Empowering students to enhance productivity and eliminate work-induced anxiety with positive mindset
As a graduate student, navigating overloaded schedules and tasks is a daily challenge. Starting from our everyday problem, I've recognized the need for students to have an empowering tool that guides them through the meticulous process.
For the project, our team aim to leverage persuasive design techniques to empower them to manage tasks with less anxiety and more confidence.
TIMELINE
Oct 2023 - Dec 2023 (3 months)
ROLE
Product Designer
TEAM (5 Members)
Product Designer*2
UX Researcher*2
Visual Designer*1
RESPONSIBILITY
Persuasive Design • Prototyping • UX design • Lo-Fi to Hi-Fi Mockup • Usability Testing
Studies show that over 80% of college students experience high levels of stress, with nearly 50% reporting that it negatively impacts their ability to complete tasks efficiently. Chronic stress and self-doubt not only hinder academic performance but also contribute to mental health struggles, affecting students’ long-term success and well-being.
Foster consistent self-monitoring/ regulation with increased levels of efficiency
Inspire motivation to initiate task focus promptly by using the Pomodoro Technique
Encourage structured task execution and proactive planning through organization and prioritization
Cultivate confidence in decision-making skills while scheduling work activities
This challenge goes beyond just organizing tasks—it helps reshape how students mentally approach their workload, empowering them to reduce stress, boost confidence, and foster a more sustainable approach to productivity.
Foster consistent self-monitoring/ regulation with increased levels of efficiency
Inspire motivation to initiate task focus promptly by using the Pomodoro Technique
Encourage structured task execution and proactive planning through organization and prioritization
Cultivate confidence in decision-making skills while scheduling work activities
Foster consistent self-monitoring/ regulation with increased levels of efficiency
Inspire motivation to initiate task focus promptly by using the Pomodoro Technique
Encourage structured task execution and proactive planning through organization and prioritization
Cultivate confidence in decision-making skills while scheduling work activities
Foster consistent self-monitoring/ regulation with increased levels of efficiency
Encourage structured task execution and proactive planning through organization and prioritization
Inspire motivation to initiate task focus promptly by using the Pomodoro Technique
Cultivate confidence in decision-making skills while scheduling work activities
Cura App
Emotional Support
Select Your Study Partner
It serves as both a reflection of themselves and a supportive partner, giving a sense of companionship without the actual peer pressure
Empowering Self-Affirmation through Dialogues
Constantly remind users’ of their own positive value to boost confidence
Performance
Pomodoro Technique
Simple task creation process & Increasing working efficiency through focused study sessions
Visualized Achievement
Simple task creation process & Increasing working efficiency through focused study sessions
Motivation
Gamification: Decorating Your Virtual Study Space
Complete the task to unlock more assets. Penalty-free reward system to induce internal motivation, while avoiding game-induced pressure
"It’s like having a productivity coach right on my desk—helping me stay focused and positive!"
-- A Master's Student from CMU HCII
"The gamified experience made tackling my tasks feel like a fun challenge instead of a burden."
-- A Phd Student from CMU HCII
8.1/10
Overall Usability Score
42% Increase
In User's Initial Confidence When Facing Workload
To understand existing theories and strategies around task management, productivity, and gamification
Using new metaphor techniques to understand how students experience and feel about multitasking and procrastination
To assess existing products and gamified solutions, identifying key features and gaps that could differentiate my product.
To ensure my design addressed the sources of student anxiety, while incorporating proven strategies
Foster consistent self-monitoring/ regulation with increased levels of efficiency
Inspire motivation to initiate task focus promptly by using the Pomodoro Technique
Encourage structured task execution and proactive planning through organization and prioritization
Cultivate confidence in decision-making skills while scheduling work activities
Even starting the task became one of the biggest challenges when facing a heavy workload, as students often felt overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks and the pressure to perform well. This hesitation to begin can lead to procrastination, making it harder to gain momentum and increasing feelings of anxiety and self-doubt. The longer tasks are delayed, the more daunting they seem, further reinforcing negative mindsets and reducing productivity.
Foster consistent self-monitoring/ regulation with increased levels of efficiency
Inspire motivation to initiate task focus promptly by using the Pomodoro Technique
Encourage structured task execution and proactive planning through organization and prioritization
Cultivate confidence in decision-making skills while scheduling work activities
We chose a desktop application over a mobile app because students typically use desktops or laptops for their academic work, allowing them to manage tasks more effectively in a focused, multitasking environment, while avoiding the distractions often associated with mobile devices.
Foster consistent self-monitoring/ regulation with increased levels of efficiency
Inspire motivation to initiate task focus promptly by using the Pomodoro Technique
Encourage structured task execution and proactive planning through organization and prioritization
Cultivate confidence in decision-making skills while scheduling work activities
How did our design approach, utilizing interactive elements and gamification, effectively shift students' attitudes toward their workload?
"I'm not afraid to start" - Intermixing & Distancing
Create a more fantasy-themed to ease users into the game, offering a safe barrier between them and the serious themes that they're afraid of.
Game Incentives to Increase Motivation
Virtual Learning Enviornment
"You are not alone!" - Social Support
According to research, the sense of isolation have a significant impact on motivation and productivity, making social support a key factor in sustaining focus and well-being.
Choose Your Own Study Buddy
Working Together in Focus Session
Heartwarming Identity: Theme & Color
The visuals are designed with "soft and friendly" characteristics to consistently convey a sense of serenity for users facing high stress and intense academic workloads.
Colors & Themes
Design Systems (Icons, Typography, Components)
1/ Task Creation Process
2/ Clear Labels & Guidance Through Design
3/ Enhance Encouragement & Self-Affirmation
Foster consistent self-monitoring/ regulation with increased levels of efficiency
Inspire motivation to initiate task focus promptly by using the Pomodoro Technique
Encourage structured task execution and proactive planning through organization and prioritization
Cultivate confidence in decision-making skills while scheduling work activities
Avatar Customization
Players choose a virtual "buddy" at the start, serving as both a reflection of themselves and a supportive partner
Improve Productivity: Pomodoro
Players input tasks with start time and duration, utilizing Pomodoro technique - a focus timer for efficient work sessions (25-min) interspersed with short breaks (5-min).
The avatar provides company during focused work, employing body doubling to promote effective work and self-motivation for staying focus.
Incentivization: Task Completion Rewards
Upon tasks completion, users will receive and select reward items to decorate their own virtual spaces, while unlocking new environments at specific XP level.
Empowering Self-Affirmation through Dialogues
Self-affirmation dialogues will be delivered by the avatar, reinforcing users' positive attributes that promote sustained productivity and self-assurance for resilient and confident mindset.
Progress Tracking & Visual Achievement
XP-Value / Personalized Environment / Statistics Visualization
1st User Testing Results
🧠 NEED for ENHANCED MOTIVATION
- Preview of locked rewards or environments
- Overview of current progress and XP levels to improve goal-setting and motivation
🕹 INSUFFICIENT CUSTOMIZABILITY
- Users want the ability to set due dates, task start times, and reminders for better task management
- Incorporation of the Pomodoro technique for managing longer tasks
- Option to reschedule unfinished tasks
🤔 AMBIGUITY in the INTERFACE
- Lack of clear instructions for proceeding to the next step
- Icons with vague or unclear meanings
Conversation Dialogues 👏
Consistently reminding users of their progress, effort, and capabilities to tell users how they are ‘good enough’ or capable of completing their tasks, rather simple or complete tasks.
Conversation Dialogues 👏
Consistently reminding users of their progress, effort, and capabilities to tell users how they are ‘good enough’ or capable of completing their tasks, rather simple or complete tasks.
Simulation Gaming Aspect ⛳️
Distracting users from real-life pressure and incentivizing them to complete tasks to get rewards
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Offer a safe barrier between users and serious themes 😬
Separating users from their real-life barriers of ‘Procrastination, anxiety, or mental health while facing failure', aiming to decrease their anxiety and resistance
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Virtual avatar and working environment 🐱
Provide a companionship by having someone working alongside the user, enhancing focus and motivation, delivering encouragement, assistance to relief them from feeling isolated.
ANIMAL AVATAR
Users now have the option to choose an animal avatar, fostering personalization and engagement within the game's virtual world.
VIRTUAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
The virtual learning environment has been reimagined to promote immersive and interactive educational experiences, enriching users' learning journeys.
BRANDING
A soothing blend of neutral pastels with warm hues is chosen to create a tranquil atmosphere and help ease users' stress levels.
ICONOGRAPHY & TYPOGRAPHY
The visuals are designed with "soft and friendly" characteristics to consistently convey a sense of serenity for users facing high stress and intense academic workloads.
💡 CUSTOMIZABILITY
Increased customizability of task list- daily/weekly/monthly view, prioritizing task, drag-and-drop task reordering
🔎 SIDEBAR NAVIGATION
A streamlined sidebar navigation system can optimize user accessibility and ease of exploration throughout the game interface.
⏱ POMODORO TECHINIQUE
The integration of the Pomodoro technique offers users a structured approach to managing tasks, enhancing productivity within the game environment.
✅ ONBOARDING TUTORIAL
The onboarding tutorial has been revamped to provide clearer instructions and intuitive iconography, addressing previous issues of interface ambiguity.
1. Enhance Design Rationality
Understanding user pain points not only guides solution development but also refines my approach to consider persuasive design elements that resonate deeply with users, fostering more effective and empathetic product solutions. Moreover, through this project, I realized the importance of building the gap between identifying user pain points and crafting solutions with a more persuasive and theoretically sound design approach.
2. Leverage Visuals for Persuasion
Visual elements serve as powerful tools, evoking emotions and influencing user motivation, thereby steering user behavior and fostering a more engaging and impactful product experience.
3. Every Step Matters!
In this project, I've learned that every step not only in our design process but also in the user flow plays a critical role in shaping the overall user experience. Each interaction, from initial engagement to task completion, significantly impacts user perception and satisfaction, emphasizing the importance of meticulous attention to detail at every stage of product design and development.
Graduate Students
This project tackles the challenge of balancing productivity amidst procrastination tendencies and overwhelming workloads. We conducted user research to identify key pain points of our users: the stress and anxiety while facing high-density schedule, the challenge of sustaining motivation to initiate and keep focus on tasks, and the lack of confidence in making effective decisions.
I aimed to tackle this issue in a more interesting manner by deeply engage users with our game and positively influence their behavior and attitude. Our creation, Fluffy Focus, is a desktop game designed to promote a proactive approach to task management, featuring a customizable system. I contributed to both user research and game design, focusing particularly on refining wireframes and enhancing the user experience.
Get in touch to collaborate or just to talk.
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