Theory-guided approaches to User Research: using Self Determination Theory to guide app design

Nutri is a tool for primary care doctors to help patients improve their nutrition through setting a goal. NutriMe is a proposed companion app that can help patients persist in working towards that health goal in between doctor visits. My challenge for this user research capstone was to test UI designs using a criteria influenced by Self-Determination Theory. My work consisted of requirements gathering, literature review, writing an A/B test that compared UIs that were examples of self-determination theory's basic psychological needs, and process documentation. In the future, this user test will be used to uncover insights about users regarding their nutrition literacy, SDT motivation style, and UX/UI design pattern preferences.