Allen Digital · Student well-being

Break

A feature designed to support students' mental well-being during an intense preparation phase.

Everyone was designing for more study time. I proposed a pause. It became an instant hit.

Illustration of a student wrapped in a blanket inside a glowing tent under a night sky, next to a campfire
The preparation journey

Behind JEE and NEET

JEE is an engineering entrance examination for admission to colleges including the IITs. NEET is a medical entrance examination for medical and dental colleges across India. Students are typically 16–19 years old and prepare during grades 11 and 12, often after a foundation phase in grades 9 and 10.

The journey is long, intense, and highly competitive. We needed a feature that could support students without feeling like another obligation.

The experience had to be approachable, light, and easy to return to, even when schedules were packed and motivation was low.

  1. 01

    Foundation

    Build basic science and mathematics concepts in grades 9 and 10.

  2. 02

    Preparation

    Balance intense coaching, school, revision, mock tests, and regular assessments.

  3. 03

    Exam

    Sit JEE Main, JEE Advanced, or NEET.

  4. 04

    Results & counselling

    Wait for rankings and participate in college-admission counselling.

Role
Product Designer
Disciplines
UI/UX Design · Product Thinking · Content Design

Understanding Vision – Brainstorming

Initial exploration

When we met the leadership, the vision was shared and it was somewhat like this. This is just an idea we designed within 30 minutes and decided to test with a few students offline.

Three early concept screens: 'Do you ever feel like this?' with student worries, 'Your mentors are here for you', and a mentor meet card with 'Add queries'

This was a wake-up call for everyone. For the first time in ALLEN's history, we were going to promote taking a pause from studying.

Before we started designing, we defined the theme, knowing this feature needed to feel distinct from the rest of the experience.

Students didn't want another guidance session or lecture.

This is what we found: they wanted support, to be heard, and didn't constantly want motivational talks about how to succeed.

Problem statement

Design support without making students feel judged.

The preparation journey brings high stress and anxiety, intense competition, and a strong need for encouragement. The feature had to feel approachable, light, and easy to return to.

  • Connect students with a mental-health counsellor.
  • Connect them with life coaches who can reinforce that there is life beyond JEE and NEET.
  • Regularly reassure students that they are special.
  • Share stories of well-known people to show what is possible.
  • Connect students with teachers for time management and revision strategies.
  • Create a place where students can express themselves, rant, and let their hearts out.
  • Find a name students would relate to and willingly return to.
Empathise

Understand what students carry with them.

  • Fear of failure 50%

    among cited suicide reasons

  • Relationship issues 25%

    cited reason

  • Family problems 25%

    cited reason

  • Severe stress ~7%

    Indian adolescents

Stress sources

Social issues, lifestyle changes, performance anxiety, physical health, family problems, or other external events.

Define

Name the space before designing its voice.

Because this was a new feature, the name needed to feel intuitive, relaxing, light, and distinctive. Naming would set the tone for the entire content design.

Students might not feel comfortable with the term "mental health". They might already dislike the preparation phase, so conflicting language could create resistance. Pressure to perform can make admitting a challenge feel like weakness. The experience had to communicate support without overwhelming or judging students.

Initial ideas

Care, Calm, FIT, Peace, Zen, Quiet, My Zone, Cool, Unwind

Chosen name

Break

A simple word with broad branding potential that creates an instantly positive feeling and is relatable across age groups.

Ideate

Why "Care" did not work, and "Break" did.

"Care" initially came up, but it sounded like customer support, felt too personal and serious, and limited the ability to use a light tone. We explored Break, Calm, FIT, Peace, Zen, Quiet, My Zone, Cool, and Unwind.

Break is a simple word with broad branding potential. It creates an instantly positive feeling and is relatable across age groups. It sounds relaxing while clearly suggesting a pause from studying. The feature was broader than mental health: it could motivate, listen, entertain, and support. Unlike Calm, Care, or Peace, Break could also make students smile, laugh, and chat. The theme left room for future features and playful communication.

Before Break
  • Home
  • Library
  • Doubts
  • Profile
After introducing Break
  • Home
  • Library
  • Doubts
  • Break
  • Profile

Once it had a name, it found a world. Then, we worked on an iteration.

Initial iteration

Finding a story that felt motivating, fun, and light.

  • Early onboarding screen: 'Most successful people use breaks to gain insights, inspiration and often engage with mentors and coaches', with a Red Bull anecdote
  • Early onboarding screen: 'Life is full of highs and lows. Breaks are like those campsites on your journey.'
  • Early onboarding screen: 'Take a short break to relax, unwind, meditate and express', with a meditating figure
  • Early onboarding screen: 'Take a long break to get inspired, find solutions and strategise', with a mentor on a video call

Two things needed attention: the color system and the content.

As a content designer also, I focused on making the story clearer and the language more scannable.

Visual direction

A quiet invitation to pause.

  • Wireframe card: mountain landscape with a hiker, 'Long journeys are more fun when you take Breaks'
  • Wireframe card: 'Take this break to dream'
  • Wireframe card: 'Give your mind some rest'
  • Wireframe card at night: 'Talk to us, we're always here for you'
Color story

Deep blue grounds the experience; cool landscape tones create calm, while small warm accents keep it human.

  • Night #0F1825
  • Forest #162941
  • Teal #4C929C
  • Sky #A5D9F0
  • Mint #0EB891
  • Warmth #CF7650
03 · Final screens

Support that feels close, not clinical

The final direction layers reflective prompts, approachable mentor imagery and explicit next steps into one cohesive dark-mode experience.

  • Final onboarding screen: a student relaxing against a backpack with headphones, 'Take this break to dream. Read inspiring stories or listen to podcasts.'
  • Final onboarding screen: a student journaling on a hillside, 'Give your mind some rest. Write in your journal or meditate.'
  • Final onboarding screen: friends around a campfire at night, 'Talk to us, we're always here for you. To tell you that you can be anything you want to be.'
  • Final onboarding screen: a hiker and dog looking at mountains, 'Long journeys are more fun when you take Breaks.'

The feature included podcasts, counselling, stories of people who achieved great things, and a connection to daily meditation. It needed an introduction that would inspire younger students.

Break home screen: a waterfall illustration with 'Hello', then sections for expert podcasts, talking to guides, guided meditation, laughter yoga, and success stories
Results

It became the most used feature. Something we never anticipated

  • 50%+ of students who tapped Break read every story
  • 10–15 min average daily use despite packed schedules
  • +34 points Engagement score
  • +2.2 points Student CSAT
Usability testing

Students felt more positive about reaching out for help and knowing they were not alone.