Problem Statement
How might we promote better tracking of hydration habits for UCI students with busy schedules and limited access to water source information in order to reach sufficient hydration for their individual needs (i.e. height, weight, activity level).
Competitive Analysis
Through our competitive analysis, we found that many of the similar water tracking applications lack tools for users to find water sources near them, which may present problems to users hoping to fulfill their hydration needs. While there was an app that could locate nearby water fountains, they did not include any incentives or water tracking capabilities. Additionally, there was no UCI based application which gave campus specific recommendations. With these findings from our competitive analysis, we hope to fulfill these existing gaps within the water companion sphere.
Storyboards
After conducting interviews and collecting interview data, we created a storyboard (left photo) specifically about how many of our participants walked to campus, on campus, and back from campus as part of their daily routine. During these extended periods of time on campus, it's easy for participants to finish their water bottle, and then struggle to find another source of water. In the hotter months of summer/spring, it's also important to make sure they're hydrated, especially when walking around campus.
The right storyboard is based on interview data collected from students that experienced this type of situation during periods of extended concentration and study (especially during finals or midterms). When they tend to forget to drink water, they often experience brain fog or unclear thoughts as a result. Drinking water while studying is important in order to maintain better wellbeing and to be prepared for exams in the future, as well as for making sure that information can be retained by the student.
Affinity Diagram
Key Findings
After conducting user interviews, we created an affinity diagram to categorize key themes and insights. This helped us identify common hydration challenges and preferences among UCI students, guiding our final design decisions.
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Tracking Habits: Most students do not actively track hydration but mentally estimate intake using water bottles. Reminder apps were seen as ineffective or disruptive.
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Pain Points: Students forget to drink water due to busy schedules, only realizing when dehydrated (e.g., dry mouth, fatigue). Many avoid campus fountains due to hygiene or taste concerns.
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Technology Preferences: Users prefer simple, non-intrusive tracking and efficient reminders rather than complex apps.
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Campus Water Access: Many students struggle to find refill stations or prefer buying bottled water due to perceived quality issues with campus fountains.
Persona
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We also created a persona, Katelyn Tran which is based on the insights we gained from our interviews. Many students were semi-active with low-activity exercise being their main form of exercise, but struggled to stay active due to school and busy schedules. However, after taking health-related classes specifically at UCI, some of our interviewees became more encouraged to be health conscious and care about the effects of dehydration. The goals for Katelyn are also based on the general findings from our interviews. Most interviewees wanted to build healthy hydration habits and drink more water since they struggle to keep track of water intake. The frustrations of Katelyn stem from several interviewees who don’t carry around a water bottle consistently and only remember to drink water when experiencing dehydration. Generally, our interviewees did not drink regularly from campus water fountains due to concerns about taste, temperature, and functionality. Throughout all of our interviews, we found that students want to improve their hydration habits to care for their health, academics, and benefits, which are included as values and motivations for Katelyn.