Keto Me
Redesigning a ketogenic lifestyle app to move beyond calorie counters — building a platform rooted in community, coaching, and the belief that you don't have to go at it alone.
Keto Me is a mobile app concept designed to address one of the most persistent failures in the health and wellness market: the gap between apps that track data and platforms that actually support people through change.
Most keto apps give users macros. Keto Me gives them a community — connecting users with coaches, accountability partners, and peer groups organized around the same lifestyle challenges they're navigating. The design challenge was to simplify tracking without stripping the human connection that makes long-term success possible.
This case study documents the full UX process: discovery research, problem definition using the Double Diamond, affinity synthesis, information architecture, hi-fi prototyping, and usability testing — showing how every design decision maps back to real user needs.
How do we design a keto lifestyle app that reduces friction in tracking while simultaneously building the community infrastructure that keeps users engaged long after the first week?
Obesity continues to rise in the U.S. despite billions spent annually on diet apps, programs, and tracking tools. The problem isn't access to information — it's that existing solutions treat weight management as a data problem when it's actually a behavior and support problem.
- Users in their 30s believe online keto groups and YouTube gurus are enough — convincing them otherwise requires proving the value of personalized coaching
- One-size-fits-all keto content can't replace an expert coach who builds a customized program around personal goals and health history
- Pairing users with the right coach and establishing the trust needed for honest conversations about challenges and failures
- Keeping users on the program for the long haul when they don't see results immediately
- Existing keto apps overwhelm users with complex tracking and inconsistent nutritional data
of U.S. adults are overweight or obese despite widespread diet app availability
classified clinically obese — a figure that has grown despite the diet industry expanding
spent annually on the U.S. diet industry with high churn and low long-term outcomes
of diet app users abandon within 30 days — engagement drops off a cliff
Problem Statement
Our potential users need to see the overall value in using a Keto Me coach because keto groups and videos cannot give them a customized program based on their personal goals and needs. We know this to be true when users stick with the program for an extended period because they see results.
Before designing anything, I needed to validate whether the "support gap" matched what real users experienced. I conducted a survey with 14 respondents — current or former keto lifestyle participants — then synthesized findings through affinity mapping to identify behavioral clusters and emotional patterns.
The Double Diamond strategy shaped the research process: Discover → Define → Develop → Deliver, with iteration loops at each stage.
Research Methods
- Online survey — 14 participants (current/former keto users)
- Affinity mapping to cluster themes across needs, frustrations, and desires
- Competitive analysis of existing keto and wellness apps
- Business requirements analysis aligned to SMART objectives
- Double Diamond methodology — Discover, Define, Develop, Deliver
Survey respondents — current and former keto lifestyle users
Behavioral clusters identified through affinity mapping
Core user personas: community seeker, goal-driven, accountability-focused
of participants expressed interest in community or coaching
Affinity mapping revealed that users' stated requests (features) were often proxies for deeper needs (feelings and behaviors). Separating needs from wants was critical to avoid building an over-featured app that satisfied no one deeply.
Needs — Functional Essentials
- Simple, fast food and macro logging
- Personalized dietary guidance for their specific health context
- Access to a qualified coach or nutritionist
- Accountability — someone who notices when they slip
- Content that addresses emotional eating and cravings
- ADA-accessible interface usable across all ability levels
Wants — Engagement Drivers
- Community groups organized by health goals and lifestyle
- Peer-to-peer buddy systems and progress sharing
- Local in-person meetups and library wellness events
- Barcode scanning for fast product lookup
- Recipe discovery with keto-verified filtering
- Milestone celebrations and shared wins
Key Insight
Affinity mapping cards clustered around three modes: community-seeking, goal-driven task completion, and accountability and coaching. Each required a different content entry point — which directly shaped the app's four-pillar navigation structure.
Possible Solutions
Try Before You Commit
Add a trial feature that lets users explore the app and connect with a coach before committing — reducing hesitancy on a big lifestyle decision.
User-Controlled Coach Selection
Give users control over coach selection based on their specific needs, goals, time zone, and focus area — so the match feels right from day one.
In-App Community Support
Create a community where users get peer support when they feel like giving up — because the hardest moment is when results haven't arrived yet.
Three user types emerged from research. Brenda represents the primary persona — the community-seeker whose success depends on connection, not just data.
Brenda
Healthcare Admin · Austin, TX
Primary Persona- Baby Boomer · Divorced · Managing diabetes through diet
- Started keto after a doctor's recommendation; stopped three months in
- Relies on phone for communication — values accessibility and ease
- Connect with other diabetic keto users who understand her specific challenges
- Find a regional community she can join for local and digital support
- Have a coach available when cravings and setbacks hit
- Existing apps feel clinical — no warmth, no community
- No one checks in when she falls off the plan
- Generic keto advice doesn't account for her diabetes management needs
"As an overweight diabetic, I want to connect with other diabetics in the Keto Community so that I get support among people who understand this health challenge."
All Three Personas
Each persona represents a distinct entry point and emotional need within the app.
Brenda · Community Focus
Baby Boomer · Diabetic · Wants peer support from people who understand her health challenges
Pam · Goal-Driven
Millennial · Vegan business owner · Needs keto-aligned recipes and grocery guidance
Jackelle · Accountability
Gen X · Married business owner · Needs a coach to build accountability and structure
Three user flows map the critical paths through the app — each anchored to a distinct persona and a specific goal. These flows validated the four-pillar navigation structure and revealed exactly where decision points had to live.
Brenda — Find a Diabetic Group
Baby Boomer · Diabetic · Community-Seeker
"As an overweight diabetic, I want to connect with other diabetics in the Keto Community so that I get support among people who understand this health challenge."
Task Flow- 1 Entry: Log-In Success
- 2 Goes to Community section
- 3 Joins a community by region
- 4 Selects the Health section
- ✓ Finds the Diabetic group and joins
Pam — Find a Keto Recipe
Millennial · Vegan Business Owner · Goal-Driven
"As a vegan, I want to be able to make the right choices when grocery shopping, so I have a guideline that adheres to the Keto standards."
Task Flow- 1 Entry: Goes to Search
- 2 Types "Vegan Cheesecake recipe"
- 3 Search returns 3 recipes
- 4 Chooses a recipe → Download
- ✓ Selects format → Complete
Jackelle — Find a Keto Coach
Gen X · Married Business Owner · Accountability-Focused
"As a busy business owner, I need to find a coach so that I can gain more accountability and organize my time."
Task Flow- 1 Entry: Log-In Success
- 2 Selects Coaching → Find a coach
- 3 Answers guided questions
- 4 Opts for female coach → 6 results
- ✓ Chooses one → Coaching trial
Key Insight
All three flows confirm the four-pillar navigation. Community, Coaching, Recipes, and Scan Food aren't arbitrary labels — they map directly to three distinct user intents, each with a clear entry point and a defined success state.
The original sitemap was assumption-based — organized around features we thought users would want. Research revealed a different mental model. Users didn't think in terms of "tracking" vs. "community." They thought in terms of what they needed at that moment.
The Four Navigation Pillars
Restructured from fragmented features into four clear user intent zones:
Coaching
Find and connect with a certified keto coach; book sessions; message directly
Community
Peer groups, buddy systems, local meetup events, shared milestones
Recipes
Macro tracking, barcode scan, recipe library, keto-verified filtering
Scan Food
Barcode scanner for instant nutritional lookup while grocery shopping
Sitemap — Before & After
The restructure wasn't cosmetic — it was a fundamental reordering based on user mental models.
Three design mandates guided every decision — rooted in research findings, not assumptions.
Usability & Simplicity
- Streamline keto tracking with intuitive logging and barcode scanning
- Four clear navigation pillars matching user mental models
- Simple first-run experience that scales for advanced users
Community & Accountability
- Peer-to-peer support groups, chat rooms, and buddy systems
- Community events and shared progress tracking
- Local partnerships for in-person meetups and wellness groups
Inclusivity & Accessibility
- Support diverse dietary needs: diabetics, vegans, specialized health concerns
- ADA/WCAG AA compliance across all screens
- Emotional and lifestyle support tools addressing real barriers to success
Onboarding is the highest-stakes moment in any wellness app. Users are motivated and hopeful — the wrong friction here kills them before they experience the value. The Keto Me onboarding was designed to get users to their first personalized coach connection in under 3 minutes.
Guiding users from first interaction to personalized coaching through simple, structured flows.
Welcome & App Intro
Health Goals Setup
Challenges & Barriers
Coach Matching
Design Decision
Personalized onboarding connects users with coaches, uncovers challenges, and builds accountability for lasting keto success — all before the user has logged a single meal.
From choosing the right coach to connecting in live sessions and celebrating measurable results — the Keto Me coaching flow was designed as a complete user journey with personalized support at every touchpoint.
Choose Your Coach
Live Coaching Session
Milestone & Success
Keto Me puts coaching and community at the center, with clear navigation, supportive accountability features, and streamlined tracking tools that empower users to stay motivated and connected.
Every structural decision in Keto Me traces directly to a research finding.
Community-First Navigation
Placing Community as a top-level pillar — equal to Recipes — signals that connection is a feature, not an afterthought. Users who feel part of a group are measurably more likely to return.
Coach Discovery in Onboarding
Integrating coach matching in the onboarding sequence — not behind a paywall — ensures every user has a support relationship from day one. Accountability starts before the first meal is logged.
Accessible by Design
ADA/WCAG AA compliance isn't a checkbox for Keto Me — it's a brand commitment. Users with chronic illness or disabilities are disproportionately affected by obesity and deserve full access.
"The best design system is the one the user never has to think about."
Keto Me's process — from Double Diamond research through hi-fi prototypes — shows what user-centered design actually looks like: every decision traceable back to a real person's real need.