I was 32 years old when I discovered that a woman's menstrual cycle is divided into phases, about 5 of them. I had spent most of my life not knowing this. I used cycle-tracking apps that focused almost entirely on fertility, or I’d just stop using them altogether, out of boredom.
Why? Because no one had ever explained the cycle as something relevant beyond reproduction.
This knowledge gap is exactly what Ciclica set out to change.
UX/UI DESIGNER
The Challenge
This wasn't just another period tracker, it was designed to be a comprehensive companion that helps people truly understand their menstrual cycle, with future plans to connect them to healthcare professionals, nutritionists, and personalized recommendations for every phase.
When I joined Ciclica, it was a true zero‑to‑one product: no brand, no interface, no visual guidelines, just a powerful idea in need of structure and direction.
My role? Transforming that vision into a coherent product experience that felt trustworthy, modern, and genuinely helpful.
Key challenges:
Build brand & product from scratch: establish a visual identity and UX foundation from zero.
Balance trust and emotional tone: communicate expertise without looking clinical or patronizing.
Solve the UX paradox: enable daily tracking of intimate data without making users feel exposed.
Support diverse personas: from teens tracking their first cycles, to adults sharing insights with healthcare providers.
The Strategy
To tackle these challenges, the process was divided into clear, purposeful phases:
1
Setting the visual direction early
I started with a conversation with the founder to better understand Ciclica’s values and vision. From there, I created a moodboard to define the visual tone, something calm, grounded, and far from the usual clichés. This early visual direction helped guide all design decisions that followed.
2
Understanding the domain & users’ needs
Through a benchmarking phase, I explored how other apps approached menstrual health, identifying both UX patterns and missed opportunities. These insights helped shape an experience that could balance education with empathy, while staying accessible to a wide range of users.
3
Designing flows with simplicity and growth in mind
Based on insights, I designed core user flows: onboarding, daily tracking, phase reading, and reporting. Special focus went to minimizing user effort and building intuitive shortcuts.
The Result
Ciclica’s first MVP has been delivered: a clear, accessible foundation that introduces a new way of understanding the menstrual cycle, one that goes beyond fertility and embraces everyday awareness.
The app guides users through phases with empathy and simplicity, combining calm visuals, emotionally safe tone, and just the right amount of information.
It’s designed not to lecture, but it's a companion more than a tracker.
I’m currently supporting the team as we monitor usage, refine the experience, and prepare for the next steps: real user interviews, feedback analysis, and iterative improvements based on lived behaviors.
It’s not finished, it’s definitely alive.
And that’s exactly the kind of product I love working on.
