DayDesigner is an app that helps you manage your time and liberate your mind from work.
DayDesigner
Solution
DayDesigner helps you manage your time more effectively by keeping you focused and efficient within the allotted time and by limiting the duration you spend on tasks.
Problem
Many people struggle with completing their tasks on time, maintaining a healthy sleep routine, and achieving their goals. These issues often stem from poor time management, which is not easily developed and requires strong will, desire, and patience.
Design Process
Research
Literature Review
Competitive Analysis
Interview
Survey
Define
Brainstorming
User Presona
User Flow
Design
Sketches
Wireframes
UI Kit
Design
Prototype
Research
60%
A study conducted by MacCann, Roberts, and Gabriel (2003) found that approximately 55-60% of university students reported significant issues with time management.
Survey by the American College Health Association (2018) indicated that around 30% of college students felt overwhelmed by their responsibilities "most of the time" or "always."
30%
Although many students acknowledge that they struggle with time management and often feel overwhelmed by their workload, most of them either do not use time management interventions to address these issues or find that their problems persist despite using such apps.
52.7% of college students do not utilize any digital tools for time management.
30.3% of college students frequently use a digital calendar to help manage their time.
17% of college students report using a daily planner to manage their time.
Competitive Analysis
Current time management apps generally provide either a to-do list with deadlines or a calendar view for events that will occupy a specific amount of time, but seldom both. Furthermore, most of these apps lack a focus feature or an automatic focus period that restricts access to unrelated apps, which could be advantageous for users aiming to reduce distractions and enhance productivity.
TASK LIST
TASK BY MORE RECENT
APP BLOCK
EVENT CALENDAR VIEW
TASK CATEGORY
SCHEDULED FOCUS TIME
Methodology
To gain insights into college students' workflows and pain points, we distributed 30 surveys featuring 18 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale to students across various departments. Additionally, we conducted one-on-one interviews with five students, including two sophomores, two juniors, and one senior, to gather more in-depth information.
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Can you describe a time when you postponed tasks to the next day?
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How often do you find yourself starting to work on tasks at the last moment before a deadline?
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What are some common distractions you encounter when you're supposed to be working on schoolwork?
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When working on a project, have you ever spent a lot of time on less important details in the early stages, leaving insufficient time for the crucial final parts?
User Persona
Based on user research, we have identified two types of users. The first type struggles with time management, often Procrastinating and trying to Complete Assignments at the Last Minute. The second type has a moderate ability to manage time, Starting Tasks Earlier but facing challenges in working Effectively, resulting in their Lives being Dominated by Work.
Aram is a 17-year-old high school student who always begins his assignments at the last minute.
Motivation
Aram is struggling in school due to his poor time management skills. He often feels there is plenty of time when a project is assigned and procrastinates until the last day, rushing to finish. He wants to find a way to motivate himself to start working on his academic tasks earlier.
Goals
Submit assignments on time.
Avoid rushing to complete assignments.
Start working on assignments earlier.
Jobs to be Done
When...
I don't want to start the assignments.
I Want to...
Find an app that will force me to start working.
So That...
I would start working on the assignment earlier and submit higher-quality work.
When...
I am working on the assignment.
I Want to...
Find an app that keeps us away from distractions.
So That...
I can concentrate on my assignment and avoid getting distracted by my phone.
Alice is a 25-year-old college student who starts working on her assignments as soon as they are assigned, but she always finishes right before the deadline.
Motivation
Alice finds that she spends too much time on her work and has no time to take a break. Her efficiency decreases throughout the semester because of this. She often spends a lot of time on unnecessary details in the early stages, leaving insufficient time for the crucial final parts.
Goals
Achieve work-life balance by completing work earlier while maintaining sufficient quality.
Focus on the essential parts of the work instead of trivial details.
Take necessary breaks between assignments and ensure sufficient sleep.
Jobs to be Done
When...
I am working on the assignment.
I Want to...
Know how much time I have left to complete the task without sacrificing sleep time.
So That...
Focus on advancing the progress instead of dwelling on unnecessary details.
When...
I have completed the assignment.
I Want to...
Know how much time I spend on the task.
So That...
I can aim to be more efficient next time.
Insights
With the understanding of the major pain points and needs for the two personas, I categorized our insights into 2 categories:
ATTENTION CONTROL
How can we capture the user's attention and motivate them to start working?
How can we help users focus on their tasks?
AWARE OF TIME
How can users be made aware of the remaining time to complete their tasks?
How can users track the time spent on their tasks?
Solution
DayDesigner propose two major features to address the two main problems of time mismanagement and lack of productivity among college students
SCHEDULED FOCUS TIME
The app automatically activates Focus Time during pre-scheduled study periods, blocking access to unrelated apps and websites. This feature encourages students to begin working by minimizing distraction.
TASK TIMER
This feature enables users to estimate the time required for a specific task and then track the actual time spent on it. By providing insights into time allocation and usage, users can better manage their schedules and improve their time management skills.
INTEGRATED SCHEDULE VIEW
The app consolidates class schedules, deadlines, and scheduled focus times into a single, comprehensive view. This integration allows users to clearly visualize the time remaining before each deadline, facilitating better planning and prioritization of tasks.
User Flow
Designing user flow around the three main features, SCHEDULED FOCUS TIME, TASK TIMER, and INTEGRATED SCHEDULE VIEW
Information Architecture
CHALLENGE 1
Focus on the Task
The user can enable an app block feature to restrict access to unrelated apps, ensuring focus on their tasks. They can also set a whitelist for essential apps to remain accessible even when the block is active.
CHALLENGE 2
Know How Much Time Left
The user can set an expected duration for tasks and start a timer, creating a sense of urgency and ensuring productive use of time.
CHALLENGE 3
Start Working on the Task
The user can schedule a focus time during which the app automatically locks access to other apps thus forcing the user to start working.
CHALLENGE 4
Know How Much Time Spend
The app provides a summary of time spent, showing the duration of study and time allocated to each task, helping the user identify areas for improvement.
Typography & Color
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NUNITO
Modern & Approachable Font
Font Family
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Aa
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32px
Nunito - Bold
20px
Nunito - Medium
16px
Nunito - Bold
Paragraph
16px
Nunito - Regular
Paragraph
14px
Nunito - Regular
Paragraph
12px
Nunito - Regular
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User Test
Test Objectives
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Assess the ease of use and intuitiveness of the app's interface.
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Evaluate the effectiveness of the Scheduled Focus Time feature.
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Determine the accuracy and usefulness of the Integrated Schedule View.
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Gather feedback on the Task Timer feature's functionality.
Methodology
The usability test involved 20 college students aged between 18 and 25, with an equal distribution of males and females. Participants received a brief tutorial on the app's features before being asked to complete a series of tasks, such as creating a schedule, setting up focus time, and using the task timer. Throughout the test, their interactions with the app were observed and recorded. After completing the tasks, participants filled out a questionnaire and participated in a short interview to provide feedback on their experience with the app.
Result
The usability test results for the DayDesigner app indicate a generally positive reception among participants. The majority found the app easy to use, with nearly half strongly agreeing and a third agreeing with its intuitiveness. The Scheduled Focus Time feature was particularly effective, as most participants either strongly agreed or agreed with its ability to enhance productivity. The Integrated Schedule View stood out as the most appreciated feature, with a significant majority acknowledging its usefulness in organizing schedules and deadlines. The Task Timer functionality received mixed responses, with some participants expressing neutrality, although a substantial portion still agreed with its utility. Overall, the app garnered high satisfaction levels, with most participants expressing strong agreement or agreement with its performance and usefulness.
Unsatisfied
3%
Very Unsatisfied
1%
Neutral
11%
Very Satisfied
46%
Satisfied
39%
OVERALL SATISFACTION
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Unsatisfied
6%
Very Unsatisfied
2%
Neutral
12%
EASE OF USE
Very Satisfied
48%
Satisfied
32%
Unsatisfied
6%
Very Unsatisfied
2%
Neutral
9%
SCHEDULED FOCUS TIME
Very Satisfied
42%
Satisfied
43%
Unsatisfied
3%
Very Unsatisfied
1%
Neutral
7%
INTEGRATED SCHEDULE VIEW
Very Satisfied
58%
Satisfied
31%
Unsatisfied
6%
Very Unsatisfied
2%
Neutral
12%
TASK TIMER
Very Satisfied
29%
Satisfied
41%
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