tracs

tracs

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

6-7 weeks in Aug-Oct 2023,

fall semester

personal project

5-6 weeks in

Aug-Oct 2023,

fall semester

personal project

a mobile app to track goals and stay motivated

a mobile app to track goals and stay motivated

problem

problem

People find it hard to keep track of their tasks and stay motivated

Having seen lots of students around me not being able to keep their new semester resolutions at the start of the semester, I wanted to find a way to tackle this problem.


However, this was not only a problem for students and their new semester resolutions, and was more of a problem that a lot of people were facing on a daily basis.

Having seen lots of students around me not being able to keep their new semester resolutions at the start of the semester, I wanted to find a way to tackle this problem.


However, this was not only a problem for students and their new semester resolutions, and was more of a problem that a lot of people were facing on a daily basis.

research

I conducted research and interviews in the student community around me to gather insight on how much work was being done for certain individuals. A study from the Association for talent development indicated these data on goals and accountability:

Having an idea or goal


10% likely to complete the goal

Consciously deciding that you will do it


25% likely to complete the goal

Deciding when you will do it


40% likely to complete the goal

Planning how to do it


50% likely to complete the goal

Committing to someone that you will do it


65% likely to complete the goal

research

research

I conducted research and interviews in the student community around me to gather insight on how much work was being done for certain individuals. A study from the Association for talent development indicated these data on goals and accountability:

I conducted research and interviews in the student community around me to gather insight on how much work was being done for certain individuals. A study from the Association for talent development indicated these data on goals and accountability:

Having an idea or goal

Having an idea or goal


10% likely to complete the goal

10% likely to complete the goal

Consciously deciding that you will do it

Consciously deciding that you will do it


25% likely to complete the goal

25% likely to complete the goal

Deciding when you will do it

Deciding when you will do it


40% likely to complete the goal

40% likely to complete the goal

Planning how to do it

Planning how to do it


50% likely to complete the goal

50% likely to complete the goal

Committing to someone that you will do it

Committing to someone that you will do it


65% likely to complete the goal

65% likely to complete the goal

The most interesting factor was that having a specific accountability appointment with someone you've committed to increased the likeliness of the task getting done to 95%, which was a significant amount. I decided to use this a starting point for the interviews that followed.

The most interesting factor was that having a specific accountability appointment with someone you've committed to increased the likeliness of the task getting done to 95%, which was a significant amount. I decided to use this a starting point for the interviews that followed.

Another study showed that competitive mentality and job incentives had an substantial effect in the amount of work that a person gets done. This was another factor that could possibly impact the productivity of an individual.

Another study showed that competitive mentality and job incentives had an substantial effect in the amount of work that a person gets done. This was another factor that could possibly impact the productivity of an individual.

Interviews

Interviews

The interviews resulted with 3 major issues, which were as follows.

The interviews resulted with 3 major issues, which were as follows.

Self regulation

Self regulation


Students were more likely to waste time that was allocated for a specific task rather than fully focusing on it, and determine the amount of work based on time spent rather than work done.

Students were more likely to waste time that was allocated for a specific task rather than fully focusing on it, and determine the amount of work based on time spent rather than work done.

Presence of accountable partner

Presence of accountable partner


Most students did not have an accountable partner to show the amount of work they had done. This resulted in them not actually being able to objectively see how much work they had done in comparison to others.

Most students did not have an accountable partner to show the amount of work they had done. This resulted in them not actually being able to objectively see how much work they had done in comparison to others.

Reliability of accountable partner

Reliability of accountable partner


Some students did prove to have an accountable partner, but both students ended up slacking and did not serve as an objective standing point for each other.

Some students did prove to have an accountable partner, but both students ended up slacking and did not serve as an objective standing point for each other.

ideation

ideation

Working of the data that I had gathered, I figured that accountable partners are also important, but the best way to keep someone motivated was through stimulating herd mentality. This was an interesting approach where it is defined as the tendency of the people in a group to think and behave in ways that conform with others in the group rather than as individuals.


Using this as a standing point, I decided to develop the app in a way that it will help stimulate this herd mentality. This meant that the app would require groups of people with similar interests and goals.


The competitive aspect that I wanted to include was also a challenge, where it would require several aspects that would keep people motivated. I was inspired by the conventional ranking system used in games, and decide that it would show ranks depending on the amount of work that a person has got done, rather than the amount of time spent. It would also have daily/weekly/custom time range rankings that would reset every cycle, which would motivate each other to do better the next cycle even if they fall behind in the current cycle.

Working of the data that I had gathered, I figured that accountable partners are also important, but the best way to keep someone motivated was through stimulating herd mentality. This was an interesting approach where it is defined as the tendency of the people in a group to think and behave in ways that conform with others in the group rather than as individuals.


Using this as a standing point, I decided to develop the app in a way that it will help stimulate this herd mentality. This meant that the app would require groups of people with similar interests and goals.


The competitive aspect that I wanted to include was also a challenge, where it would require several aspects that would keep people motivated. I was inspired by the conventional ranking system used in games, and decide that it would show ranks depending on the amount of work that a person has got done, rather than the amount of time spent. It would also have daily/weekly/custom time range rankings that would reset every cycle, which would motivate each other to do better the next cycle even if they fall behind in the current cycle.

MId-fi wireframes

MId-fi wireframes

select iterations + user feedback

select iterations
+ user feedback

select iterations
+ user feedback

Solution overview

Solution overview

Here's an overview of the primary flow with some key screens

Home Screen


Home Screen

Opening the app leads to a screen showing a list of groups and progress for individual tasks. This allows for easy access to various groups and tasks.

Opening the app leads to a screen showing a list of groups and progress for individual tasks. This allows for easy access to various groups and tasks.

Choose Section Screen


Choose session

Starting session from home screen allows user to choose section to start in.

Starting session from home screen allows user to choose section to start in.

Group screen


group Screen

Clicking on a group rom the home screen leads to the group screen.


The group screen shows a list of the members of the group that are in order of who worked the most for each time interval (set by group manager). Users can have a glimpse of who is on track of their work and also how much other people have done, giving them an objective view on the amount of work they have done.


The chat section towards the top right allows for small discussions.

Clicking on a group rom the home screen leads to the group screen.


The group screen shows a list of the members of the group that are in order of who worked the most for each time interval (set by group manager). Users can have a glimpse of who is on track of their work and also how much other people have done, giving them an objective view on the amount of work they have done.


The chat section towards the top right allows for small discussions.

working screen


Working screen

When the user starts working, a timer is shown to indicate how much time has been spent on the work. It also allows for users to check a check list to indicate how much work they have done.

When the user starts working, a timer is shown to indicate how much time has been spent on the work. It also allows for users to check a check list to indicate how much work they have done.

final screens

final screens

reflections

reflections

This project was very interesting in the way that the process included several interviews. This allowed for a lot of different perspectives on similar topics, where individual experiences changed the opinion on a specific subject. Listening to various opinions allowed me to take lots of different aspects into account in the final screens.


The way that I approached this project was also interesting, as I decided to use UI elements to optimize user experience. This was done mostly through following a specific design system, where not changing the location of specific buttons, keeping a clear visual hierarchy, and considering physical usability was a clear takeaway from this project, and allowed me to understand what user experience is to a deeper level.


Overall, this project was a very insightful project that allowed me to better understand what user experience is, and taught me that interviews can also bring up specific points that could often be disregarded in data that is available online, and can be very helpful in forming ideas for a project.

This project was very interesting in the way that the process included several interviews. This allowed for a lot of different perspectives on similar topics, where individual experiences changed the opinion on a specific subject. Listening to various opinions allowed me to take lots of different aspects into account in the final screens.


The way that I approached this project was also interesting, as I decided to use UI elements to optimize user experience. This was done mostly through following a specific design system, where not changing the location of specific buttons, keeping a clear visual hierarchy, and considering physical usability was a clear takeaway from this project, and allowed me to understand what user experience is to a deeper level.


Overall, this project was a very insightful project that allowed me to better understand what user experience is, and taught me that interviews can also bring up specific points that could often be disregarded in data that is available online, and can be very helpful in forming ideas for a project.

Taking this project further

  • Add picture function for proof of work

    • make distinction between personal and communal to-do lists

Taking this project further

  • Add picture function for proof of work

    • make distinction between personal and communal to-do lists