Build habits together.

Motivate each other to stay on track

Cohabit

Cohabit

Build habits together.

Motivate each other to stay on track

Role:

UX/UI Designer

Timeline:

January - June 2024

Team:

2 Project Leads

1 Project Manager

4 Product Designers

6 Developers


Tools:
Figma

Figjam

Timeline:

January - June 2024

Role:

UX/UI Designer

Team:

2 Project Leads

1 Project Manager

4 Product Designers

6 Developers


Project Summary

Project Summary

Project Summary

CoHabit was created in collaboration with CreativeLabs@UCLA, a student run design and technology organization, to improve how habits are completed by addressing a core issue: feeling unmotivated and alone when starting new habits. Cohabit makes habit-building fun. Form groups with your friends and build habits together. Encourage them to stick to their habits. They’ll encourage you to stick to yours.

My contribution:
As a designer I helped develop the design system, ideate features, create low fidelity and high fidelity wireframes and superheaded usability testing.

CoHabit was created in collaboration with CreativeLabs@UCLA, a student run design and technology organization, to improve how habits are completed by addressing a core issue: feeling unmotivated and alone when starting new habits. Cohabit makes habit-building fun. Form groups with your friends and build habits together. Encourage them to stick to their habits. They’ll encourage you to stick to yours.

My contribution:
As a designer I helped develop the design system, ideate features, create low fidelity and high fidelity wireframes and superheaded usability testing.

CoHabit was created in collaboration with CreativeLabs@UCLA, a student run design and technology organization, to improve how habits are completed by addressing a core issue: feeling unmotivated and alone when starting new habits. Cohabit makes habit-building fun. Form groups with your friends and build habits together. Encourage them to stick to their habits. They’ll encourage you to stick to yours.

My contribution:
As a designer I helped develop the design system, ideate features, create low fidelity and high fidelity wireframes and superheaded usability testing.

Background

Background

Background

Reflecting on how habits are built and maintained.

Reflecting on how habits are built and maintained.

Reflecting on how habits are built and maintained.

Building new habits and maintaining them is important to growing into the best version of yourself and provide a great sense of accomplishment. Despite its importance, maintaining a new habit may be difficult to maintain due to the demands of everyday life that hinders motivation. What inspires someone to start a new habit? What makes someone stop pursuing their habit? What products out there help build habits and what is missing from them? If we reimagine the process of forming and maintaining habits in a more social context, could that boost motivation to sustain them?

Building new habits and maintaining them is important to growing into the best version of yourself and provide a great sense of accomplishment. Despite its importance, maintaining a new habit may be difficult to maintain due to the demands of everyday life that hinders motivation. What inspires someone to start a new habit? What makes someone stop pursuing their habit? What products out there help build habits and what is missing from them? If we reimagine the process of forming and maintaining habits in a more social context, could that boost motivation to sustain them?

Building new habits and maintaining them is important to growing into the best version of yourself and provide a great sense of accomplishment. Despite its importance, maintaining a new habit may be difficult to maintain due to the demands of everyday life that hinders motivation. What inspires someone to start a new habit? What makes someone stop pursuing their habit? What products out there help build habits and what is missing from them? If we reimagine the process of forming and maintaining habits in a more social context, could that boost motivation to sustain them?

Tentative Problem Statement

Tentative Problem Statement

How might we motivate user’s to build and keep new habits to improve their quality of life?

How might we motivate user’s to build and keep new habits to improve their quality of life?

Tentative Problem Statement

How might we motivate user’s to build and keep new habits to improve their quality of life?

User Research

Users have a desire to build healthy habits, but face challenges when maintaining them.

User Research

In order to begin to answer these questions, we conducted user interviews and asked about people’s habit forming behaviors and their perspective on building habits with others. We gathered 74 responses on our google form.

Users have a desire to build healthy habits, but face challenges when maintaining them.

User Research

In order to begin to answer these questions, we conducted user interviews and asked about people’s habit forming behaviors and their perspective on building habits with others. We gathered 74 responses on our google form.

Users have a desire to build healthy habits, but face challenges when maintaining them.

In order to begin to answer these questions, we conducted user interviews and asked about people’s habit forming behaviors and their perspective on building habits with others. We gathered 74 responses on our google form.

Average rating for the effectiveness of their current habit-building skills

Average rating for importance of habit building

Average rating for the effectiveness of their current habit-building skills

Average rating for the effectiveness of their current habit-building skills

Average rating for importance of habit building

Average rating for importance of habit building

What are users saying about their current habits?

What are users saying about their current habits?

What are users saying about their current habits?

In order to find patterns in our users qualitative feedback, my team and I worked together to create an affinity map.

In order to find patterns in our users qualitative feedback, my team and I worked together to create an affinity map.

In order to find patterns in our users qualitative feedback, my team and I worked together to create an affinity map.

Main takeaway: Users have a desire to build new habits, but have trouble finding the motivation and accountability to continue them.
Main takeaway: Users have a desire to build new habits, but have trouble finding the motivation and accountability to continue them.
Main takeaway: Users have a desire to build new habits, but have trouble finding the motivation and accountability to continue them.

Competitor Research

Competitor Research

Competitor Research

What's already out there?

What's already out there?

What's already out there?

Before we started discussing what features to include, we researched habit building apps to evaluate their key strengths, weaknesses and where our product could address those weaknesses. I focused mainly on what tools and features the apps used to increase motivation in users.

Before we started discussing what features to include, we researched habit building apps to evaluate their key strengths, weaknesses and where our product could address those weaknesses. I focused mainly on what tools and features the apps used to increase motivation in users.

Before we started discussing what features to include, we researched habit building apps to evaluate their key strengths, weaknesses and where our product could address those weaknesses. I focused mainly on what tools and features the apps used to increase motivation in users.

Competitor Research

What's already out there?

Before we started discussing what features to include, we researched habit building apps to evaluate their key strengths, weaknesses and where our product could address those weaknesses. I focused mainly on what tools and features the apps used to increase motivation in users.

  • Current competitors offer straightforward habit formation and tracking features

  • Though the features offered by competitors requires users to take more initiative and maintain motivation by themselves

  • Todewy allows users to create habits, take pictures and share with friends creating a sense of accountability and motivation, but the habits are completed individually


These insights led us to a new question: What if users wanted to start a new habit with others?
  • Current competitors offer straightforward habit formation and tracking features

  • Though the features offered by competitors requires users to take more initiative and maintain motivation by themselves

  • Todewy allows users to create habits, take pictures and share with friends creating a sense of accountability and motivation, but the habits are completed individually


These insights led us to a new question: What if users wanted to start a new habit with others?
  • Current competitors offer straightforward habit formation and tracking features

  • Though the features offered by competitors requires users to take more initiative and maintain motivation by themselves

  • Todewy allows users to create habits, take pictures and share with friends creating a sense of accountability and motivation, but the habits are completed individually


These insights led us to a new question: What if users wanted to start a new habit with others?

Updated Problem Statement

Updated Problem Statement

The insights from the user interviews and competitive analysis led us to narrow our problem statement. Previously, we were interested in building a habit tracking app, but our research shows that their is a gap in our competitors and a need with our users that we can address.

The insights from the user interviews and competitive analysis led us to narrow our problem statement. Previously, we were interested in building a habit tracking app, but our research shows that their is a gap in our competitors and a need with our users that we can address.

How might we design a habit-building platform that helps users stay consistent by fostering social accountability and support from their friends, empowering them to maintain their habits and improve their lives?

How might we design a habit-building platform that helps users stay consistent by fostering social accountability and support from their friends, empowering them to maintain their habits and improve their lives?

Updated Problem Statement

The insights from the user interviews and competitive analysis led us to narrow our problem statement. Previously, we were interested in building a habit tracking app, but our research shows that their is a gap in our competitors and a need with our users that we can address.

How might we design a habit-building platform that helps users stay consistent by fostering social accountability and support from their friends, empowering them to maintain their habits and improve their lives?

We referred back to the user personas to ensure that our designs were centered on our users’ needs.

We referred back to the user personas to ensure that our designs were centered on our users’ needs.

Meet Nick and Wendy

Meet Nick and Wendy

Meet Nick and Wendy

We referred back to the user personas to ensure that our designs were centered on our users’ needs.

Ideation

Brainstorming solutions to our user's problems

Problem

Design Solution

Ideation

Ideation

Brainstorming solutions to our user's problems

Problem

Problem

Design Solution

Design Solution

Brainstorming solutions to our user's problems

BeReal encourages authenticity by giving users a two-minute window to post what they are currently doing and rewarding timely posts with two extra chances to share. What if we apply a similar format to building habits?

BeReal encourages authenticity by giving users a two-minute window to post what they are currently doing and rewarding timely posts with two extra chances to share. What if we apply a similar format to building habits?

Inspiration from BeReal

Inspiration from BeReal

Inspiration from BeReal

BeReal encourages authenticity by giving users a two-minute window to post what they are currently doing and rewarding timely posts with two extra chances to share. What if we apply a similar format to building habits?

Information Architecture

Information Architecture

Information Architecture

Defining The Organization of the App

Defining The Organization of the App

Defining The Organization of the App

With our solutions in mind, the next step was to consider how we would organize our features in a way that would help our users achieve their goal of maintaining habits. We created the information architecture with three main domains in mind: habit creation, habit completion and explore.

With our solutions in mind, the next step was to consider how we would organize our features in a way that would help our users achieve their goal of maintaining habits. We created the information architecture with three main domains in mind: habit creation, habit completion and explore.

With our solutions in mind, the next step was to consider how we would organize our features in a way that would help our users achieve their goal of maintaining habits. We created the information architecture with three main domains in mind: habit creation, habit completion and explore.

Low Fidelity Wireframes

Low Fidelity Wireframes

Low Fidelity Wireframes

Initial Designs

Initial Designs

Initial Designs

After organizing the features, I began translating our insights from the interviews and information architecture into initial low-fidelity wireframes. I focused on the habit completion and explore pages, while also providing suggestions for other designs and incorporating feedback from the team into my own work.

After organizing the features, I began translating our insights from the interviews and information architecture into initial low-fidelity wireframes. I focused on the habit completion and explore pages, while also providing suggestions for other designs and incorporating feedback from the team into my own work.

After organizing the features, I began translating our insights from the interviews and information architecture into initial low-fidelity wireframes. I focused on the habit completion and explore pages, while also providing suggestions for other designs and incorporating feedback from the team into my own work.

Creating a habit

Creating a habit

Creating a habit

Completing a habit, capturing habit to share

Completing a habit, capturing habit to share

Completing a habit, capturing habit to share

Explore page, explore new habits, see what friends are up to

Explore page, explore new habits, see what friends are up to

Explore page, explore new habits, see what friends are up to

Group Habit Page

Group Habit Page

Group Habit Page

Members of a shared habit contribute to the unveiling of a hidden image by completing and uploading a picture of themselves completing the habit.

Members of a shared habit contribute to the unveiling of a hidden image by completing and uploading a picture of themselves completing the habit.

Members of a shared habit contribute to the unveiling of a hidden image by completing and uploading a picture of themselves completing the habit.

Further motivate your friends to complete the shared habit by sending a gentle nudge with an encouraging message.

Further motivate your friends to complete the shared habit by sending a gentle nudge with an encouraging message.

Further motivate your friends to complete the shared habit by sending a gentle nudge with an encouraging message.

High-Fidelity Designs

High-Fidelity Designs

High-Fidelity Designs

Developing Key Screens

Developing Key Screens

Developing Key Screens

We found that our app had many flows that would require extensive work to develop in to high-fidelity wireframes. In order to make the deadline of the set by CreativeLabs, I led discussions on what screens are most important to develop based on our users needs.

We found that our app had many flows that would require extensive work to develop in to high-fidelity wireframes. In order to make the deadline of the set by CreativeLabs, I led discussions on what screens are most important to develop based on our users needs.

We found that our app had many flows that would require extensive work to develop in to high-fidelity wireframes. In order to make the deadline of the set by CreativeLabs, I led discussions on what screens are most important to develop based on our users needs.

Create new habits, with friends or alone!

Create new habits, with friends or alone!

Users can create new habits, specifying how often they want to practice and complete them.

With privacy controls, users have the flexibility to develop habits either with friends or on their own. They can also choose to make their habit available to the public.

Users can create new habits, specifying how often they want to practice and complete them.

With privacy controls, users have the flexibility to develop habits either with friends or on their own. They can also choose to make their habit available to the public.

For user’s looking for inspiration for new habits, they can scroll through the explore page which features habits that their friends completed as well as public habits that they can join!

For user’s looking for inspiration for new habits, they can scroll through the explore page which features habits that their friends completed as well as public habits that they can join!

Explore new habits

Explore new habits

Capture and share completed habits

Capture and share completed habits

The user's homepage features dynamic cards that transform progress into visual achievements. Each time a habit is completed, the user fills a grid with their image, with the goal of eventually filling the entire home screen.

The user's homepage features dynamic cards that transform progress into visual achievements. Each time a habit is completed, the user fills a grid with their image, with the goal of eventually filling the entire home screen.

Keep track of shared habits between friends

Keep track of shared habits between friends

Users completing habits with their friends can check on their friends progress through the group habit page. Completing a habit contributes to a shared grid that fills up when all group members complete the habit. If someone falls behind, send a nudge to motivate them to finish their part of the grid.

Create new habits, with friends or alone!

Users can create new habits, specifying how often they want to practice and complete them.

With privacy controls, users have the flexibility to develop habits either with friends or on their own. They can also choose to make their habit available to the public.

For user’s looking for inspiration for new habits, they can scroll through the explore page which features habits that their friends completed as well as public habits that they can join!

Explore new habits

Capture and share completed habits

The user's homepage features dynamic cards that transform progress into visual achievements. Each time a habit is completed, the user fills a grid with their image, with the goal of eventually filling the entire home screen.

Keep track of shared habits between friends

Users completing habits with their friends can check on their friends progress through the group habit page. Completing a habit contributes to a shared grid that fills up when all group members complete the habit. If someone falls behind, send a nudge to motivate them to finish their part of the grid.

Final Reflections

Throughout this project, I had the opportunity to apply my prior expertise to the project while also growing exponentially as a designer. As one of four designers I quickly learned the importance of effective communication in order to insure that designs are consistent with our users needs. With developers building the app almost concurrently to the design teams work, consistent and clear check ins with the developers became crucial to insure the feasibility of our designs. The complexity of the project lead to many great ideas and features being shared, but centering the core needs of our users became a main priority.

Final Reflections

Final Reflections

Throughout this project, I had the opportunity to apply my prior expertise to the project while also growing exponentially as a designer. As one of four designers I quickly learned the importance of effective communication in order to insure that designs are consistent with our users needs. With developers building the app almost concurrently to the design teams work, consistent and clear check ins with the developers became crucial to insure the feasibility of our designs. The complexity of the project lead to many great ideas and features being shared, but centering the core needs of our users became a main priority.

Throughout this project, I had the opportunity to apply my prior expertise to the project while also growing exponentially as a designer. As one of four designers I quickly learned the importance of effective communication in order to insure that designs are consistent with our users needs. With developers building the app almost concurrently to the design teams work, consistent and clear check ins with the developers became crucial to insure the feasibility of our designs. The complexity of the project lead to many great ideas and features being shared, but centering the core needs of our users became a main priority.

Woah, you reached the bottom. Still want to learn more?

Woah, you reached the bottom. Still want to learn more?

Woah, you reached the bottom. Still want to learn more?