For my final year project, I created Compass. Compass is a narrative journey app designed to support children aged 7 to 10 and their families during hospital visits.
I came out with this idea as I discovered how overwhelming healthcare environments can feel for children. Due to the unfamiliarity, procedures can sound intimidating, and often children don’t fully understand what’s happening around them
Through this project I wanted to create a product for children which would help reduce fear and worries helping children as well as their families feel more confident, informed and emotionally supported throughout their healthcare journey
Rather than simply giving information, the app focuses on storytelling, emotional reassurance and interactive guidance. The goal was to create something that feels less clinical and more supportive almost like a companion that helps children navigate what can otherwise feel like a stressful experience.”
When I began researching this topic, I found that many children experience healthcare settings as distressing because there are so many unfamiliar situations.
For a child, even simple things like waiting rooms, medical equipment, or hearing unfamiliar terminology can become sources of anxiety.
This became the core problem I wanted to address: how can we make hospital visits feel less frightening and more understandable for children?”
“One statistic that stood out during my research was that 54% of children are worried or scared of visiting the doctor or hospital.
Another finding showed that around 70% of children and 65% of parents admitted to not fully understanding upcoming medical procedures.
These insights highlighted two major issues: emotional anxiety and lack of accessible communication.
It showed me that there was a real opportunity for design to improve both understanding and emotional comfort.”
“To better understand the problem space, I explored existing healthcare apps and child-support tools.
I looked into current solutions, user reviews, healthcare communication strategies, and child-centred design approaches.
I also analysed how digital products use storytelling, gamification, and navigation systems to keep children engaged and reassured.
This research helped me identify what was currently missing from the market.
“When reviewing existing products such as Little Journey, Hospital Hero, and Xploro, I noticed that most apps focus heavily on pre-appointment preparation.