Leaflet
Leaflet
role
role
sole researcher and designer
sole researcher
and designer
SKILLS
SKILLS
ux design
ux research
visual design
ux design
ux research
visual design
timeline
timeline
2-3 weeks in Aug 2023, fall semester
personal project
2-3 weeks in
Aug 2023,
fall semester
personal project
a mobile diary app that takes minimal effort
problem
problem
Bothersome and Boring
Bothersome and Boring
I have never succeeded in keeping up with writing a diary for more than a few days myself, and a lot of different individuals around me also described a similar experience.
I have never succeeded in keeping up with writing a diary for more than a few days myself, and a lot of different individuals around me also described a similar experience.
Emotional awareness
Emotional awareness
During the project, I also realized that keeping a diary also helps greatly with the capability to keep track of you personal emotions, and become aware of it. This is an important factor in keeping one's mental health to a good standing point.
During the project, I also realized that keeping a diary also helps greatly with the capability to keep track of you personal emotions, and become aware of it. This is an important factor in keeping one's mental health to a good standing point.
research
research
Lack of Time
Lack of Time
2019 study by the Pew Research Center found that only 12% of Americans keep a diary. Of those who don't keep a diary, the most common reason cited is lack of time (42%).
2019 study by the Pew Research Center found that only 12% of Americans keep a diary. Of those who don't keep a diary, the most common reason cited is lack of time (42%).
Fear of Judgement
Fear of Judgement
2017 study by the University of Texas at Austin found that people are more likely to keep a diary if they feel safe and secure doing so. The study found that people who were worried about their diaries being read by others were less likely to keep them.
2017 study by the University of Texas at Austin found that people are more likely to keep a diary if they feel safe and secure doing so. The study found that people who were worried about their diaries being read by others were less likely to keep them.
Lack of Interest
Lack of Interest
2018 study by the University of California, Berkeley found that people are more likely to keep a diary if they find it enjoyable and rewarding.
2018 study by the University of California, Berkeley found that people are more likely to keep a diary if they find it enjoyable and rewarding.
Lack of Writing Skills
Lack of Writing Skills
2021 study by the National Council of Teachers of English found that many students struggle with writing. The study found that 44% of fourth-graders scored below the national average on a writing test.
2021 study by the National Council of Teachers of English found that many students struggle with writing. The study found that 44% of fourth-graders scored below the national average on a writing test.
Lack of Motivation
Lack of Motivation
2022 study by the University of Michigan found that people are more likely to stick with goals if they are motivated to achieve them.
2022 study by the University of Michigan found that people are more likely to stick with goals if they are motivated to achieve them.
competitor analysis
competitor analysis
Knowing that there already is a lot of apps that allow for people to write diary entires, I wanted to know how I could overcome these pre-existing competitors and stand out. I figured out that most apps come with the most basic features, and those that are popular tended to come with a twist — an entry with only visuals(Daylio), an entry with a time-limit(Five minute journal), prompts to help you write(Day One).
Knowing that there already is a lot of apps that allow for people to write diary entires, I wanted to know how I could overcome these pre-existing competitors and stand out. I figured out that most apps come with the most basic features, and those that are popular tended to come with a twist — an entry with only visuals(Daylio), an entry with a time-limit(Five minute journal), prompts to help you write(Day One).
ideation
ideation
brainstorming
The idea of using emotions and visuals to write a diary from Daylio was very intriguing, and i decided to use this as a starting point. I wanted to give the users a different experience in regards to the emotions that they felt through the day. I wanted the diary app to be more of a daily companion rather than a chore.
With that i wanted to have a secondary feature that would differentiate the app from other products. Simply using emotions and visuals did not provide consistency in using a diary app. I decided to take care of this problem through a hint that I found: personality tests.
Personality tests have been popular for a very long time. The usual test consists of answering a few questions, then returning a 'personality'. The most popular example is the 16 personalities MBTI test by 16 personalities, as shown below.
The idea of using emotions and visuals to write a diary from Daylio was very intriguing, and i decided to use this as a starting point. I wanted to give the users a different experience in regards to the emotions that they felt through the day. I wanted the diary app to be more of a daily companion rather than a chore.
With that i wanted to have a secondary feature that would differentiate the app from other products. Simply using emotions and visuals did not provide consistency in using a diary app. I decided to take care of this problem through a hint that I found: personality tests.
Personality tests have been popular for a very long time. The usual test consists of answering a few questions, then returning a 'personality'. The most popular example is the 16 personalities MBTI test by 16 personalities, as shown below.
These personality tests all had a strong 'concept' that made each and every character intriguing, and resulted in people doing these tests wondering what the results will be. As such, I decided that I needed a concept as well.
These personality tests all had a strong 'concept' that made each and every character intriguing, and resulted in people doing these tests wondering what the results will be. As such, I decided that I needed a concept as well.
concept
concept
The concept that I decided on was 'tea', which came to me as something that helps you calm down at either the start or the end of the day for a lot of people. I thought this would be a great option as the various types of tea and their effects will result in the experience of entering in a diary entry would be interesting.
There are endless combinations of these teas that people look for, and while developing the app, I figured out that it was a very effective way to look back on yourself by keeping a diary to accept your feelings. This was a very interesting factor to work from with the way that this app would work, as it would ask for emotions for every entry. I therefore decide that the concept of tea could be pushed even further, and that it could help one relax after each day: by making tea recommendations. This would be dependent on the emotions that the users would input and help them end their day with a cup of tea.
The concept that I decided on was 'tea', which came to me as something that helps you calm down at either the start or the end of the day for a lot of people. I thought this would be a great option as the various types of tea and their effects will result in the experience of entering in a diary entry would be interesting.
There are endless combinations of these teas that people look for, and while developing the app, I figured out that it was a very effective way to look back on yourself by keeping a diary to accept your feelings. This was a very interesting factor to work from with the way that this app would work, as it would ask for emotions for every entry. I therefore decide that the concept of tea could be pushed even further, and that it could help one relax after each day: by making tea recommendations. This would be dependent on the emotions that the users would input and help them end their day with a cup of tea.
MId-fi wireframes
MId-fi wireframes
user feedback
user feedback
Solution overview
Solution overview
Home Screen
Home Screen
Easily navigable menu with calendar for direct notion of dates.
Typography is used to give focus on elements to focus on calendar.
Leaflet/bookmark-like design allows for users to picture real world experience of opening a diary.
Easily navigable menu with calendar for direct notion of dates.
Typography is used to give focus on elements to focus on calendar.
Leaflet/bookmark-like design allows for users to picture real world experience of opening a diary.
Entry Screen
Entry Screen
Simple design to make users focus on main component.
Emotions are added as squares different emotions are added.
Easy to use as only option available is to click on emotions.
Simple design to make users focus on main component.
Emotions are added as squares different emotions are added.
Easy to use as only option available is to click on emotions.
Results Screen
Results Screen
Presents results in a simple manner.
Allows for user to write a entry if wanted.
Allows user to browse previous and next entries.
Presents results in a simple manner.
Allows for user to write a entry if wanted.
Allows user to browse previous and next entries.
collections Screen
collections Screen
Presents several entries in one screen.
Allows users to navigate to each entry at ease.
Presents several entries in one screen.
Allows users to navigate to each entry at ease.
final screens
final screens
reflections
reflections
When I started, I designed mostly with a focus on what would make a change in the accessibility of a diary. I wanted to make the experience of writing a diary entry a much more engaging activity that people would not consider as a chore. I designed this app to mimic that of an online personality test.
But the main goal of this project was to get used to coming up with ideas that would solve a problem that is easily overlooked. This required me to approach this project with a much more unconventional approach, which led to a much more interesting feature in the app, such as only using emotion as a measure for making entries.
I think in many ways this approach to solving a problem has its pros and cons, but in this case it seems like it worked very well in the fact that it would be able to serve its main goal as a diary as well as tackling the problem.
This was a very interesting project in terms of finding the capabilities of minimalistic designs, where less done could lead to more output. which was very counterintuitive in my mind.
When I started, I designed mostly with a focus on what would make a change in the accessibility of a diary. I wanted to make the experience of writing a diary entry a much more engaging activity that people would not consider as a chore. I designed this app to mimic that of an online personality test.
But the main goal of this project was to get used to coming up with ideas that would solve a problem that is easily overlooked. This required me to approach this project with a much more unconventional approach, which led to a much more interesting feature in the app, such as only using emotion as a measure for making entries.
I think in many ways this approach to solving a problem has its pros and cons, but in this case it seems like it worked very well in the fact that it would be able to serve its main goal as a diary as well as tackling the problem.
This was a very interesting project in terms of finding the capabilities of minimalistic designs, where less done could lead to more output. which was very counterintuitive in my mind.