Deep
What does it mean to be a “real man”? The way society defines masculinity has made it harder for men to open up, seek help, or even recognize when they need it. This project was about breaking that cycle—using design thinking to create a tool that makes conversations about mental health easier and more natural among male friend groups.
Client:
TH Augsburg
Role:
Year:
2022
The Challenge
How do you get men to talk about their feelings—without making it feel forced or awkward? That was our biggest hurdle. We knew the solution couldn’t be preachy or heavy-handed, but we also didn’t want it to feel like just another game. Finding the right balance between depth and playfulness was tough. On top of that, we had to consult with psychologists and therapists to ensure the questions were actually helpful. But even then, we faced another challenge: how do you design interactions that encourage real emotional support among friends rather than just surface-level discussions?
Process
Using a design thinking approach, we broke down the challenge into clear, iterative steps:
Empathy & Research:
Interviewed men to uncover why expressing emotions is challenging and identified key communication gaps among friend groups.Expert Collaboration:
Partnered with psychologists, therapists, and life coaches to co-create unbiased, impactful questions.Ideation:
Explored various concepts and iterated on prototypes—eventually zeroing in on a card game format that felt both natural and engaging.Testing & Iteration:
Validated the concept with real user testing, gathering feedback from male groups to refine the gameplay mechanics and conversational prompts.Final Design:
Delivered deep—a game featuring four question categories (Perception, Connection, Self-Reflection, Action) designed to foster genuine, supportive dialogue.
Solution
Leveraging a design thinking approach, deep evolved into a card game that transforms tough conversations into playful, user-centric dialogue. By empathizing with real users, rapidly prototyping, and iterating based on feedback, we crafted four focused question categories—Perception, Connection, Self-Reflection, and Action. This structure, validated through expert collaboration, empowers men to navigate vulnerability and foster genuine support in an engaging, accessible way. To reach our target audience directly, we partnered with local cafes—spaces where men naturally gather—offering deep free of charge during their stay, so conversations about mental health can spark organically in everyday settings.
Key takeaways
deep isn’t just a card game—it’s a conversation catalyst. Our design thinking process proved that when you blend empathy, rapid prototyping, and a dash of creativity, you can transform a tough topic into an engaging experience. By testing and iterating with real users and experts, we crafted a tool that not only sparks genuine dialogue but also meets men where they are—in local cafes. The result? Men are connecting on a deeper level, supporting each other, and proving that authentic conversation can start with just a deck of cards.