Blended Agile Development and ISO Evaluation of a Mental Wellness Mobile Application in Higher Education
2026 17th International Conference on E-Education, E-Business, E-Management and E-Learning (IC4e), (2026), pp. 641-645
a College of Computer Studies and Multimedia Arts, FEU Institute of Technology, Manila, Philippines
Abstract: Mental health concerns among college students continue to rise due to academic pressures, psychosocial stressors, and limited access to mental health services, particularly in the Philippine higher education context. This study presents the design, development, and evaluation of a mobile mental wellness application that integrates art therapy and sound therapy to support stress reduction and emotional well-being among university students. The application provides a multisensory experience through interactive digital coloring activities and customizable ambient soundscapes designed to promote relaxation and mindfulness. A developmental research design was employed, consisting of a development phase and an evaluation phase. The application was developed over 12 months using a blended Agile approach that combined Scrum, Extreme Programming, and Feature-Driven Development to ensure iterative, user-centered design. Evaluation involved purposive sampling of 500 college students experiencing moderate to high academic stress, complemented by expert assessment using the ISO/IEC 25010 Software Quality Model. Quality characteristics assessed included functionality, usability, performance efficiency, compatibility, reliability, maintainability, and portability. Results yielded a grand mean score of 3.66, interpreted as Highly Acceptable, indicating that the application met international software quality standards. Most quality attributes received highly acceptable ratings, demonstrating strong usability, technical performance, and cross-platform reliability. These findings suggest that the application is a viable, scalable, and user-centered digital wellness tool. The study underscores the role of educational technology in addressing mental health gaps in higher education and supports the integration of ISO-aligned mobile wellness applications into student support systems.