Masters Showcase 2025: Chelsea Oyebola
Student Spotlight featuring MSc Design: Products and Technology student, Chelsea Oyebola, and her project design 'Bloom'.
By Jon Duckworth | Published on 18 September 2025
Categories: Student Showcase; School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment;
The project
'Bloom' is a well-being app designed to educate young women about unhealthy and abusive relationships. Many women experience abuse without realising it due to a lack of understanding of what a healthy relationship looks like, often leading to mental health struggles. Bloom helps users uncover the root of these struggles and recognise potential abusive behaviours by offering tailored resources, guidance and support that encourage reflection on their own relationships. The app also provides clear information on where and how users can seek help, connecting them to trusted services when needed. By framing prevention through mental health, Bloom reaches users who may not otherwise seek help or realise they are at risk. Its discreet design ensures access to support even in potentially unsafe situations.
Bloom is a well-being app designed to educate young women about unhealthy and abusive relationships.
The inspiration behind the project
Chelsea explains:
"I have always been passionate about addressing injustice, and as I grew older I became increasingly aware of how normalised misogyny and harmful behaviours toward women are in society. Hearing friends’ and family’s experiences and seeing the emotional and mental impact of abuse made me realise how many women face struggles without recognising the root cause. The rising rates of sexual assault further motivated me to investigate how women experience abuse and the gaps in available support.
"While safety apps and helplines exist for women in immediate danger, I noticed a critical gap: few solutions help women recognise abuse before it escalates. Many resources are designed for those already seeking help, but not everyone realises they are in an abusive relationship until it's too late. Early awareness is key, and education is the most effective way to provide it. Bloom was born from this need - to support young women in understanding their relationships, recognizing harmful patterns early, and accessing help."
Chelsea was inspired to create Bloom by hearing about women's experiences of abuse.
Being part of NTU
Chelsea says that the experience of completing the project was a rollercoaster.
"There were moments when I felt stuck and didn’t know how to move on or even elaborate on the project. I also felt a sense of disappointment and frustration because I was struggling with what I saw was the 'traditional' or 'correct' way of designing. I felt nervous even prototyping or expanding on my ideas beyond research because I was scared of being disappointed.
"Over time, I gained confidence as I realised the significance of my work and the impact it could have. The project taught me the importance of seeking knowledge from unexpected sources and staying open-minded - valuable insights often came from places I hadn’t anticipated.
"This project really allowed me to tie in my personal interests and passions with design. It has really taught me how I can actually make things that can make a difference to the world. I really enjoyed the research part and learning about the problem. The feedback I received from people who have seen the outcome has been really encouraging and motivating me to continue. It has shown me that your early expectations don’t need to define the project. And over time, it ends up better than expected."
For Chelsea, coming from an engineering background, adjusting to design was initially challenging.
"Understanding design methodologies, thinking from a user-centred perspective, and working with hands-on tasks like model-making and sketching were all new to me. I struggled at first to find my strengths and translate my skills into a design context. Over time, I learned to combine my engineering skills with my personal strengths. My ability to research, analyse topics, and communicate ideas became a real asset when applied to design. I discovered that my strengths lie in the digital side of design, particularly UI/UX, user research, and understanding what users truly need. Beyond technical feasibility, I learned to focus on whether a solution aligns with user needs.
"I also developed technical skills, learning Figma independently and improving my proficiency with graphic design tools like Canva. Throughout the course, I gained experience in various forms of prototyping and visualising ideas. I went from being hesitant to prototype to confidently testing and iterating on concepts whenever I had a new development. My time at NTU has taught me to combine research, creativity, and practical skills to design meaningful, user-focused solutions."
Closing remarks
Chelsea considers friendships formed with classmates being one of the most memorable aspects of her time at NTU. "Their encouragement and willingness to collaborate made a big difference, especially during moments of self-doubt."
She adds: "I also really enjoyed the field trips, which allowed us to see industry standards in action and gain inspiration. These trips were valuable not just for learning, but also for bonding as a class. The tutors created a supportive environment where I felt safe to ask for guidance and reassurance, which helped me grow throughout the course."
Asked to offer advice to potential future students of product design, she says: "If there’s something you’re passionate about, pursue it - even if it’s not considered 'the norm'. You never know where it could lead. I also suggest having a goal or idea of what you hope to gain from the course, as this can help you make the most of your time at NTU. At the same time, stay open-minded - some of the most valuable learning experiences come from unexpected opportunities, and you may discover new skills and interests along the way."
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