UNFOLD

A Space to Express What Words Can’t

A digital canvas for emotional release, combining drawing, reflection, and memory into one continuous experience.

THE IDEA

Many emotions cannot be articulated through language. Unfold was designed as a space where users can externalize feelings visually rather than verbally.

THE PROBLEM

Traditional journaling relies on words, which can create a barrier to emotional expression. Creative tools allow freedom, but lack structure for reflection.

THE SOLUTION

Unfold combines a gesture-based canvas, layered expression system, reflection prompts, and a timeline to create a complete emotional experience.

Early Exploration

Initial designs focused on minimal, calming interfaces that encourage emotional safety and intuitive interaction.

DESIGN EXPLORATION (FIGMA)

Resolving Gesture Conflicts

Early designs relied on gestures alone, which created difficulty when selecting overlapping elements

Introducing a Layer System

To improve precision, a layer system was introduced, allowing users to select, move, reorder, and edit elements independently.

Designing an Emotional Flow

The experience was restructured into a continuous journey:
Home → Canvas → Reflection → Timeline

Designing for Emotional Safety

Personalization elements were removed to preserve anonymity, allowing users to express themselves freely without identity pressure.

Interaction Design

• Drag to move elements

• Pinch to resize layers

• Layer-based selection system

• Freehand + structured motifs

• Timeline-based memory tracking

OUTCOME

Unfold evolved from a visual concept into a functional prototype, demonstrating how emotional expression can be supported through interaction design rather than language alone.

This project shifted my approach from interface design to emotional experience design. It reinforced the importance of clarity not just in visuals, but in how users feel while interacting with a system.