We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Ziwei Song about their original and creative Mobile Application design work. Ziwei Song is an award-winning communication designer, that makes our world a better place with their original mobile application works.
Ziwei Song ("ZS") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Conexion Mobile Application. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
ZS : The core principle behind Conexión is empathy through technology—we wanted to create a design that doesn’t just track data, but strengthens the emotional connection between couples during pregnancy. The idea was inspired by conversations with expectant parents who shared how difficult it can be to understand each other’s feelings and stress levels during this time. Our goal was to reimagine wearable and app technology as a relationship co-pilot that nurtures love, communication, and shared joy.
ZS : Our main focus was to humanize the pregnancy experience—bridging emotional gaps and helping couples feel seen, supported, and connected. We wanted to achieve more than just functionality; we aimed to design emotional rituals, spark everyday appreciation, and reduce conflict through meaningful micro-interactions. We also focused heavily on inclusive design and usability, ensuring both partners, regardless of their tech comfort level, could easily engage with the product.
ZS : We hope to evolve Conexión into a real-world product that can support millions of couples globally. Future plans include expanding its use beyond pregnancy, into early parenthood and relationship wellness more broadly. We also aim to integrate with healthcare ecosystems to provide emotionally intelligent support alongside medical care. Collaborations with maternal health organizations and wearable tech companies are also on the roadmap to scale impact.
ZS : The design process spanned approximately 5–6 months, including user research, ideation, prototyping, testing, and refinement. Throughout this period, we worked closely with expectant couples, OB-GYN consultants, and therapists to ensure that the concept was grounded in real emotional needs and behavioral insights. This iterative, human-centered process was key to shaping a solution that truly resonates with users.
ZS : This was a self-initiated project born from personal and research-driven inspiration. Several team members had close friends or family going through pregnancy who shared emotional challenges that were often overlooked by traditional medical and wellness apps. We saw a gap—and an opportunity—to bring design empathy into a deeply human moment. It wasn’t commissioned; it was a labor of love and belief in design as a bridge for better communication and care.
ZS : Currently, Conexión is in the concept and prototype phase. We are actively exploring opportunities to partner with healthcare providers, wearable tech manufacturers, and digital wellness platforms to bring the product to market. Our team is open to both licensing the concept and co-developing the product with aligned organizations, with the ultimate goal of scaling its emotional and relational impact through thoughtful distribution.
ZS : We designed Conexión out of a deep desire to fill an emotional gap in the pregnancy experience—something not often addressed by clinical tools or generic health apps. The idea stemmed from a combination of personal observations, emotional storytelling, and user research that revealed how many couples silently struggle to stay connected during this life-changing time. We felt compelled to design a product that could gently support emotional resilience, intimacy, and understanding, when it’s needed most.
ZS : Yes, we drew inspiration from several emotionally intelligent technologies and human-centered design philosophies. Products like Headspace (for gentle, mood-based interaction) and Daylio (for private emotional tracking) helped shape our approach to UI tone and accessibility. From a systems perspective, IDEO’s work on design for behavior change influenced how we crafted rituals and nudges within the experience. We were also inspired by maternal health advocates and doulas, whose empathetic approach informed many of our user flows.
ZS : The target customers are expectant couples, especially first-time parents, who are navigating emotional highs and lows during pregnancy. While the design is inclusive of all relationship types and identities, our primary audience includes couples seeking greater emotional connection, reassurance, and daily support as they prepare for parenthood. This product also appeals to those who are tech-comfortable but emotionally underserved by existing pregnancy tools.
ZS : Conexión stands out because it goes beyond monitoring health—it nurtures relationships. While many pregnancy apps focus solely on fetal development or medical data, Conexión focuses on the emotional and relational health of the parents. It combines bio-sensing technology with guided emotional intelligence practices, offering a holistic experience that supports both the individual and the couple. Its emphasis on preventative emotional care, micro-interactions, and co-created memory building sets it apart in both function and feeling.
ZS : The name "Conexión" comes from the Spanish word for “connection.” We chose this name because it captures the heart of our mission: to strengthen the emotional, physical, and relational bond between couples during pregnancy. The use of Spanish reflects the warmth and intimacy we wanted the product to embody, while also signaling inclusivity for a broader, multicultural audience. "Conexión" feels personal, emotional, and rooted in love, just like the experience we aim to support.
ZS : We used a range of tools that supported both creative exploration and precise execution. Figma was central for interface design and collaboration, while Adobe Creative Suite helped bring visual and motion elements to life. For prototyping and interaction testing, we used tools like Protopie to simulate real user flows. These tools allowed us to move seamlessly from user research to high-fidelity design, enabling fast iteration and emotionally rich storytelling throughout the process.
ZS : The most unique aspect of Conexión is its focus on emotional sensing and shared empathy as a design principle. Unlike traditional pregnancy or health trackers, Conexión translates biometric data into meaningful emotional prompts, turning stress or mood changes into opportunities for connection. It doesn't just inform users, it invites them to care for each other, making the design both emotionally intelligent and behaviorally supportive. The combination of wearable sensing, guided emotional interaction, and memory-building in one unified system is rare and highly impactful.
ZS : The most unique aspect of Conexión is its focus on emotional sensing and shared empathy as a design principle. Unlike traditional pregnancy or health trackers, Conexión translates biometric data into meaningful emotional prompts, turning stress or mood changes into opportunities for connection. It doesn't just inform users, it invites them to care for each other, making the design both emotionally intelligent and behaviorally supportive. The combination of wearable sensing, guided emotional interaction, and memory-building in one unified system is rare and highly impactful. Yes, this was a highly collaborative, interdisciplinary project. Our team included: UX/UI designers for interface and system design Interaction designers for micro-interaction and motion logic Hardware consultants to define the wearable’s form and feasibility Behavioral psychologists and relationship therapists to ensure that emotional guidance is empathetic and evidence-based Expectant couples who participated in co-design workshops and usability testing Biomedical advisors will review the sensing logic and feasibility These collaborations were essential in balancing technical possibility with emotional sensitivity.
ZS : Technology serves as an invisible connector in Conexión. The wearable’s sensing technology passively detects signs of stress or emotional shifts, while the app uses this data to deliver personalized, timely emotional support. Instead of overwhelming users with raw data, it filters insights into gentle nudges, bonding prompts, and shared reflections—creating a digital experience that feels human and compassionate. In this way, technology doesn’t replace emotional connection—it amplifies it.
ZS : Yes, our design was deeply grounded in both qualitative and behavioral research. We conducted interviews and empathy workshops with expectant couples to understand their emotional needs, communication challenges, and unspoken stressors during pregnancy. We also reviewed existing literature in relationship psychology and maternal health, along with analyzing app usage patterns in wellness and pregnancy-related platforms. These insights directly influenced our interaction design, tone of voice, and the emotional triggers we chose to respond to in the system.
ZS : One major challenge was balancing emotional depth with technological simplicity. We wanted the product to feel emotionally intelligent without overwhelming users with data or requiring too much manual input. Designing for two users simultaneously—each with their own emotions, habits, and privacy concerns—also posed a complex UX challenge. Additionally, simulating biometric sensing in a prototyping environment required creativity to maintain believability and flow during user testing, especially without custom hardware in place.
ZS : We believed Conexión represented more than just good UX—it embodied a new way of thinking about emotional technology and relational wellbeing. It tackled a delicate, often overlooked moment in people’s lives with compassion, strategy, and innovation. Submitting it to an international design competition was both a way to share the idea globally and to challenge ourselves by placing it alongside the world’s most forward-thinking design work.
ZS : This project taught us the power of designing with empathy as a system, not just a sentiment. It pushed us to think holistically—about how interfaces, language, signals, and timing can come together to support relationships, not just individuals. Personally, it strengthened my ability to translate emotional insights into actionable design and to collaborate across disciplines with therapists, healthcare advisors, and engineers. It was a reminder that design can heal, not just solve.
ZS : One important aspect worth highlighting is that Conexión is not just a tool—it’s a ritual builder. It encourages couples to pause, reflect, and appreciate each other daily. By embedding gentle prompts and shared memory creation into everyday life, we hope to help people not just get through pregnancy, but grow stronger together because of it. We believe this kind of emotionally responsive design has a future in many life stages—not just pregnancy—and we’re excited about its broader potential.
