Overview
Why Did I Decide to Tackle This?
DeepRoot is a mobile app that addresses misinformation, accessibility challenges, and the emotional toll of learning Black history. It empowers young adults with a trustworthy, user-friendly resource for deeper understanding.
Deeproot
AI-Powered Source Comparison
UX, UI, UXR, Branding
and Design System
UX, UI, UXR, Branding
and Design System
Figma, OpenAI,
Adobe Illustrator,
Figma, OpenAI,
Adobe Illustrator,
Overview
Why Did I Decide to Tackle This?
DeepRoot is a mobile app that addresses misinformation, accessibility challenges, and the emotional toll of learning Black history. It empowers young adults with a trustworthy, user-friendly resource for deeper understanding.
DeepRoot is a mobile app that addresses misinformation, accessibility challenges, and the emotional toll of learning Black history. It empowers young adults with a trustworthy, user-friendly resource for deeper understanding.
Deeproot
AI-Powered Source Comparison
Role
UX, UI, UXR, Branding
and Design System
Tools
Figma, OpenAI,
Adobe Illustrator,
Provide insights on why certain information is trustworthy (or not).
Offer an accessible, engaging way to learn about Black history without feeling overwhelmed.
Help users verify the reliability of the content they engage with.
To understand the scale of these challenges, I first reflected on my personal experience with Black history education.
Provide insights on why certain information is trustworthy (or not).
Offer an accessible, engaging way to learn about Black history without feeling overwhelmed.
Help users verify the reliability of the content they engage with.
Context
Black History Is More Accessible, Yet Misinformation Persists
Black History Is More Accessible, Yet Misinformation Persists
It’s 2009. I’m in 7th grade, sitting in history class during Black History Month. We’re covering Rosa Parks refusing to give up her seat, and I can’t help but think, Is that it?
Year after year, American history lessons expanded—but Black history? The same handful of stories, recycled. It wasn’t until college that I realized how much I had missed. Innovators, leaders, movements—entire histories left out. Saying, “That was just the tip of the iceberg,” felt like an understatement.
This isn’t just about filling in the gaps. It’s about making sure young adults have a reliable way to engage with Black history beyond what’s traditionally taught.
This realization sparked my commitment to creating a more complete, accessible, and emotionally supportive way for young adults to engage with Black history today.
Young adults who seek to learn about Black history often face major obstacles such as distorted information, overwhelming emotional content, and a lack of trusted, easily accessible resources.
These challenges create knowledge gaps and erode confidence. Making it harder to engage meaningfully with their own heritage.
Young adults who seek to learn about Black history often face major obstacles such as distorted information, overwhelming emotional content, and a lack of trusted, easily accessible resources.
These challenges create knowledge gaps and erode confidence. Making it harder to engage meaningfully with their own heritage.
✅ Source Comparison Tool – Cross-checks historical content for accuracy.
✅ Curated Library – Peer-reviewed articles and trusted blogs.
✅ Adaptable Learning Formats – Summaries, deep dives, and interactive elements.
Research & Insights
What I Discovered About Black History & Media Trust
What I Discovered About Black History & Media Trust
Nearly two-thirds of Black Americans say the news they see or hear about Black people is usually more negative compared to coverage of other demographic groups
of Black Americans report encountering news coverage about Black people that is racist or racially insensitive at least sometimes
Only 14% of Black Americans believe it is extremely or very likely that Black people will be covered fairly in the news in their lifetime
I followed the double-diamond design method to structure my process, ensuring I explored the problem thoroughly before jumping into solutions. This method helped me break the challenge into phases: discovering user needs, defining the problem, developing potential solutions, and delivering a refined experience. By taking a step-by-step approach, I avoided assumptions and allowed user insights to shape my decisions. This also helped me remain flexible, adapting my focus as new insights emerged.
I followed the double-diamond design method to structure my process, ensuring I explored the problem thoroughly before jumping into solutions. This method helped me break the challenge into phases: discovering user needs, defining the problem, developing potential solutions, and delivering a refined experience. By taking a step-by-step approach, I avoided assumptions and allowed user insights to shape my decisions. This also helped me remain flexible, adapting my focus as new insights emerged.
Before speaking directly with users, I conducted secondary research to understand the broader landscape of Black history education and media trust.
These findings confirmed that misinformation and negative framing weren't isolated issues, they were systemic challenges that deeply impacted how young adults experienced Black history narratives.
Nearly two-thirds of Black Americans say the news they see or hear about Black people is usually more negative compared to coverage of other demographic groups
of Black Americans report encountering news coverage about Black people that is racist or racially insensitive at least sometimes
Only 14% of Black Americans believe it is extremely or very likely that Black people will be covered fairly in the news in their lifetime
These findings confirmed that misinformation and negative framing weren't isolated issues, they were systemic challenges that deeply impacted how young adults experienced Black history narratives.
Nearly two-thirds of Black Americans say the news they see or hear about Black people is usually more negative compared to coverage of other demographic groups
of Black Americans report encountering news coverage about Black people that is racist or racially insensitive at least sometimes
Only 14% of Black Americans believe it is extremely or very likely that Black people will be covered fairly in the news in their lifetime
These findings confirmed that misinformation and negative framing weren't isolated issues, they were systemic challenges that deeply impacted how young adults experienced Black history narratives.
Next Steps
Moving forward, I plan to expand the functionality of the source search screen to make it even more user-friendly and informative. Additionally, I’ll implement a new AI feature that scans images and videos to provide a reliability score, empowering users to evaluate visual content critically. Finally, I’ll continue conducting user testing to refine these features and ensure DeepRoot meets user needs effectively.
To dive deeper, I interviewed young adults to explore how they preferred to engage with Black history, what formats resonated most, and where they encountered distrust or emotional fatigue.
"I’m a visual learner, so documentaries hit different, but sometimes I need something shorter to hold my attention."
"Podcasts are my go-to, but it’s hard to know what’s reliable."
"Shows like The Boondocks hold a mirror to society with a touch of comedy and I would love for more shows to do that"
These conversations made it clear that accessibility wasn't just about availability, it was about matching users' natural learning preferences with formats that respected their emotional experiences.
These conversations made it clear that accessibility wasn't just about availability, it was about matching users' natural learning preferences with formats that respected their emotional experiences.
To synthesize interview insights, I created an affinity map to uncover key themes around learning preferences, media distrust, and emotional barriers.
I started with the theme of diverse learning formats because it felt rich with possibilities. From interviews, it was clear that people crave variety in how they engage with Black history—whether through books, films, or interactive experiences. But as I delved deeper, I realized that while the idea was compelling, it wasn't directly addressing the core issue. The sheer scope of tackling diverse learning formats would be challenging to accomplish within a 10-week timeline.
To synthesize interview insights, I created an affinity map to uncover key themes around learning preferences, media distrust, and emotional barriers.
I started with the theme of diverse learning formats because it felt rich with possibilities. From interviews, it was clear that people crave variety in how they engage with Black history—whether through books, films, or interactive experiences. But as I delved deeper, I realized that while the idea was compelling, it wasn't directly addressing the core issue. The sheer scope of tackling diverse learning formats would be challenging to accomplish within a 10-week timeline.
Participants prefer diverse formats based on their learning styles, favoring visual content like documentaries, animations, and interactive media, along with books, podcasts, and videos.
Participants prefer diverse formats based on their learning styles, favoring visual content like documentaries, animations, and interactive media, along with books, podcasts, and videos.
Distrust of Media and
Information Sources
Distrust of Media
and Information
Sources
Participants feel Black history is misrepresented in media, criticizing practices like casting non-American Black actors for U.S. historical roles and "whitewashing" Black events.
Participants feel Black history is misrepresented in media, criticizing practices like casting non-American Black actors for U.S. historical roles and "whitewashing" Black events.
Emotional Toll of
Learning Black History
Emotional Toll
of Learning
Black History
Participants noted the emotional challenge of learning about slavery and racial violence, with some struggling to stay engaged and others seeking supportive spaces to process these feelings.
Participants noted the emotional challenge of learning about slavery and racial violence, with some struggling to stay engaged and others seeking supportive spaces to process these feelings.
Further research and reflection showed me that 'Distrust in Media' was a recurring concern. Interviewees expressed skepticism about the accuracy and framing of Black history in mainstream sources. This distrust wasn't just a pain point. It was a barrier to engaging with Black history at all. Shifting the focus to this theme allowed me to hone in on solving a more urgent and specific problem: how to equip young adults with trustworthy, accessible knowledge about Black history.
In retrospect, this pivot was essential. It not only grounded the project in a more actionable problem but also aligned with my personal motivation to address gaps in Black history education. By narrowing the scope, I could develop a solution that felt both impactful and achievable within the given timeframe.
Further research and reflection showed me that 'Distrust in Media' was a recurring concern. Interviewees expressed skepticism about the accuracy and framing of Black history in mainstream sources. This distrust wasn't just a pain point. It was a barrier to engaging with Black history at all. Shifting the focus to this theme allowed me to hone in on solving a more urgent and specific problem: how to equip young adults with trustworthy, accessible knowledge about Black history.
In retrospect, this pivot was essential. It not only grounded the project in a more actionable problem but also aligned with my personal motivation to address gaps in Black history education. By narrowing the scope, I could develop a solution that felt both impactful and achievable within the given timeframe.
With my persona defined, I mapped out user stories to prioritize features that would solve the core trust and accessibility challenges.
How might we create accessible, trustworthy Black history resources that empower young adults to feel confident in their understanding and engage more fully with their heritage?
How might we create accessible, trustworthy Black history resources that empower young adults to feel confident in their understanding and engage more fully with their heritage?
With my persona defined, I mapped out user stories to prioritize features that would solve the core trust and accessibility challenges.
By creating user stories, I empathized with users and better understood their experiences. This process helped me prioritize features, make informed design decisions, and ensure that the final product met user expectations and effectively solved their problems.
By creating user stories, I empathized with users and better understood their experiences. This process helped me prioritize features, make informed design decisions, and ensure that the final product met user expectations and effectively solved their problems.
As a knowledge seeker, I want to compare sources on the same topic to identify consistencies and discrepancies.
As a knowledge seeker, I want to compare sources on the same topic to identify consistencies and discrepancies.
Verify And Validate Historical Content
Verify And Validate Historical Content
Initially this task flow involved the user going through the process of checking their citations, but this wasn't addressing my users main pain point. I then simplified this process by removing one step and focusing on the source comparison feature.
To visually reinforce DeepRoot’s mission, I curated a moodboard around the themes of rootedness, credibility, and clarity.
To develop a cohesive brand, I created a mood board inspired by keywords like rooted, inspiring, and academic. This process helped me craft a color palette and typography that align with DeepRoot’s values. Peer feedback ensured the visuals resonated with my target audience.
Before jumping into wireframes, I sketched out initial concepts inspired by my moodboard—which centered around themes like rootedness, clarity, and credibility. I pulled visual cues from academic journals, clean editorial layouts, and modern article readers to explore different ways of displaying information clearly and respectfully.
After gathering feedback from the first usability test, I identified key areas for improvement and made significant updates to enhance the user experience. I added an option to copy article citations in MLA format, making it easier for users to reference their findings. To improve navigation, I introduced a table of contents feature, allowing users to quickly scroll through articles and locate specific sections.
The source results screen underwent a complete rework, focusing on presenting information in a more digestible and visually clear format. These updates, along with refining button functionality and improving visual alignment, shaped Version 2 of the DeepRoot prototype. This iteration delivers a smoother, more intuitive experience, empowering users to explore Black history resources with confidence and ease.
After gathering feedback from the first usability test, I identified key areas for improvement and made significant updates to enhance the user experience. I added an option to copy article citations in MLA format, making it easier for users to reference their findings. To improve navigation, I introduced a table of contents feature, allowing users to quickly scroll through articles and locate specific sections.
The source results screen underwent a complete rework, focusing on presenting information in a more digestible and visually clear format. These updates, along with refining button functionality and improving visual alignment, shaped Version 2 of the DeepRoot prototype. This iteration delivers a smoother, more intuitive experience, empowering users to explore Black history resources with confidence and ease.
To build immediate trust and emotional resonance, I developed a visual brand identity for DeepRoot centered around authenticity, growth, and academic integrity.
The wordmark symbolizes groundedness, while the typography and colors evoke a sense of inspiration, credibility, and approachability.
✅ Refined color choices to ensure accessibility-friendly contrast without compromising the brand identity.
✅ Bolded text on titles and buttons to improve legibility and visual hierarchy.
✅ Re-tested the UI, ensuring all elements now meet WCAG AA accessibility standards.
Accessibility Improvements
Accessibility Improvements
During testing, I discovered that some elements on the search screen—particularly buttons and certain titles—failed accessibility contrast checks. The colors in question, a light brown and orange, did not meet WCAG AA standards for readability, especially for users with visual impairments.
During usability testing, I identified areas for accessibility improvement, particularly around color contrast.
Some early color choices (light brown, orange) did not meet WCAG AA standards, especially for users with visual impairments.
I adjusted the palette to ensure better readability and a more inclusive experience for all users.
✅ Refined color choices to ensure accessibility-friendly contrast without compromising the brand identity.
✅ Bolded text on titles and buttons to improve legibility and visual hierarchy.
✅ Re-tested the UI, ensuring all elements now meet WCAG AA accessibility standards.
During testing, I discovered that some elements on the search screen—particularly buttons and certain titles—failed accessibility contrast checks. The colors in question, a light brown and orange, did not meet WCAG AA standards for readability, especially for users with visual impairments.
To ensure consistency and efficiency across DeepRoot’s design, I created a scalable UI library in Figma. This library includes buttons, typography styles, input fields, and layout components, making future development and expansion faster and more cohesive.
To ensure consistency and efficiency across DeepRoot’s design, I created a scalable UI library in Figma. This library includes buttons, typography styles, input fields, and layout components, making future development and expansion faster and more cohesive.
Alternate Platform Devices
Alternate Platform Devices
Although DeepRoot was initially designed for iOS mobile, I considered how it could expand to tablets and desktops in the future. Broader platform support would make Black history resources more accessible for educational and professional environments.
Although DeepRoot was initially designed for iOS mobile, I considered how it could expand to tablets and desktops in the future. Broader platform support would make Black history resources more accessible for educational and professional environments.
I designed a concept for a future marketing site to promote DeepRoot to a broader audience. The landing page would highlight key features, showcase the app’s mission, and invite users to download the app or learn more about Black history resources.
I designed a concept for a future marketing site to promote DeepRoot to a broader audience. The landing page would highlight key features, showcase the app’s mission, and invite users to download the app or learn more about Black history resources.
Key Learnings
This project reinforced the importance of designing not just for usability, but for cultural preservation and emotional connection.
By grounding DeepRoot in real user needs and respecting the emotional complexities of Black history, I learned how research, design, and cultural responsibility can work together to build truly meaningful digital experiences.
This project reinforced the importance of designing not just for usability, but for cultural preservation and emotional connection.
By grounding DeepRoot in real user needs and respecting the emotional complexities of Black history, I learned how research, design, and cultural responsibility can work together to build truly meaningful digital experiences.
This project reinforced the importance of designing not just for usability, but for cultural preservation and emotional connection.
By grounding DeepRoot in real user needs and respecting the emotional complexities of Black history, I learned how research, design, and cultural responsibility can work together to build truly meaningful digital experiences.
Moving forward, I plan to expand the functionality of the source search screen to make it even more user-friendly and informative. Additionally, I’ll implement a new AI feature that scans images and videos to provide a reliability score, empowering users to evaluate visual content critically. Finally, I’ll continue conducting user testing to refine these features and ensure DeepRoot meets user needs effectively.
Moving forward, I plan to expand the functionality of the source search screen to make it even more user-friendly and informative. Additionally, I’ll implement a new AI feature that scans images and videos to provide a reliability score, empowering users to evaluate visual content critically. Finally, I’ll continue conducting user testing to refine these features and ensure DeepRoot meets user needs effectively.
