This whitepaper presents HITLAB’S heuristic evaluation of One Small Step (0SS), a digital peer-support platform developed to foster real human connection in mental health and addiction recovery. The platform connects users with certified peer supporters— individuals who have lived through similar challenges and are trained to provide empathetic, non-clinical emotional support.

Using Jakob Nielsen’s Usability Heuristics for User Interface Design, HITLAB conducted a comprehensive review of both the web and mobile app versions of OSS. The evaluation examined the platform’s design, interaction flow, ‘communication features, and user empowerment mechanisms to assess alignment with usability principles.

Findings indicate that One Small Step excels in empathy-driven communication, emotional safety, and accessibility. The platform’s minimalist design, visible support options, and flexible chat or call features make it approachable and comforting. However, opportunities exist to further enhance usability through improvements like chat timestamps, editable and downloadable chat histories, flexible availability of peers, and interactive coping exercises.

Overall, One Small Step demonstrates strong adherence to user-centered design and stands out as a scalable model for technology-enabled peer support. HITLAB’S insights provide a structured roadmap for continuous improvement to strengthen engagement, inclusivity, and emotional impact.