BetterHelp Product Design Internship: Summer 2022 by Hannah Millar

This past summer, I interned (remotely) at BetterHelp as a Product Design and Content Intern for 3–4 months.

My time there was packed with growth opportunities. As both my first internship and the company’s first formal internship program, I was able to customize my experience to fit my learning goals. I made the most of my time by connecting with new colleagues, gaining insights into the company through regular meetings and events, and honing my skills through hands-on project work!

This past summer, I interned (remotely) at BetterHelp as a Product Design and Content Intern for 3–4 months.

My time there was packed with growth opportunities. As both my first internship and the company’s first formal internship program, I was able to customize my experience to fit my learning goals. I made the most of my time by connecting with new colleagues, gaining insights into the company through regular meetings and events, and honing my skills through hands-on project work!

Background

I’m in my fourth year of studying Communication and Media Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. My design background is non-traditional, and I’ve gained most of my experience through extracurricular activities and professional opportunities outside school.

Background

I’m in my fourth year of studying Communication and Media Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. My design background is non-traditional, and I’ve gained most of my experience through extracurricular activities and professional opportunities outside school.

What is BetterHelp?

BetterHelp is an online counseling and therapy platform that connects individuals with licensed therapists for affordable and accessible mental health support. Offering a range of specialties, including individual, couple, and teen therapy, BetterHelp provides a convenient and confidential alternative to traditional in-person therapy. With a mission to make mental health care accessible to all, BetterHelp offers online therapy sessions via text, phone, or video.

What is BetterHelp?

BetterHelp is an online counseling and therapy platform that connects individuals with licensed therapists for affordable and accessible mental health support. Offering a range of specialties, including individual, couple, and teen therapy, BetterHelp provides a convenient and confidential alternative to traditional in-person therapy. With a mission to make mental health care accessible to all, BetterHelp offers online therapy sessions via text, phone, or video.

BetterHelp’s website

By making therapy accessible online, BetterHelp is helping to reduce the stigma associated with mental health and increase the number of people who can receive the care they need, regardless of their location or schedule. The company aims to improve the overall mental well-being of individuals and communities by providing high-quality, accessible mental health care. This mission was at the core of every meeting, project, and objective during my time at the company.

The Interview Process

I was actively applying for internship roles when I found BetterHelp’s listing on LinkedIn. There was an initial Workable application to collect general information, along with your resume and portfolio work.

The day-to-day tasks were advertised as follows:

Contribute to user research and usability testing (planning and post-research analysis).
Design thoughtful UI/UX solutions to pain points identified through user research/testing.
Document visual and language inconsistencies throughout the product.
Help maintain and improve both the design system and internal processes.

The interview process for this role consisted of an informational interview with a recruiter, an online portfolio review with a Senior UX Designer and UX Writer, and lastly, a group video call where I had the opportunity to formally share some of my work and meet with more of the team (the design manager, other product designers, etc.).

The Interview Process

I was actively applying for internship roles when I found BetterHelp’s listing on LinkedIn. There was an initial Workable application to collect general information, along with your resume and portfolio work.

The day-to-day tasks were advertised as follows:

Contribute to user research and usability testing (planning and post-research analysis).
Design thoughtful UI/UX solutions to pain points identified through user research/testing.
Document visual and language inconsistencies throughout the product.
Help maintain and improve both the design system and internal processes.

The interview process for this role consisted of an informational interview with a recruiter, an online portfolio review with a Senior UX Designer and UX Writer, and lastly, a group video call where I had the opportunity to formally share some of my work and meet with more of the team (the design manager, other product designers, etc.).

Application timeline — April 2022

I had a fantastic time working with Andrew Santore, my recruiter. He streamlined the process with timely email communication and constructive answers & feedback!

My Team

My internship revolved around the daily operations of the company’s product design team, and I was immersed in everyone’s meetings and active projects from the get-go. The group, led by the fantastic design manager Andrea Chen, was small yet mighty. During my time there, I had the opportunity to work under the guidance of Senior UX Designer Alexis Maietta and UX Writer Cole Waldron. When I wasn’t busy, I collaborated with other talented designers: Chris Ko, Alex Ross, Josie Biteng, and Cole Fortson!

I was officially employed in the company’s Research and Development department. Therefore, the design team worked directly with product managers and developers to create new platform features and initiatives. I spent a lot of time cross-collaborating with those roles as a result.

I had a fantastic time working with Andrew Santore, my recruiter. He streamlined the process with timely email communication and constructive answers & feedback!

My Team

My internship revolved around the daily operations of the company’s product design team, and I was immersed in everyone’s meetings and active projects from the get-go. The group, led by the fantastic design manager Andrea Chen, was small yet mighty. During my time there, I had the opportunity to work under the guidance of Senior UX Designer Alexis Maietta and UX Writer Cole Waldron. When I wasn’t busy, I collaborated with other talented designers: Chris Ko, Alex Ross, Josie Biteng, and Cole Fortson!

I was officially employed in the company’s Research and Development department. Therefore, the design team worked directly with product managers and developers to create new platform features and initiatives. I spent a lot of time cross-collaborating with those roles as a result.

What did I do?

Research

As mentioned, I could choose what projects I wanted to tackle to get the most of my learning experience. I spent the first week researching and analyzing the existing product. I started by taking a deep dive into the company’s resources for user feedback, noting common complaints, suggestions, and pain points. I also had conversations with people from the Clinical and Member Success teams to gain clarification on any missing features and possibilities for expansion. I compiled all my findings into an organized document, which I presented to my design team for review.

This document was shared with other product managers across BetterHelp. It was awesome to know that my thoughts had captured their attention, which eventually turned into to discussions about potential growth opportunities and experiment ideas for the company.

What did I do?

Research

As mentioned, I could choose what projects I wanted to tackle to get the most of my learning experience. I spent the first week researching and analyzing the existing product. I started by taking a deep dive into the company’s resources for user feedback, noting common complaints, suggestions, and pain points. I also had conversations with people from the Clinical and Member Success teams to gain clarification on any missing features and possibilities for expansion. I compiled all my findings into an organized document, which I presented to my design team for review.

This document was shared with other product managers across BetterHelp. It was awesome to know that my thoughts had captured their attention, which eventually turned into to discussions about potential growth opportunities and experiment ideas for the company.

Design

Throughout my internship, I focused on improving the client-side account settings page. More specifically, I designed a feature addition that gave users more information about their therapist in their account settings.

I had two smaller projects left as design proposals at the end of my internship: (1) profile picture improvements and (2) navigation system upgrades. I, unfortunately, didn’t have enough time to see these through to the end, but I hope to see them live on the site one day!

Design

Throughout my internship, I focused on improving the client-side account settings page. More specifically, I designed a feature addition that gave users more information about their therapist in their account settings.

I had two smaller projects left as design proposals at the end of my internship: (1) profile picture improvements and (2) navigation system upgrades. I, unfortunately, didn’t have enough time to see these through to the end, but I hope to see them live on the site one day!

Develop

Not only did I have the chance to design a fully-fledged concept from sketch to prototype, but I also had the opportunity to work with a team of developers and data scientists to put it into action on the BetterHelp platform. We conducted an experiment to measure my design’s success, which was an exciting process.

Working with a developer was a new experience for me. While I was responsible for researching and designing the core user experience, developers brought that design to life by writing the code to make the product function as intended. I learned how to create detailed and accurate wireframes and design specifications for handoff. I met with my developer several times to review any technical or design-related issues, but mainly to ensure the design vision was maintained throughout the process.

I also learned a ton working with the data science team; we worked together to set up and run an A/B test to evaluate the effectiveness of different design decisions. We had several meetings to choose the appropriate metrics to measure the prototype and tests' success and set up the necessary tracking and data analysis systems.

Develop

Not only did I have the chance to design a fully-fledged concept from sketch to prototype, but I also had the opportunity to work with a team of developers and data scientists to put it into action on the BetterHelp platform. We conducted an experiment to measure my design’s success, which was an exciting process.

Working with a developer was a new experience for me. While I was responsible for researching and designing the core user experience, developers brought that design to life by writing the code to make the product function as intended. I learned how to create detailed and accurate wireframes and design specifications for handoff. I met with my developer several times to review any technical or design-related issues, but mainly to ensure the design vision was maintained throughout the process.

I also learned a ton working with the data science team; we worked together to set up and run an A/B test to evaluate the effectiveness of different design decisions. We had several meetings to choose the appropriate metrics to measure the prototype and tests' success and set up the necessary tracking and data analysis systems.

My beloved segmented pickers

Side Quests

In addition to my primary projects, I shadowed and assisted the other product designers with their everyday tasks. I learned how to draft a user interview flow with one designer and took detailed notes while she moderated conversations with BetterHelp users. Another designer was working on an updated design system, so I had to chance to create a new set of segmented picker components for him. Our UX writer allowed me to suggest changes for a project on updating some SMS copy, and my suggestions were later entirely accepted into sprint (my first official win!).

Side Quests

In addition to my primary projects, I shadowed and assisted the other product designers with their everyday tasks. I learned how to draft a user interview flow with one designer and took detailed notes while she moderated conversations with BetterHelp users. Another designer was working on an updated design system, so I had to chance to create a new set of segmented picker components for him. Our UX writer allowed me to suggest changes for a project on updating some SMS copy, and my suggestions were later entirely accepted into sprint (my first official win!).

The Company Itself

Meetings

As an intern, I had a full schedule of meetings each week. From company gatherings to sprint meetings, project discussions to design critiques, one-on-ones with my manager, and bi-weekly team meetings, I was always engaged with my colleagues. I also took advantage of the opportunity to meet with other team members to gain insight into their work and advice on project challenges. This led to fantastic shadowing opportunities and collaborations that greatly enriched my internship experience.

The Company Itself

Meetings

As an intern, I had a full schedule of meetings each week. From company gatherings to sprint meetings, project discussions to design critiques, one-on-ones with my manager, and bi-weekly team meetings, I was always engaged with my colleagues. I also took advantage of the opportunity to meet with other team members to gain insight into their work and advice on project challenges. This led to fantastic shadowing opportunities and collaborations that greatly enriched my internship experience.

Design Critiques

Once a week, the design team would gather to review ongoing projects. Any team member could volunteer their work, which could be updates to the design system, detailed prototype flows, or an ongoing brainstorming session. This regular check-in not only gave me a glimpse into my colleagues’ daily tasks but also allowed for a comprehensive overview of the design-to-development process. The feedback received during these meetings was invaluable, and I made sure to put it into practice on my projects.

Design Critiques

Once a week, the design team would gather to review ongoing projects. Any team member could volunteer their work, which could be updates to the design system, detailed prototype flows, or an ongoing brainstorming session. This regular check-in not only gave me a glimpse into my colleagues’ daily tasks but also allowed for a comprehensive overview of the design-to-development process. The feedback received during these meetings was invaluable, and I made sure to put it into practice on my projects.

Hannah Millar

Hannah Millar

Hannah Millar

BetterHelp Product Design Internship: Summer 2022

Posted on

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Category

Category

Background

Background

What is BetterHelp?

What is BetterHelp?

The Interview Process

The Interview Process

My Team

My Team

What did I do?

Research

What did I do?

Research

Design

Design

Develop

Develop

Side Quests

Side Quests

The Company Itself

Meetings

The Company Itself

Meetings

Design Critiques

Design Critiques

Work-on-Site (WOW) Week

Free Food

Intern Events

In the End…

Hannah Millar

Hannah Millar

Hannah Millar