal-setting and progress tracking
  • small motivational moments
  • a sense of community and connection

It doesn’t expect perfection. It simply makes room for growth.

 

 

 

 

What I Have Learned

Working on CARMEN taught me how deeply context matters in design, especially when creating for people who are stretched emotionally and physically. I learned to translate not just functional needs, but emotional needs into the product: reassurance, simplicity, and moments of encouragement.

 

I discovered how powerful micro-interactions can be when someone’s day is fragile, and how empathy isn’t just a mindset, it’s a design method. Most of all, I learned that good design doesn’t demand more from the user. It meets them exactly where they are.

 

 

 

Case Study

CARMEN

CARMEN is a gentle fitness companion created to help new mothers reconnect with their strength and confidence through short, safe workouts that fit naturally into the unpredictable rhythm of life with a newborn.

Background

The more we listened to new mothers, the clearer it became: the desire to feel strong again was there, but time wasn’t. Their days were filled with caring for someone else, leaving little space for themselves. And even when a quiet moment appeared, many weren’t sure what kind of exercise was safe or where to begin.

This project grew out of that reality. Our goal wasn’t to push mothers into routines they couldn’t maintain but to design something that understood them. Something that respected exhaustion, celebrated small victories, and made self-care feel possible again.

 

Goal

We wanted to design a fitness experience that adapts to a mother’s day, not the other way around. CARMEN’s purpose is simple: Make movement feel achievable, supportive, and emotionally uplifting for women recovering after birth.

 

Process

We started by gathering stories. Through interviews, surveys and literature, we saw the same patterns appear: limited time, low energy, interruptions, and uncertainty around post-natal safety. From these insights emerged “Busy Becky,” our primary persona, a warm, determined mother doing her best, yet often stretched thin.

 

Using Becky’s everyday life as our anchor, we created scenarios that showed both the frustration of interrupted workouts and the joy of moments shared between mother and child. These stories shaped our design decisions: one-hand navigation, quick access to workouts, short video formats, and a calm visual tone.

 

We developed user flows and wireframes that prioritized clarity, simplicity and reassurance. Guided by Norman’s Three Levels of Design, we built an experience where visuals feel safe, interactions feel intuitive, and emotional touchpoints, like gentle affirmations or progress reminders, play a supportive role.

 

With each iteration, CARMEN became less like a traditional fitness app and more like a small, steady companion in an unpredictable chapter of life.

 

 

 

Result

CARMEN is a soft, welcoming space where mothers can show up for themselves, even if only for a few minutes. The app offers:

  • short, guided workouts designed for post-natal needs
  • quick navigation that respects limited time
  • simple goal-setting and progress tracking
  • small motivational moments
  • a sense of community and connection

It doesn’t expect perfection. It simply makes room for growth.

 

 

 

 

What I Have Learned

Working on CARMEN taught me how deeply context matters in design, especially when creating for people who are stretched emotionally and physically. I learned to translate not just functional needs, but emotional needs into the product: reassurance, simplicity, and moments of encouragement.

 

I discovered how powerful micro-interactions can be when someone’s day is fragile, and how empathy isn’t just a mindset, it’s a design method. Most of all, I learned that good design doesn’t demand more from the user. It meets them exactly where they are.

 

 

 

Case Study

CARMEN

CARMEN is a gentle fitness companion created to help new mothers reconnect with their strength and confidence through short, safe workouts that fit naturally into the unpredictable rhythm of life with a newborn.

Background

The more we listened to new mothers, the clearer it became: the desire to feel strong again was there, but time wasn’t. Their days were filled with caring for someone else, leaving little space for themselves. And even when a quiet moment appeared, many weren’t sure what kind of exercise was safe or where to begin.

This project grew out of that reality. Our goal wasn’t to push mothers into routines they couldn’t maintain but to design something that understood them. Something that respected exhaustion, celebrated small victories, and made self-care feel possible again.

 

Goal

We wanted to design a fitness experience that adapts to a mother’s day, not the other way around. CARMEN’s purpose is simple: Make movement feel achievable, supportive, and emotionally uplifting for women recovering after birth.

 

Process

We started by gathering stories. Through interviews, surveys and literature, we saw the same patterns appear: limited time, low energy, interruptions, and uncertainty around post-natal safety. From these insights emerged “Busy Becky,” our primary persona, a warm, determined mother doing her best, yet often stretched thin.

 

Using Becky’s everyday life as our anchor, we created scenarios that showed both the frustration of interrupted workouts and the joy of moments shared between mother and child. These stories shaped our design decisions: one-hand navigation, quick access to workouts, short video formats, and a calm visual tone.

 

We developed user flows and wireframes that prioritized clarity, simplicity and reassurance. Guided by Norman’s Three Levels of Design, we built an experience where visuals feel safe, interactions feel intuitive, and emotional touchpoints, like gentle affirmations or progress reminders, play a supportive role.

 

With each iteration, CARMEN became less like a traditional fitness app and more like a small, steady companion in an unpredictable chapter of life.

 

 

 

Result

CARMEN is a soft, welcoming space where mothers can show up for themselves, even if only for a few minutes. The app offers:

  • short, guided workouts designed for post-natal needs
  • quick navigation that respects limited time
  • simple goal-setting and progress tracking
  • small motivational moments
  • a sense of community and connection

It doesn’t expect perfection. It simply makes room for growth.

 

 

 

 

What I Have Learned

Working on CARMEN taught me how deeply context matters in design, especially when creating for people who are stretched emotionally and physically. I learned to translate not just functional needs, but emotional needs into the product: reassurance, simplicity, and moments of encouragement.

 

I discovered how powerful micro-interactions can be when someone’s day is fragile, and how empathy isn’t just a mindset, it’s a design method. Most of all, I learned that good design doesn’t demand more from the user. It meets them exactly where they are.