we are still apes
People are suffering. According to the IHME, 792 million people live with a mental health disorder. The WHO stats show that 264 million people suffer from depression and suicide is the second leading cause of death among young adults. And these clinical stats are only the surface of a deep, foundational problem that affects all of us.
Most tech is part of the problem. There are so many benefits, but our devices are also dividing, isolating, and fragmenting us. But not all tech. There's hope in the strides we're making with new platforms for mental health and wellbeing: 2020 set records for capital investment and valuation in this emerging space.
Ten years ago, I started working in wellness tech trying to design a sensor-based biofeedback chamber for meditation. Turns out, Sonic Cradle was only the beginning of an expansive search that continues to this day. This journey has led me to some startling discoveries:
Mindfulness is not just about spirituality and wellbeing anymore; in today’s attention economy, it is attention activism.
Compassion is the missing ingredient in the UX of social media and news; platforms that actively promote a felt sense of shared humanity will be critical for our future.
Wellbeing is an intimate space where a single solution will never find depth for the majority; we must intentionally address diverse life experiences, philosophies, worldviews, and cultures.
We need many access points tailored to people of all walks of life, each well-designed for a clearly defined target audience. We need to apply our design methods in ways that support people holistically, as opposed to manipulate and exploit them for profit.
That’s why I’m proud to announce Still Ape - the world's first UX design studio focused exclusively on mindfulness, compassion, and wellbeing. Thanks to my team, and to our growing list of startup, nonprofit and institutional partners, you know who you are. We couldn’t have made it here without you. I hope it’s been as rewarding for you as it has been for me - I can honestly say that this work has made me a better person in all areas of life.