Agnes Marschalek

Agnes Marschalek is the co-founder and design lead at StillMind, where she creates interfaces that feel calm rather than chaotic—a radical departure from the attention-grabbing patterns that dominate app design.

With a background in user experience design for wellness applications, Agnes has spent years observing how digital products either support or sabotage our intentions. She noticed that meditation apps, ironically, often employed the same addictive design patterns as social media: notification badges, streaks, and endless content feeds designed to keep users checking back compulsively.

Design Philosophy

Agnes’s approach to StillMind’s design centers on a single principle: intentional friction. Rather than making everything instant and effortless (which often leads to mindless usage), StillMind’s interface encourages deliberate choices. The app isn’t trying to “hook” you—it’s trying to support you when you genuinely need it, then get out of your way.

This means breathing room in layouts, typography that doesn’t demand constant attention, and color choices that promote calm rather than urgency. Every animation, button placement, and interaction pattern is designed to reduce cognitive load, not increase engagement metrics.

Real Practice, Real Design

Agnes approaches design challenges through the lens of her own meditation practice. She understands the difference between apps that look minimalist (but still feel cluttered) and interfaces that genuinely support focus. Her work reflects the messy reality of meditation: it’s not always peaceful, progress isn’t linear, and sometimes you just need the app to help you start a session without seven steps of setup.

Beyond StillMind

Agnes advocates for ethical design practices in the tech industry, particularly around mental health and wellness applications. She believes designers have a responsibility to question whether their work genuinely serves users or just serves metrics—and to have the courage to choose differently.