Why are we moving into mobile health? Quite simply, because we’re passionate about health and wellbeing. And health sits at the sweet spot of having life-transforming potential and also making commercial sense.
As our new infographic shows (⬇ check it out below ⬇), the opportunities to create tools for smartphones and tablets that in themselves, or in combination with other devices and systems, can help people towards wellness, fitness and medical goals are vast. They are even greater if you include tools that help healthcare professionals do their jobs.
Importantly, the drive into this space came from within ustwo, from people who want to make a difference, who are adept at taking a fresh perspective, who can balance the user point of view with business needs and who are willing to make and learn from mistakes. Equally important was the recognition that our strengths lie in product creation and system design, meaning we seek out the right partners to supply the scientific knowhow to help resolve what can be very complex problems.
Our first major health product, Moodnotes, is out now. A collaboration with Thriveport, Moodnotes is a journaling application for iOS users to track their mood, develop healthier thinking habits and improve their wellbeing. Grounded in scientifically well-established psychological methods, it combines cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) with positive psychology.
October 2015 Update: We've now released our second iOS-based foray into the world of mHealth: PAUSE - Relaxation at your fingertip. To create this digital experience in meditation and mindfulness, ustwo partnered with PauseAble and Peng Cheng, a former interaction designer who's patent-pending techniques born from Tai Chi methodology activate the restoration process and the "relaxation response."
Our team has also been working on further experimental projects and we'll release more products in the months and years to come. We've worked, for example, with a care home and a London university to look at increasing the amount of time carers of dementia sufferers can spend with them instead of on admin. We have look forward to releasing more detail.We believe in releasing our work early and developing from there – we understand the huge value that real user feedback brings to a digital product.
The work we've been doing is wide-ranging, but corresponds to two of the most areas of the most explosive potential for mHealth: mental health-related therapy and tools to help professionals. Have a look at our infographic for more detail on the market and the changes underway.
