Helped someone with ADHD to defeat their to-do list

Role

UX Designer

Team

2 UX Designers, 1 Co-design participant

Time

3 weeks

ADHD makes it difficult for our participant to stick to a schedule.

ADHD is a developmental disorder associated with an ongoing pattern of inattention, hyperactivity, and/or impulsivity. The symptoms vary by individual.

We interviewed a person with ADHD and learned what everyday life looks like for them. The major challenges they face: difficulties with following a schedule and forming habits.

We decided to design an intuitive scheduling tool to keep them motivated as they achieve their daily goals.

To cope with their ADHD, the participant has explored a lot of productivity apps but finds that many of them take too long to set up and offer only one way of organization which rarely suits them.

After analyzing the data, we narrowed to 3 main goals:

  • Design a simple yet customizable tool

  • Help develop habits for routine tasks like cleaning and doing laundry

  • Keep them motivated while they complete tasks on their schedule

We generated design ideas by conducting a co-design session

We discussed the participant's experience with their tools they were using and ones which didn’t work. The session focused around what they liked, disliked and would change about the tool.

Here are the key insights from the activity:

  • They like the customization aspect that comes with color coding, but don’t like it when their calendar becomes complicated.

  • They love how Google Calendar visualizes tasks in time blocks. Also, they enjoy going through the time insights.

  • They spend a ton of time customizing in Stardew Valley. They liked the idea of gamifying tasks, especially when it involves customization.

We sketched many design ideas and discussed what stays and what doesn’t

We sketched many design ideas based on the goals and discussed what’s good, bad, and any new ideas.

Then we created a low fidelity concept with our participant and asked them to think out loud in the process.

Many sketches & wireframes later, the clockwork app was ready to save the day.

Tracking tasks became effortless & engaging

The user can track daily tasks like brushing, bathing, meals, etc. to help them form a habit.

Tasks are color-coded by urgency from red to green, with participants finding deadline pressure effective, inspiring Clockwork's system.

An adorable pet, cheering them on every step of the way!

The tasks are assigned points by the users which unlock customization options for their avatar.

The avatar boosts user morale by affirming completed tasks and offering motivating messages, fostering confidence and encouraging further progress. A glimpse of their progress so far will help them stay motivated and confident.

A path to mental wellness - the journal

Clockwork has a journal for the user to track their emotions. They said that journaling helps them work through their emotions giving them a lot more clarity. Clarity boosts their productivity.

Feedback

We observed the participant interact with the prototype.

They loved the app's tailored design, especially the pet feature and task color coding. They also appreciated the app's look and sound effects, offering suggestions for meal tracking and data visualization.