LITTLE WINS

User Research

To create an app that truly feels safe and supportive, I first needed to understand the mindset of someone recovering from burnout. I started by empathizing with users’ emotions and daily struggles. At first, I assumed they simply needed a stripped-down task manager. However, research revealed it wasn’t just about fewer features, but about removing the fear and pressure of productivity tools.

To dig deeper into these needs:

• Held informal interviews with peers to hear their experiences
• Identified user characteristics from these conversations
• Translated key findings into an empathy map

Pain Points

Persona

I created three personas to summarize my findings, and focused on one primary persona named Nina for development.

Empathy Map

Point-of-View (PoV) statement

To focus my design efforts, I created user stories, scenarios and storyboards leading to the definition of my Point-of-View (POV) statement.

User Flows

Given Nina’s needs, I aimed for an app experience that was as streamlined and pressure-free as possible. I outlined user stories and basic scenarios, then mapped a simple user flow for the most critical task: creating a new to-do (“Little Win”). This flow would be the heart of the app.

Sketching

I began the design phase with quick sketches to brainstorm the interface. My initial sketches, admittedly, fell into a common trap: I found myself accidentally adding the very features and metrics I had decided to avoid (old habits die hard!).

I iterated through several layouts focusing on minimalism. Each subsequent sketch I removed an element that felt like it could pressure the user. This subtractive approach ensured the concept stayed true to being light and reassuring.

Wireframing

Moving into wireframing, I translated the chosen sketch ideas into low-fidelity digital wireframes. I focused on the main screens involved in the primary user flow. One standout addition in the wireframes was the location field in the task creation flow. This idea came directly from my interviews – a few people said that including a location made tasks feel more concrete and easier to tackle. I made this field optional and simple.

Usability Test

Before diving into high-fidelity design, I conducted usability tests with three users using the wireframe prototype. My goals were to ensure the task flow felt intuitive and to catch any element that might unintentionally create stress. This early testing revealed two important issues:

1) Confusing Task Options
I had incorporated an idea inspired by the Eisenhower Matrix. This turned out to be too confusing and not very relevant. Test participants weren’t sure what “delegate” or “delete” meant in context.

2) Layout felt too dense
Users appreciated the clean look but commented that some screens felt a bit cramped.

To address the first issue, I reduced the urgency options to just “do” and “schedule” and removed the "Show More" option. Only when the corresponding urgency is selected, additional fields appear. For example, if you select "schedule", you can then choose a deadline, but not if you select "do".