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The Aloka app
A gamified wellness program for breathwork, yoga, meditation and self-care: the idea that became Aloka.
- When
- Late 2019 to 2020
- Role
- Founder: strategy, program, creative direction, UX, brand and copy
- With
- Flight (development) and the Oregon Entrepreneurs Network
After years of yoga and meditation, Graham began creating the wellness app Aloka at the end of 2019. He made the business strategy, the wellness program, the creative direction, the user experience, the branding, the copy, a plan for live events and the physical products.
The idea was a gamified program: users level up through breathwork, yoga, meditation and self-care, with journaling, an online and in-person community, live events and physical rewards. The leveling borrows from video games. Each of the nine levels has its own color, after the traditional colors of the chakras plus black and white, on a base of white marble and copper, a nod to Ayurveda.
Interviews reshaped the plan. The first idea was to change levels every solstice, six months apart, but that proved far too long for level one. Graham sketched on paper before going to the computer, built a prototype in InVision, and showed it to users, developers and partners, revising after every round.
The app was headed into development with Flight in early 2020. The in-person practice it pointed to became Aloka Sound Bath House.
Roles Founder · iPhone and Android app design · UI and UX · Interactive design · Information architecture · Logo and branding · Strategy
Mentors: Pat Cheung (Silversheet), Michael Evans (Before Launcher) and Paul Sternberg (Look Listen). Specialists: Jamael Rahill (yoga) and Shalom Mayberg (sound bath).
