Dû
An iOS application designed to reduce procrastination
Timeline: 10 Weeks
Project Type
Acaacemic
Solo Project
My Role
UX Researcher
UX/UI Designer
Strategist
Tools
Figma
InVision
Canva
Google Suite
Objective
Research, design, test and brand a digital mobile solution to address employee procrastination
A Human Centered Approach
What is Dû?
Dû is an organization-focused productivity iOS application designed to simplify and schedule projects in order to decrease workload-overwhelm (resulting in procrastination) for employees.
Shortcut:
Having researched several problem spaces, the problem was clear; they were all dead ends.
Deadlines are deadlines. Deadlines can be hard to meet. Deadlines can be stressful.
The deadline is coming up…
And there it was: procrastination. User research confirmed the prominence of this problem, and solidified the belief that it is rooted in time and task management.
The primary purpose of this study is to reduce the stress and anxiety that come alongside procrastination, and to provide employees with simple, effective tools to overcome this challenge. This iOS app is a simplified implementation of organization, time-management, and progress tracking.
If procrastination were a disease, how many of us would be chronically ill?
Problem Space + Summary
Nick’s Narrative
You will see these black boxes appear occasionally.
These are simply my thoughts and explanations, post-design.
Contents
Research + Discovery
Define | How Might We?
Develop | Task Prioritization
Delivery | Sketch + Prototype
Future Considerations
Research + Discovery: Validating The Problem
Procrastination = Poor Productivity = Increase in stress, decreases in job quality, freedom, and happiness.
Secondary Research
Of Working Americans…
88%
procrastinate daily
20%
are chronic procrastinators
1 in 8
feel that their work is never under control
20% is higher than the amount of people diagnosed with clinical depression or phobias.
Those statistics costs US businesses around $588 billion per year.
And while that number is alarming, we will be focusing on the root - the employee.
To put that in perspective…
Define + Empathize: Mapping, HMW, Persona
At this point, focus was on productivity, specifically distraction.
User interviews were conducted under this focal point.
Upon reviewing interview data, I concluded that procrastination played a larger role than distraction.
Procrastination often manifests itself as intentional distraction.
Hypothesis
It is my belief that increasing employee productivity will positively impact the stress levels, job quality, and happiness of the employee.
Initial
It is my belief that decreasing employee procrastination will positively impact the productivity, job quality, and happiness of the employee.
Revised
Assumptions
Employees would feel happier if they were able to create more time for themselves.
Employees tend to procrastinate easily & often.
Employees are capable of being more productive.
Validated:
Invalidated:
Employees care to be more productive at their job
Methodology: User Interviews
Participant Criteria
Age: 18-35
Location: United States
Employment status: Employed, Full-Time
Erik, 29
Charlotte, NC
Jackie, 31
Atlanta, GA
Jason, 26
Charlotte, NC
Mark, 33
Charlotte, NC
Donovan, 31
Charlotte, NC
5 out of 5 interviewees confirmed the hypothesis.
View: Full Map + Persona
Affinity Mapping
Insights
Organized into themes
Key Insights
Progress is effective motivation
Workload-overwhelm is extremely stressful
The impacts of poor productivity bleed into personal life
As workload increases, efficiency decreases
Themes
Theme 1: Mental Balance + Happiness
Theme 2: Focus
Theme 3: Freedom
Theme 4: Time Management/Organization
Chosen Theme:
Time Management & Organization
Initially, the chosen theme was Mental Balance & Happiness. Then, changed to Freedom.
But the goal is to tackle the root of the problem. I had to work backwards.
A book came to mind:
“Discipline Equals Freedom” by Jocko Willink.
Freedom is found in discipline. Procrastination is the lack of.
How might we help employees reduce procrastination in order to be more productive at work, increase job quality, and create a better sense of freedom in their life?
Revised How Might We
User: Jaiden
Persona
Jaiden Harper
Lack of freedom
Poor Emotional Health
Workload stress + overwhelm
Overcoming Procrastination
Accomplishing work on-schedule
Staying Organized
She does her best to be more organized and create a routine, but after spending all day at her computer, 3 cups of coffee, and trying to find time for a social life, it all just feels overwhelming
Click Image To Enlarge
Develop: Task Prioritization
This is a visual representation of Jaiden’s repeated experience when she’s struggling to be productive, used to create a task flow.
Experience Map
Click Image To Enlarge
Stories, Tasks, & Flows
-
As an employee, I want to reduce procrastination in order to be more productive at work.
As an employee, I want to learn to focus in order to be more productive at my job.
As an employee, I want to be motivated to work in order to reduce procrastination at my job.
As an employee, I want to minimize procrastination in order to be more productive at my job.
As an employee, I want to learn to manage time better in order to reduce procrastination and increase productivity at my job.
As an employee, I want to practice better time-management in order to be more productive at work.
As an employee, I want to prioritize my tasks in order to reduce procrastination.
As an employee, I want to be more disciplined at my job in order to increase productivity.
As an employee, I want to break my projects into smaller tasks in order to reduce procrastination.
As an employee, I want to break down and organize my projects in order to reduce procrastination.
As an employee, I want to break down and organize my projects in order to reduce procrastination.
Chosen User Story
Task Flow
Click Image To Enlarge
Delivery: Sketch + Wireframe
Designing With Purpose
Nielson Norman’s Heuristic Design Principles
Priorities
The top priority was simplicity. Users are already overwhelmed, and the aim is to simplify their process.
Interfaces should not contain information that is irrelevant or rarely needed.
Aesthetic & Minimalist Design
Screen designs included components to allow the user to exit out of an in-progress task, and edit information on forms that had already been submitted.
Users often perform actions by mistake. They need a clearly marked "emergency exit" to leave unwanted actions.
User Control & Freedom
Sketches
Initial Sketch
Login Screen
Solution Sketch
Initial Sketch
Home Screen
Solution Sketch
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
Click Any Screen To Enlarge
Brand Development
It all began with a list of adjectives…
Pronounced
Organized
Modernist
Polished
Consistent
And then, a ‘More A, Less B’ list
Moodboard + Brand Colors
Sketches
Name + Wordmark
Dû
Origin: French
Translation: Of, Of The
Of
preposition
Expressing the relationship between a part and a whole.
Part: Your job, responsibilities, hobbies, tasks
Whole: You!
App Icon Development
Typography
Click Any Screen To Enlarge
HIGH-FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
Marketing Website
Recap + Future Considerations
Problem Space
If procrastination were a disease, how many of us would be chronically ill?
Procrastination = Poor Productivity = Increase in stress, decreases in job quality, freedom, and happiness.
How might we help employees reduce procrastination in order to be more productive at work, increase job quality, and create a better sense of freedom in their life?
How Might We?
Dû is an organization-focused productivity iOS application designed to simplify and schedule projects in order to decrease workload-overwhelm (resulting in procrastination) for employees.
The Solution
Maybe you are familiar with the book referenced earlier, Discipline equals freedom, by Jocko Willink, maybe not. The commanding principle is that discipline in the now results in freedom in the future. This proved to be a guiding principle in the creation of Dû
Key Learnings
Discipline = Freedom
Employee Self-Sufficiency
This product is reliant upon the user. I concluded that the focus of the problem is behavioral, and that within the capability of the product was to design a tool of aid, but highest-level solution lies within the user.
A deeper dive into the topic from a psychological perspective is required.
I need to know more about the web of productivity and procrastination.
This research will be done with the specific intention of creating unique, effective features to eliminate procrastination.
Next Steps
Continued Research