The Next Step App

The Problem

Addiction is challenging enough for people so we believe that facilitating the process to find a sponsor would not only motivate but also inspire people to continue on their journey. With multiple communication methods available and easily accessible profiles, sponsees will be able to easily find and connect with their sponsors.

Research and Insight

The Challenge
10.5% of Americans have battled alcohol abuse.
6.8 million Americans aged 12 and up have battled a substance use disorder in the past year. 

User Insight
Many individuals in recovery identified a strong need or connection to aid their journey.
“Connection is the opposite of addiction.”

Key Findings
3 out of 4 adults going through recovery stated that having a sponsor was important to keep them on the track to meeting their goals.
Sponsors are not “one size fits all.”
Different people need different support, based on personal preferences and recovery goals.

Background

Information Architecture

Based on the research that was conducted, we created an intuitive flow that would simplify the users journey and reduce decision fatigue:

• Sign-Up & Profile Setup – Users provide basic details and preferences.

• Sponsor Matching – A Tinder-like swipe interface to match sponsees with potential sponsors.

• Messaging & Scheduling – An integrated chat system with an easy-to-use scheduling interface.

• Progress Tracking – Users can track goals and milestones in their recovery journey.

• Conduct further user testing with a larger sample size.

• Explore the possibility of integrating community support features, such as group chats or peer mentoring.

• Hi-Fi Prototype

This project was a powerful reminder of the importance of user-centered design in the context of mental health and recovery. Understanding the nuanced needs of people on a healing journey was critical in creating a product that resonated deeply with the users.

We developed wireframes to showcase the app’s core features and interactions:

• Tinder-like Swipe Interface: Users can swipe to find a sponsor who aligns with their values.

• Chat Integration: Real-time messaging with options for text, voice, and video calls.

• Progress Tracker: A dashboard for sponsees to track goals and recovery milestones.

After completing the design and testing phases, we were able to:

• Increase engagement through the Tinder-like matching interface.

• Improve user satisfaction with seamless communication tools.

• Receive positive feedback from users in recovery who reported that the app made it easier to fin and connect with sponsors that fit their needs.

Users valued a sponsor that matched their specific recovery needs, and preferred clear communication options—text and in-person were most favored.

Addiction is one of the most prevalent diseases of our day. The American Addiction Centers reported that 46.8 million Americans aged 12 and up have battled a substance use disorder in the past year, with 10.5% of Americans having battled alcohol use (2024). With this in mind, we decided to focus on people that are on their recovery journey from addiction. We’ve learned that one way to help them is to facilitate their connection with a sponsor—someone who can be on call 24/7 to hold them accountable in their healing journey.

• 6.7% of people had looked for a sponsor.

• 66.7% of people preferred a specific sponsor gender identification.

• 100% of responses indicated they thought there were ample resources for those in recovery.

• Group meetings were the number one way individuals looked for a sponsor.

• In-person and texting tied for the preferred method of communication followed by email.

• 66.7% of people agreed they were looking for specific qualities in a sponsor.