Case Study
Dala Care
Dala Care
An AI health companion designed to make healthcare accessible.
An AI health companion designed to make healthcare accessible.
Role
Lead UI/UX Designer
Duration
2 months
Platform
Mobile
Year
2025
OVERVIEW
Healthcare that shouldn't require a postcode
Healthcare that shouldn't require a postcode
DalaCare is an AI-powered mobile health companion built on one belief: quality healthcare guidance shouldn't depend on where you live or whether you can afford a doctor's visit. The platform brings intelligent, contextual health support directly to the user's phone.
I joined as Lead Designer, owned 60–70% of the design, and led a team of five designers to completion over two months. The work covered every surface from home dashboard to AI assistant to professional consultation booking then handed to development.
DalaCare is an AI-powered mobile health companion built on one belief: quality healthcare guidance shouldn't depend on where you live or whether you can afford a doctor's visit. The platform brings intelligent, contextual health support directly to the user's phone.
I joined as Lead Designer, owned 60–70% of the design, and led a team of five designers to completion over two months. The work covered every surface from home dashboard to AI assistant to professional consultation booking then handed to development.
THE PROBLEM
Too much data, or too little
Too much data, or too little
Health apps fail in two distinct ways: they oversimplify to the point of uselessness, or overwhelm with data that means nothing without context. DalaCare had to thread that needle informative without being clinical, warm without being vague.
Access to healthcare is unequal. Long wait times, expensive consultations, or simply no access at all. The gap between needing health information and getting it is wide. The design had to close that gap without replacing professional care.
Health apps fail in two distinct ways: they oversimplify to the point of uselessness, or overwhelm with data that means nothing without context. DalaCare had to thread that needle informative without being clinical, warm without being vague.
Access to healthcare is unequal. Long wait times, expensive consultations, or simply no access at all. The gap between needing health information and getting it is wide. The design had to close that gap without replacing professional care.
THE AUDIT
Six findings from the competitive audit
Six findings from the competitive audit
01
No unified health journey
No unified health journey
Existing apps treat each feature as isolated. No through-line from symptom to action users must connect the dots themselves across fragmented screens.
01
No unified health journey
Existing apps treat each feature as isolated. No through-line from symptom to action users must connect the dots themselves across fragmented screens.
02
Data without context
Data without context
Numbers without meaning. Blood pressure readings with no indication of what they mean for the user's situation, history, or risk profile.
02
Data without context
Numbers without meaning. Blood pressure readings with no indication of what they mean for the user's situation, history, or risk profile.
03
AI feels like a search bar
AI feels like a search bar
Most health AI assistants feel transactional query in, answer out. DalaCare needed to feel like a conversation, not a search engine with medical labels.
03
AI feels like a search bar
Most health AI assistants feel transactional query in, answer out. DalaCare needed to feel like a conversation, not a search engine with medical labels.
04
No clear path to professional help
No clear path to professional help
Users with serious concerns had no frictionless escalation path inside the app. Getting to a real professional required leaving the product entirely.
04
No clear path to professional help
Users with serious concerns had no frictionless escalation path inside the app. Getting to a real professional required leaving the product entirely.
05
Trust gap in health data
Trust gap in health data
Users are sceptical about sharing sensitive health data without understanding how it's used, stored, or shared. Existing apps handled this poorly or not at all.
05
Trust gap in health data
Users are sceptical about sharing sensitive health data without understanding how it's used, stored, or shared. Existing apps handled this poorly or not at all.
06
Team coordination challenge
Team coordination challenge
Leading 5 designers across 40% of the screens required a shared system, not just shared files. Component consistency was a design leadership problem, not a tool problem.
06
Team coordination challenge
Leading 5 designers across 40% of the screens required a shared system, not just shared files. Component consistency was a design leadership problem, not a tool problem.
DESIGN DECISIONS
Every decision had a reason.
Every decision had a reason.
Decision 01
Filter every screen through one question
Filter every screen through one question
Does this make healthcare feel more accessible or less?" Every feature, every screen, every copy decision passed through that single filter before it made it into the product.
Does this make healthcare feel more accessible or less?" Every feature, every screen, every copy decision passed through that single filter before it made it into the product.
Why: Without a single filter, feature creep in health apps creates cognitive overload. The filter wasn't a constraint, it was a design tool.
Decision 02
Vitals in plain language with colour indicators
Vitals in plain language with colour indicators
Vitals in plain language with colour indicators
No medical jargon. Instant visual context. A blood pressure reading doesn't say '130/85 mmHg' it says 'Slightly elevated' with an amber dot and a one-line explanation.
No medical jargon. Instant visual context. A blood pressure reading doesn't say '130/85 mmHg' it says 'Slightly elevated' with an amber dot and a one-line explanation.
Why: Users shouldn't need a medical background to understand their own health data. Plain language is a design decision, not a simplification.
Decision 03
AI assistant as conversation, not search
AI assistant as conversation, not search
The assistant responds with warm, contextual language. It acknowledges what the user said, gives a direct answer, and offers a clear next step without repeating the question back or listing caveats.
The assistant responds with warm, contextual language. It acknowledges what the user said, gives a direct answer, and offers a clear next step without repeating the question back or listing caveats.
Why: The moment a health app feels transactional, trust collapses. A conversational tone isn't fluff it's the product's primary trust mechanism.
Decision 04
Frictionless path to professional consultation
Frictionless path to professional consultation
Users can book a real consultation from within the AI conversation, the vitals screen, or a dedicated consult screen. The path is never more than two taps from anywhere in the app.
Users can book a real consultation from within the AI conversation, the vitals screen, or a dedicated consult screen. The path is never more than two taps from anywhere in the app.
Why: The moment someone decides to seek help is not the moment to put barriers in their way. Every additional step is a drop-off opportunity.
THE SOLUTION
The Solution
The app was designed around a complete health journey from the moment a user opens DalaCare to the moment they connect with a professional. The app anchors the entire experience, surfacing critical health data blood pressure, oxygen levels, glucose, sleep, and daily activity in a way that requires no medical background to understand. Color indicators give instant context, so users know at a glance whether something needs attention. When a reading falls outside a healthy range, the alerts system steps in not to alarm, but to inform. Each alert gives context, explains what it might mean, and offers a clear next step.
The app was designed around a complete health journey from the moment a user opens DalaCare to the moment they connect with a professional. The app anchors the entire experience, surfacing critical health data blood pressure, oxygen levels, glucose, sleep, and daily activity in a way that requires no medical background to understand. Color indicators give instant context, so users know at a glance whether something needs attention. When a reading falls outside a healthy range, the alerts system steps in not to alarm, but to inform. Each alert gives context, explains what it might mean, and offers a clear next step.
For deeper tracking and guidance, the health vitals section gives users a detailed view of every metric over time filterable by period and presented without the dashboard overload that makes most health apps exhausting. When users have questions, the AI assistant answers them in a tone that is warm and conversational, surfacing relevant content and guiding users toward the right next action. Chats kept communication open between users and their care network, while services expanded the app's utility into a broader health
The app was designed around a complete health journey from the moment a user opens DalaCare to the moment they connect with a professional. The app anchors the entire experience, surfacing critical health data blood pressure, oxygen levels, glucose, sleep, and daily activity in a way that requires no medical background to understand. Color indicators give instant context, so users know at a glance whether something needs attention. When a reading falls outside a healthy range, the alerts system steps in not to alarm, but to inform. Each alert gives context, explains what it might mean, and offers a clear next step.
For deeper tracking and guidance, the health vitals section gives users a detailed view of every metric over time filterable by period and presented without the dashboard overload that makes most health apps exhausting. When users have questions, the AI assistant answers them in a tone that is warm and conversational, surfacing relevant content and guiding users toward the right next action. Chats kept communication open between users and their care network, while services expanded the app's utility into a broader health
When self-care isn't enough, consult provides a direct, frictionless path to real professionals within the app because the moment someone decides to seek help is not the moment to put barriers in their way. Profile & connected devices put users in full control of their data, privacy settings, and wearable integrations. Every section was designed to feel like part of one coherent system not a collection of features bolted together.
Impact & Results
80+
80+
Screens
7
7
Modules
In Development
In Development
In Development
For millions of people, getting reliable health guidance means navigating long wait times, expensive consultations, or no access at all. DalaCare was designed to close that gap, an AI health companion that tracks vitals, flags alerts, answers health questions, and connects users to real professionals when they need them.
For millions of people, getting reliable health guidance means navigating long wait times, expensive consultations, or no access at all. DalaCare was designed to close that gap, an AI health companion that tracks vitals, flags alerts, answers health questions, and connects users to real professionals when they need them.
Let's Create Something Amazing
Let's Create Something Amazing
I'm currently available for freelance projects and full-time opportunities. Let's discuss how I can help bring your vision to life.
I'm currently available for freelance projects and full-time opportunities. Let's discuss how I can help bring your vision to life.
© 2026 Promise Joseph. All rights reserved.
© 2026 Promise Joseph. All rights reserved.