ADHDpal
A service designed for ADHD support
Role: UX/UI Designer
Date: Oct 2024 - Jul 2025
Design Tool: Figma, Miro
Description: An ADHD support app and service designed as a systematic solution for parents of children with ADHD, helping them discover which tools, apps, programs, or products best fit their needs.
Objective
Raising a child with ADHD is a complex, emotionally demanding and energy-consuming experience- full of uncertainty and decision fatigue. While countless resources exist, parents frequently struggle to identify which tools, services, or strategies truly align with their child’s needs and the family’s daily reality. DHDPal is a digital service designed to support parents of children with ADHD. The project began as my Master’s thesis at Sapienza University of Rome and evolved into a systematic solution that helps families identify and access the most suitable ADHD tools, apps, and resources based on their specific needs.
The goal was to simplify the overwhelming process of finding reliable ADHD support by creating a user-centered platform that combines assessment, personalized recommendations, and community engagement.
Problem:
Parents of children with ADHD often face a fragmented landscape of information and resources. There are countless products, services, and programs available, but little guidance on which ones actually match a child’s unique profile and family situation.
Challenge:
The challenge was to design a digital service that organizes this ecosystem into something understandable, accessible, and meaningful for parents without requiring medical expertise.
Design Process
My process followed a user-centered design approach:
Research & Problem Definition
Understanding parental struggles through qualitative insights and mapping the ADHD support ecosystem.Ideation & Concept Development
Defining the system’s structure and creating early sketches and service blueprints.Prototyping
Designing a clean, friendly interface using soft colors, accessible typography, and clear iconography to create a sense of calm and trust.Iteration & Refinement
Feedback from parents and peers guided refinements to the app’s flow and tone of voice.
Empathy Map
I conducted an extensive review of existing ADHD-related apps, programs, and physical products, identifying patterns in usability, accessibility, and emotional engagement.
Through desk research, surveys, and interviews with parents, I discovered three recurring needs:
Clarity – understanding what truly helps their child.
Trust – access to evidence-based and community-tested resources.
Guidance – support in choosing and applying strategies effectively.
These insights shaped the foundation of ADHDPal’s service model.This empathy map is the summary of the interviews. Personas were created based on this map.
Personas
As a tech-savvy parent, I want engaging and structured tools to help my daughter stay focused and build healthy routines so that I can support her development without constant trial-and-error and also support my family's mental health with a balanced work/family life
As a single mother with limited time and resources, I want simple and reliable strategies to help manage my son’s ADHD symptoms so that I can reduce emotional stress and feel more confident in my parenting style
Ideation
Service Statement
For parents with a child who deals with ADHD, ADHDpal is a comprehensive support system to facilitate their journey by teaching how to manage daily routines, impulsive behaviors and academic challenges; This service is offering the parents both structured strategies and interactive engaging features to support their children's development.
Unlike generic platforms, this service is not just about setting timer, creating routines, and buying useful products for ADHD; it's an easy-to-use service that aims to introduce the right tools and guidance to help parents make informed decisions for their child’s well-being. Whatever they need from expert recommendations, to a supportive community, or direct access to professionals, to increase awareness and manage special situation, is considered in this service.
Solution
ADHDPal offers a systematic, easy-to-navigate digital service where parents can complete an assessment, explore tailored recommendations, and access curated ADHD resources — all in one place.
The platform is structured around three core components:
Assessment Tool
A guided questionnaire that helps parents evaluate their child’s symptoms, routines, and challenges. The system generates a personalized report with actionable insights.Recommendations & Resource Library
A categorized database of ADHD tools, apps, and products presented with comparisons, summaries, and expert tips.Community & Support
A safe space where parents can share experiences, join discussions, and attend weekly webinars on ADHD strategies and parenting techniques.
Storyboard
The Next step after writing service statement was creating an storyboard. In the storyboard i brought starting point, pain points, key actions and achievements.
User Journey and user flow
The user journey shows the step the users take in order to use the service and achieve their goal. It includes the steps they take before using the service, while using the service and after that.
Low Fidelity Prototype
After all of the previous activities I started prototyping and testing the prototype.
Business Model Canvas
In analyzing the financial and operational dimensions of the business, a pivotal step is the creation of the business model canvas and service blueprint. These strategic tools encapsulate the core components essential for understanding and optimizing the business processes and customer interactions.
Service Blueprint
The service blueprint offers a visual representation of the service delivery process, highlighting touchpoints, roles, and potential areas for enhancement. Together with the business model canvas, these frameworks provide invaluable insights that pave the way for informed decision-making and efficient operational strategies.
Outcome
The result is a cohesive digital ecosystem that blends functionality and empathy. ADHDPal doesn’t aim to replace professional guidance but to empower parents with clarity and confidence in navigating ADHD support options.
Reflection
ADHDPal taught me how service design can bridge emotional and informational gaps in sensitive contexts. It reinforced my belief that design has the power not only to simplify complexity but also to bring empathy into everyday decision-making for families.
