Oura Health Mobile App
How might we use UX design principles and user feedback to address potential improvements to the Oura app through the creation of new features and interface redesign?
UX Research
Product Strategy
UI Design
MAY 2025 UPDATE: This case study is a WIP and will be updated daily.
OVERVIEW
The digital health industry, especially wearable tech, has grown rapidly. Products like the Oura ring combine hardware and mobile apps to provide personalized health insights, but the app faces challenges that impact its effectiveness and user satisfaction.
Oura is a smart ring that tracks over 20 biometrics, offering insights through its mobile app. However, the app's design fails to organize metrics effectively and lacks customization, assuming all users share the same priorities. Despite a 2024 redesign, users remain dissatisfied.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, I will explore possible applications of proper UX principles and innovative design solutions to address the usability challenges and pain points of the Oura mobile app, aiming to enhance the user experience, improve overall satisfaction, and provide more intuitive, effective tools for managing health data.
🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS
Key takeaways to come
RESEARCH / USER REQUESTS / PAIN POINTS
👥 UNDERSTANDING THE USER
Users range from biohackers to medical patients and fitness enthusiasts. While I do not rely on Reddit for research in professional settings, for this case study, I found it to be a good source of feedback as I sought to crowdsource unfiltered complaints from users. Using the Oura subreddit and official Social Care account, I was able to recognize common themes from users who expressed dissatisfaction with the the mobile app. Most complaints could be addressed by redesigning the app, though some issues would require input from health professionals and engineers.
"Literally almost never open the app now, hate the UI so much ☹️"
- u/_-sendhelp-_
“As someone who has only recently recovered from an ED, I don’t want calories or steps to be the first thing I see on the screen”
- deleted account
“There should be different baselines - yes knowing that there’s strain in luteal phases is good, but it is still distressing and not helpful that women will always be told they’re suffering in the second half of their cycle, because we have to live normally! It’s a normal part of our lives! The algorithm should be able to develop a baseline for each cycle and adjust ratings accordingly.”
- u/cm0011
Ultimately, complaints can be divided into two categories: interface redesign and the addition of features.
PROBLEM SOLVING / PRODUCT STRATEGY
💡 CREATING SOLUTIONS
User feedback was asking for several things, one of the biggest being customization. Users were not feeling as though the Oura app was allowing them to accomplish what they specifically had set out to do when they purchased a ring. While the app’s design may have been satisfactory for some, it was hindering others from achieving what they wanted to, which was often: 1) taking ownership of their health journey, and 2) in-depth metric tracking. To achieve these goals, I researched features of direct competitors such as Samsung Galaxy Ring, RingConn, and Ultrahuman. In addition, I searched for other existing health-adjacent mobile apps to review common features.
Solution #1
Personalized Homepage
Offer customization options for the order and display of metrics on the homepage, including the ability to designate user-selected “spotlight metrics." Create an editable recommended dashboard based on a personalized goal quiz to ensure the user sees the most relevant data for their needs.
Solution #2
Custom Color Palette
Allow users to choose from a variety of color palettes to apply to the app interface, enabling them to personalize the display and make the app feel more personal and match their system display (dark vs light mode).
See All Solutions
WORK IN PROGRESS
NEXT STEPS
I will be identifying key actions, creating detailed user flows, and designing updated interfaces for solutions #1 Personalized Homepage, #2 Custom Color Palette, and #9 Medication Tracker.
Come back to see updates soon!
👩🏻💻
Irene J. Kim