HabitLoop is self-care app that uses habit tracking to help improve users’ mental wellness. Users are challenged to document daily beneficial activities and track their progress until these tasks turn into instinctive habits. This app challenges user’s to find reasoning behind their habits by writing their motivations, which will guide them further in their habit formation process.
DESIGN CHALLENGE
The Problem
Mental wellness is easy to neglect
Studies show that 67% of millennials prioritize others over their own self-care. To add, 1 in 5 people in Canada are experiencing emotional distress.
Though therapy seems like an ideal option, mental health care can often be expensive and difficult to access. In addition, many people are reluctant to admit they are struggling, and often feel intimidated by traditional solutions to self-help.
HabitLoop enables users to implement positive change in their daily routine, increasing emotional awareness and their overall sense of wellbeing.
Defining My Process
Utilizing the double diamond model, I outlined my process to clarify the problem at hand and the research methods that will assist me in defining a cohesive solution. My approach will begin with further examination of the user and the market (2 weeks) and then follow with the product development and delivery stage (2 weeks)
Competitive Analysis
In short, yes. I discovered that many existing apps use habit tracking methods but fail to fulfill the users needs in analyzing their daily progress though comprehensive insights. HabitShare, for instance, doesn’t display their statistics in an intuitive and easily digestible manner.
Furthermore, some apps do not imbed reminders that notify the user to complete their tasks, which is essential in the habit formation process.
Qualitative Research
I conducted semi-structured interviews with 5 people ages 18-35 to gain further insight about people’s daily behaviours and habits. I found that intentionally keeping these interviews open-ended in nature helped me better discover the user’s opinions, behaviour, problems and experiences in a more in-depth manner. My goal for this interview was to: Learn about people’s habits, daily routines and thoughts surrounding self-care and mental wellness, and where they feel there are challenges and opportunities.
I learned that majority of interviewees can name multiple healthy habits they would like or are in the process of integrating into their lives as an act of self-care. I also learned that the most popular method to manage these habits are the ‘reminders’ or ‘calendar’ app. However, according to candidates, many found habit making difficult using these mediums due to the lack of organization as well as its lack of reward and recognition for completion, making it difficult to achieve goals.
Defining the “Who”
To define the users for HabitLoop, I address common user needs, frustrations, and specific traits that could possibly benefit from a habit tracking app.
Users tend to be overwhelmed by the idea of cluttered data and unorganized flows, thus, a product that organizes their thoughts efficiently and defines clear end-goals would be most beneficial for the user.
Users value self-care to an extent, but require guidance to reach their full potential.
User Journey
Using all the research conducted, I further enhanced my understanding of the user by defining their needs at different stages of seeking self-care.
User Testing Feedback #1
Simplifying the user’s daily list of habits
Completed and skipped habits are found on different tabs to visually prioritize the user’s current to-do list. Several progress statistics were removed on each habit card to reduce clutter, and were simplified to only highlight important details such as how frequent each habit must be completed on a daily and weekly scale.
User Testing Feedback #2
Enhancing habit progress bars
The Progress page’s habit cards were restructured from containing several circular progress bars with poor visibility to simplified loading bars for easy interpretation. Key insights were also added at the top of the page to highlight progress statistics on a larger scale.
User Testing Feedback #3
Prioritizing motivation and goal setting
While replacing a bad habit with a good habit can be effective for some, many users found that this was a more complicated, less desirable process than just getting rid of the bad habit alone. Instead, the app asks for the user’s motivational factors and goals for their habits to help them stay committed.
Introduction to the app primary functions:
1. Create New Habits
2. Track Your Progress
HabitLoop provides you with the right framework to keep you motivated. Establish a new habit you’d like to adapt, input your motivation, goals, and when and how often you’d like to practice the activity. Need a reminder? Enable notifs to keep you on track.
Complete a task and HabitLoop (literally) celebrates your accomplishments.
HabitLoop makes it easy for you– providing you with clear insights such as how long ago you completed the habit and how many times the task was repeated.
Need to see the bigger picture? Take a look at the calendar and view your progress from a monthly perspective.
Visit Your Progress and gain insight on your journey–how many habits are in action, average success rate, and number of tasks with its goals reached.
Remember: It’s not always about the end-goal. Your progress is valued on a daily basis, that’s why we added your weekly and monthly statistics to recognize completion on a smaller scale.
In my final designs, I learned to use microanimations as visual feedback to deliver a more rewarding user experience. For instance, the confetti that appears when completing a habit provides users with feedback that celebrates big and small milestones, strengthening the user’s engagement with the app. These micro-animations were also an opportunity to reinforce the brand’s narratives which are centred in positivity and encouragement.
