Hams
A Gen Z premium voice-chat feature for anonymous Arabic mental health support, designed RTL, dark, and culturally safe.
3-Hour Challenge
RTL Design Ayadi Health
A Gen Z premium voice-chat feature for anonymous Arabic mental health support, designed RTL, dark, and culturally safe.
The Brief
Ayadi Health challenged me to design a voice-based safe space feature called Hams, Arabic for Whisper, for young Arabic adults dealing with sensitive topics like anxiety, academic pressure, and emotional stress. The design had to feel protective, anonymous, and premium, while respecting the cultural stigma around mental health in the Arab world. Deliverables were two high-fidelity mobile screens and a supporting design system, completed within 3 hours.
The Problem
Mental health conversations carry significant social stigma in the Arab region. Young adults need a space to speak openly without fear of being identified. Most existing mental wellness apps use Western design patterns that feel culturally foreign, visually cold, or clinically sterile. The challenge was to design something that felt genuinely safe, not just functionally private.
My Approach
Instead of profile photos or initials, I used culturally diverse illustrated avatars that represent people without exposing them. This removes the anxiety of being recognized while keeping the human warmth of knowing real people are in the room.
Every element was designed right-to-left from the start, not adapted from an LTR layout. Arabic typography was chosen for readability and emotional softness, not just language support.
Dark background with warm, muted tones. Negative space used deliberately to reduce cognitive load. No harsh borders. Subtle depth through shadows and blur. The UI needed to feel like a quiet room, not an app.
Screens Delivered
Active voice rooms displayed as cards with clear topic titles, live indicators, listener counts, and category filters. Typography hierarchy guides the eye from room title to metadata without visual noise.
The stage shows the current speaker with abstract visual identity, surrounded by listener avatars. Controls are minimal: mute, leave, and react. Sound activity is implied through layout and spacing rather than complex visualizations, keeping the interface calm.
Design System
Color palette, iOS grid specifications, component library, iconography set, and illustrated avatar collection. All components built with RTL logic and dark mode contrast ratios in mind.
The Outcome
Submitted as a 3-hour design challenge. The work demonstrated RTL execution, emotional design thinking, and culturally informed UI craft for a sensitive product category.
