After experimenting with numerous time management apps, none of which proved effective for my needs, I embarked on a personal project. My goal was to craft a mobile application tailored to aid individuals grappling with ADHD, task anxiety, or procrastination. This app aims to elevate productivity and task management through the strategic integration of gamification techniques.

For this project, I used a combination of qualitative research methods. I initiated a competitive analysis phase. This involved a comprehensive study of three prominent productivity apps: Tiimo, Habit, and Structured. By delving into the functionalities and design strategies of these competitors, I was able to gain valuable insights and inspiration for the development of my own app.

I identified several key features and design elements that are particularly relevant to users with ADHD, task anxiety, or procrastination tendencies. These insights served as valuable reference points for shaping the design direction of the DidIt app.

I conducted three interviews with potential users who say they struggle to complete daily tasks, and have used more than one productivity app in the past. The recruitment process involved targeting individuals who had previously used productivity apps but found them ineffective in addressing their specific needs.

During the user interviews, I employed semi-structured interview techniques, allowing for open-ended discussions while also focusing on specific topics such as past experiences with productivity apps, pain points, and desired features. This approach facilitated a deep exploration of participants' feelings, behaviors, and challenges related to task completion and motivation.

Through the interviews I was able to understand their feelings on the topic, and extract some important pain points as well as positives I could expand on. By translating the quotes into design opportunities, I get an understanding of user needs.

A reason why many time management apps don’t work for some is that they are too “busy” and provide an excess of choice. This can be overwhelming and cause cognitive overload which leads to problems with decision-making, time management, and executive function. It was important to keep it simple and cut unnecessary steps and features. Using design elements that users recognise shortens the learning curve and lets users focus on what they need to do.

Combining what I learned from the competitive analysis with the insights gained from the user interviews, I started creating wireframing and prototyping to visualize my ideas.

The app I've created provides a task management tool where users earn points for completing tasks, points that can then be used to buy rewards. By integrating gamification elements such as rewards, penalties and progress tracking, the app fosters an engaging and supportive environment for user focus and motivation.

When creating my wireframes, I was influenced by the Tiimo interface and the way they display the list of tasks as well as the design of the "new task"-modal which I found to be quite intuitive to use, I did however reduce the number of inputs.

For the Activity-page I actually drew inspiration from the Nike Run Club app. NRC is an app I have used for many years to track my running, being able to see how my habits have progressed over an extended period of time keeps me coming back and motivates me to do better.

There has been times I have lost my running habit (it happens to the best of us! :P), but being able to look back at how well I have been doing in the past inspires me to get back into it, and I am hoping the same concept can be applied to DidIt for productivity and task completion.

Aside from the main tasks, I incorporated side rewards and penalties to increase user motivation and encourage consistent use. The use of illustrations and animations adds playfulness and sprinkles some joy into moments and tasks that may not always feel so inspiring.

I also added a touch of personality and real-time feedback to the points slider for added engagement when creating a new task or reward. Telling the user how many tasks they would need to complete to earn a reward helps them set realistic goals for themselves and increases the chances of them staying consistent on their productivity-journey.

Basing a lot of DidIt's features on my own experiences is not an ideal solution, I needed users to tell me if I was going in the right direction and I conducted four user observation tests. While feedback on the structure and navigation of the app was generally positive, they provided me with some valuable food for thought.

Some participants found the penalties within the app to be overly punitive or demotivating. I will be evaluating the effectiveness of current penalty mechanisms and adjust them to strike a balance between accountability and encouragement. Additionally, provide users with clear explanations or tips on how to avoid penalties in the future, turning negative experiences into opportunities for growth.

While the app aims to foster an engaging and supportive environment, some participants highlighted a desire for more social features to connect with peers and share achievements. Social elements such as community forums, leaderboards, or collaborative challenges where users can interact, support each other, and celebrate milestones together. This would not only enhances user engagement but also strengthens the sense of accountability and camaraderie among users striving towards similar goals.