Designing a student-centered mobile experience for goal setting
Designing a student-centered mobile experience for goal setting
Designing a student-centered mobile experience for goal setting
ROLE
ROLE
UX Designer
UX Researcher
UX Designer
UX Researcher
TIMELINE
TIMELINE
January 2024
(2 days!)
January 2024
(2 days!)
January 2024 (2 days!)
TEAM
TEAM
Marisol Guel
Nani Tang
Erin Walters
Marisol Guel
Nani Tang
Erin Walters
METHODS
METHODS
User Research,
Wireframing,
Prototyping,
UI Design
User Research,
Wireframing,
Prototyping,
UI Design
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
The life of an undergraduate student... juggling lifelong goals and having fun
The life of an undergraduate student... juggling lifelong goals and having fun
This project was submitted to Rice Design-a-thon 2024, a three-day virtual event that challenged us to test our skills and creativity! With just two days to design and one day for judging, we developed a digital solution for the design challenge:
This project was submitted to Rice Design-a-thon 2024, a three-day virtual event that challenged us to test our skills and creativity! With just two days to design and one day for judging, we developed a digital solution for the design challenge:
PROBLEM
PROBLEM
Students struggle to balance personal life while pursuing their goals
Students struggle to balance personal life while pursuing their goals
College can be overwhelming, balancing academics with personal wellbeing often leads to burnout and abandoned goals. Inspired by New Year’s resolutions, we envisioned an all-in-one app to help students stay on track with both academic and personal growth.
College can be overwhelming, balancing academics with personal wellbeing often leads to burnout and abandoned goals. Inspired by New Year’s resolutions, we envisioned an all-in-one app to help students stay on track with both academic and personal growth.
In a study by Allen (2023), 80% of New Year’s resolution makers abandon their goals by February.
In a study by Allen (2023), 80% of New Year’s resolution makers abandon their goals by February.
In a study by Allen (2023), only 9% of Americans who set New Year's resolutions fulfill them.
In a study by Allen (2023), only 9% of Americans who set New Year's resolutions fulfill them.
USER RESEARCH
USER RESEARCH
Students face challenges across different sectors of their life
Students face challenges across different sectors of their life
We conducted a google survey to better understand the struggles students faced. With 37 responses from students across 20+ majors and 12 schools, the results revealed challenges in:
We conducted a google survey to understand the struggles students faced. With 37 responses from students across 20+ majors and 12 schools, the results revealed challenges in:
We conducted a google survey to better understand the struggles students faced. With 37 responses from students across 20+ majors and 12 schools, the results revealed challenges in:
RESEARCH ANALYSIS
RESEARCH ANALYSIS
What do students need in order to retain and achieve their goals successfully?
What do students need in order to retain and achieve their goals successfully?
We conducted user interviews to gain deeper insights into students' perspectives and pain points. After a mini-qualitative analysis, we determined these were key insights that would guide our design decisions:
We conducted user interviews to gain deeper insights into students' perspectives and pain points. After a mini-qualitative analysis, we determined these were key insights that would guide our design decisions:
Socialization: Students value social connections and prefer having friends hold them accountable for goal completion.
Socialization: Students value social connections and prefer having friends hold them accountable for goal completion.
Engagement: Goal-setting should be engaging and enjoyable rather than feeling like a chore.
Engagement: Goal-setting should be engaging and enjoyable rather than feeling like a chore.
Incentives: Seeing progress and receiving rewards for achieving goals increases motivation.
Incentives: Seeing progress and receiving rewards for achieving goals increases motivation.
Time management: Managing time between academics and personal commitments remains a major challenge.
Time management: Managing time between academics and personal commitments remains a major challenge.
Relevancy: All goals should be perceived as contributing to personal development.
Relevancy: The term "Self-Growth" is unclear, as all goals are perceived as contributing to personal development.
Frequent reminders: Some students avoid tracking goals due to the time and effort required, often relying on memory which is ineffective.
Frequent reminders: Some students avoid tracking goals due to the time and effort required, often relying on memory which is ineffective.
Balance: Students want to touch base with all of their goals and not prioritize a sector over another.
Balance: Students want to touch base with all of their goals and not prioritize a sector over another.
DEFINE
DEFINE
How might we personalize goal setting to fit different student lifestyles and priorities while ensuring long-term engagement?
How might we personalize goal setting to fit different student lifestyles and priorities while ensuring long-term engagement?
IDEATION
IDEATION
Outlining actionable features of effective student goal setting
Outlining actionable features of effective student goal setting
We ideated key features and aspects of our mobile app that would depict our mission to helping users achieve their goals. Based on our main insights, we included:
We ideated key features and aspects of our mobile app that would depict our mission to helping users achieve their goals. Based on our main insights, we included:
01 Socialization
01 Socialization
Friends feature with friendly competition through a leaderboard based on task completion.
Friends feature with friendly competition through a leaderboard based on task completion.
02 Gamification
02 Gamification
The creation of Penta-Buddy! A companion that users can customize through task completion.
The creation of Penta-Buddy! A companion that users can customize through task completion.
03 Progress
03 Progress
Pentagon chart visualization and progress bars so users can feel a sense of reward.
Pentagon chart visualization and progress bars so users can feel a sense of reward.
04 Categories
04 Categories
Five important areas of undergrad life: Academic, Health, Social, Financial, and Leisure.
Five important areas of undergrad life: Academic, Health, Social, Financial, and Leisure.
05 Artificial Intelligence
05 Artificial Intelligence
Quick, easy, and convenient suggestions for users who don’t have much time.
Quick, easy, and convenient suggestions for users who don’t have much time.
06 Calendar
06 Calendar
Users can import their personal calendar and set dates to their goals for improved time management.
Users can import their personal calendar and set dates to their goals for improved time management.
07 Personalization
07 Personalization
Users create their own goals with their desired frequency and tasks.
Users create their own goals with their desired frequency and tasks.
WIREFRAMING
WIREFRAMING
Building the first blueprint, the birth of penta-buddy
Building the first blueprint, the birth of penta-buddy
With limited time, we quickly visualized our key features in wireframes. I was responsible for wireframing the progress, diary, and profile customization pages.
With limited time, we quickly visualized our key features in wireframes. I was responsible for wireframing the progress, diary, and profile customization pages.
FINAL DESIGNS
FINAL DESIGNS
Goal buddy turns goals into achievable milestones
Goal buddy turns goals into achievable milestones
This AI-powered app syncs students' personal and academic calendars with their goals, making progress a shared experience. With friendly competition and built-in accountability, staying motivated has never been easier.
This AI-powered app syncs students' personal and academic calendars with their goals, making progress a shared experience. With friendly competition and built-in accountability, staying motivated has never been easier.
Task Setting
Task Setting
Create detailed goals with achievable milestones
Create detailed goals with achievable milestones
Calendar
Calendar
Import your calendar and set dates
Import your calendar and set dates
Penta-Buddy AI
Penta-Buddy AI
Ask Penta-Buddy for effective suggestions
Ask Penta-Buddy for effective suggestions
Progress
Progress
View your progress and capture it for proof
View your progress and capture it for proof
Personalization
Personalization
Complete tasks and unlock rewards for Penta-Buddy
Complete tasks and unlock rewards for Penta-Buddy
TAKEAWAYS
TAKEAWAYS
My key learnings from the design-a-thon
My key learnings from the design-a-thon
Time is no excuse to skim quality
Time is no excuse to skim quality
Due to the tight deadline, we rushed through the design process, limiting our ability to refine and fix mistakes. In hindsight, we needed a stronger design system and style guides to ensure consistency.
Due to the tight deadline, we rushed through the design process, limiting our ability to refine and fix mistakes. In hindsight, we needed a stronger design system and style guides to ensure consistency.
Leverage the power of teamwork
Leverage the power of teamwork
Combining diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and ideas elevated our work beyond what any of us could achieve alone. I learned to trust my teammates and lean on their strengths when under pressure.
Combining diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and ideas elevated our work beyond what any of us could achieve alone. I learned to trust my teammates and lean on their strengths when under pressure.
Like what you see? Check out more of my work :)
Like what you see? Check out more of my work :)
