Too slow to start
Programs and libraries ask for time on the days people have the least of it
Pausa · Independent project
An AI check-in companion that knows its limits
Mobile and web · Conversational AI · Mental wellness
Product & Conversation Designer · Independent project
Research paper to hi-fi, designed end to end
Role
Product Designer
Scope
Research, conversation, UX, UI
Platform
iOS, Android and web
Foundation
My research paper on companion AI
The problem
People need a minute to check in. Most apps ask for ten.
A log changes nothing
Trackers record a mood, then leave the moment exactly as it was
AI that forgets its limits
Companion chatbots can miss a crisis and never point people to real help
What I did
From a research paper to hi-fi
Research, conversation design, UX and visual design, all mine
Research
My paper on companion AI and mental health
Agent persona
Purpose, tone, fallback and exit, written first
Conversation flow
Every mood path, silence and escalation
Calmi v1
First wireframes of the full check-in
Redesign
Lo-fi and mid-fi, real copy, accessibility
Pausa hi-fi
Visual system for mobile and web
5
moods mapped, each with its own path
31
screens across lo-fi, mid-fi and hi-fi
2
platforms: mobile and web
1
escalation path to human help
Research
What the research told me to design for
The loneliest users benefit most, and are most exposed when the app fails in a crisis.
Nakagomi et al., 2026
Very low check-ins over several days open Support.
Companion chatbots in documented cases failed to recognize a crisis or point to real help.
Pescara Kovach, 2026
988 call and text, a therapist finder, a trusted contact.
Warm, always-on, human-like replies deepen attachment when users forget it is software.
Malfacini, 2025; Lipin, 2025
“Not a therapist. It can make mistakes.” under every chat.
AI improved therapy outcomes only with clinician oversight and built-in guardrails.
Habicht et al., 2025
A companion, never a clinician. Serious moments go to people.
California SB 243 requires crisis referral for companion chatbots, but only for minors.
SB 243 (2025)
The same protections for every adult, by design.
Conversation design
Every mood has a path, including silence
The agent’s tone, fallback and exit were written before any screen
Mood check-in, three next steps, then a gentle closure or reminder.
1
Everyday loop
A soft re-prompt for a number from 1 to 5. Still unclear? The face scale.
2
Unclear or no answer
A mood of 1 for three or more days in a row opens Support, never a dead end.
3
Escalation to humans
UX, wireframes to hi-fi
Sketch first. Then design for calm.
WIREFRAME
HI-FI
"Skip" became "Not sure yet"
Ambivalence is a valid answer on a low day, not a failure to comply
A disclaimer on every chat
"An AI companion, not a therapist. It can make mistakes." never scrolls away
988, named in full
"Crisis line" became the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline with call and text
Key decisions
Four calls that keep the AI honest
Companion, not clinician
It says what it is on every screen where it talks, so warmth never passes for therapy.
The person decides
Three equal choices follow each check-in. Insights arrive as questions, never verdicts.
Hand off to humans
A pattern of very low days opens Support: call or text 988, find a therapist, or reach someone you trust.
Private by default
"Only you can see it." Check-ins can be exported or deleted anytime, right next to the data.
Visual system
Warm paper, calm blue
Newsreader + PoppinsCool-to-warm mood scale44px touch targets
Voice
Words that stay calm on low days
Greeting
“How are you feeling today?”
Reflection
“Thanks for being honest with me today.”
Fallback
“Could you try sharing a bit more?”
Escalation
“You don’t have to carry that alone.”
Exit
“I’m always here if you need to talk later.”
Hi-fi
The full loop on mobile
Nine screens, one story, from welcome to support
Where it goes next
Designed, and ready to be tested
Hi-fi
Mobile and web, end to end
< 1 min
Target time for a full check-in
Next
Moderated usability test, 5 to 6 participants
The difference between harm and help is not the technology itself. It is whether companies choose to build it responsibly.
Pausa is an independent design concept, not a medical device or a substitute for professional care. It began as Calmi; the agent persona, conversation flow and first wireframes were built under that name.
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