CODE RED — Woohee: UX designer

ABOUT

Code Red

Problem

Period poverty is a global issue that affects millions of people who lack access to menstrual products and hygienic facilities.

Outcome

We created a mobile platform that functions as both a period tracker and a resource for individuals in need of menstrual products.

Timeline

07.2023-11.2023

Role
Team Lead
Strategist
UX Designer

Team

Uijin Yang, UX/UI Designer
Seongjun Jeon, Strategist
Geon Kim, Motion Designer

Final Design

Community

Share your concerns or get the right information about female health in this safe, no-judgement community.

Period Cycle Tracker

Track your period cycle and record physical and emotional symptoms to identify your own patterns!

Donation Map

Donate cash or items to girls and women nearby. You’ll get a thank-you message from supportees and create a stronger emotional bond between you two.

Here’s how the work came together!

Desk Research

Period Products Taxed as Luxury

Every month, 1.8 billion people across the world menstruate, according to UNICEF. As period supplies like tampons and sanitary towels are a necessity for women, it is taxed in many countries under the name of “tampon tax.”

It is no exception in developed countries. In fact, the stigma of menstruation remains even in more advanced nations.

🇬🇧

U.K.

1 in 10 girls can’t afford to buy menstrual products.

🇮🇳

India

Girls in India often use rags or cloth, toilet paper, newspaper, socks, and cardboard as an alternative.

🇰🇷

South Korea

Low-income teenagers sometimes use toilet paper or shoe insoles instead of sanitary pads.

🇺🇸

United States

1 in 5 teens have missed class because they don’t have access to menstrual products.

Competitive Research

Who are the competitors?

Based on transparency and ease of use, two core principles for a digital donation platform, I was able to map out the competitors in the matrix.

Problem Identification

Disconnected from the support that exists

With various approaches to solve the issue - period supply drive, free product dispenser, and donation - I have discovered issues with the current solution:

01

No long-term support

Most solutions focus on one-time donations, missing the chance to build lasting trust or connection.

02

Frustrating user experience

Scattered forms and unclear flows make it hard to give or receive help efficiently.

03

Lack of privacy & transparency

Many platforms fail to ensure anonymity for users or clarity for donors, weakening trust.

Ideation

We’ve all been there—you, me, and her.

According to BMC Women’s Health, the unpredictable nature of periods and the common experience of not having a menstrual product available when needed resulted in the culture of product sharing.

I focused on this common experience and designed an app to trigger a bonding experience as well as a sense of community by sharing.

Edge Case

23% of donors drop out after their first donation

We have identified the consistent drop-out of donors. According to the Fundraising Effectiveness Project, around 23% of donors churn just 6 months after their first donation, which means almost 70% of donors give only once to an organization.

To prevent these common friction points in the donation system, we have added features to strengthen the emotional connection between donors and donees.

User Persona

Connect two targets to enhance sustainable donation

Based on the donation system, we set two separate user personas – a supporter who takes an interest in the period poverty issue and donates & supportee who is looking for help to get period supplies.

With details in our user persona, we were able to thoroughly create the system that both target users can benefit from.

Sitemap

Wireframes

Solution

A safe space without stigma or the stress of affording menstruation

Through an intuitive donation flow and community-focused UX, Code Red helps users give or receive period care without fear of stigma or financial burden. Beyond the app, we designed campaign posters and a vending machine concept to create visibility in real-world spaces for those who don’t have access to mobile devices.

Branding

Building a Brand Identity

We created a comprehensive design system that goes beyond what is used in the final design. We built this following the WCAG AA accessibility guidelines.

Outcome & Impact

Where It Landed

Code Red was awarded the Red Dot Junior Award, recognizing our ability to turn a socially driven concept into a functional, emotionally resonant product.

Reflections

What did I learn from this project?

From Concept to Clarity

Our original idea for Code Red barely scratched the surface. Through rounds of ideation, feedback, and prototyping, the concept grew into something far more powerful. Every iteration unlocked new perspectives—not just on the product, but on the real needs we were trying to meet.

Speak Early, Move Faster

One of the biggest lessons was internal: clear communication is everything. Even when I hesitated to speak up, thinking I might slow things down, being open actually made our process smoother and more aligned. Collaboration only works when everyone feels informed and involved—and I’ll carry that into every team I join.