Prototyping & Design Strategy

Momentum: Driving Behavior Change for Smarter Time and Energy Management

This design project focuses on driving real behavioral change by helping users better manage how they plan, prioritize, and engage with their day. Through a carefully thought-out design strategy and a playful yet purposeful interface, the aim was to make everyday actions more mindful, seamless, and habit-forming, without feeling like a chore

Background

As part of my graduate course in Interaction Design, I took on a short-term project focused on designing for behavior change, specifically, helping users manage their time and energy more effectively throughout the day. This wasn’t just about productivity hacks. Backed by research, the project explored how time management impacts mental well-being and habit formation. At its core, it’s about building consistent systems and routines that enable long-term change.The focus was on prototyping meaningful interactions, designing touchpoints that nudge users toward better awareness, rhythm, and control over how they spend their time and energy

Background

Industry

Humanitarian

Healthcare

Timeline

2 Weeks | Nov 2023

Tools

Figma

Team

1x Designer - Me

Challenge

In a 2-week sprint during my prototyping course, I set out to rethink productivity tools. Most apps focus on task completion; few drive actual behavior change. This project aimed to bridge that gap, by designing an interactive prototype that helps users build better habits, not just manage time.

Outcome

I designed a task management prototype that goes beyond organizing schedules, it adapts dynamically to priorities, time blocks, and user intent. A bold feature at its core is the monetary penalty system, introduced to push users who are serious about change. By attaching real value to missed commitments, the prototype aims to build consistency, accountability, and lasting behavioral shifts.

Challenge

Acta Non-Verba's newly acquired West Oakland Farm Park lacks wayfinding and educational resources to help visitors navigate the farm and learn about the various crop species grown there. The goal of this project was to introduce proper navigation, provide educational tools, and foster greater community participation.

Outcome

We collaborated on the design and implementation of a new wayfinding system to help both visitors and farm staff navigate the space more easily. Additionally, we provided informational card templates to educate visitors about the crop species and created an instructional guide to foster community engagement with the farm, specifically the compost pile and how to segregate waste for the compost pile.

Research & Analysis

Research &

Analysis

Research &

Analysis

The Problem

Ideation

Solution

Learnings & Reflection

Learnings &

Reflection

Learnings &

Reflection

Primary & Secondary Research & Analysis

How is it going?

The majority of participants across all age groups believed that good time management skills improve productivity.

Social media and excessive phone usage were identified as the top time-wasting activities.

88% of people don’t use a proper system, but make do with a calendar, their email inbox, a to-do list or work it out as they go along

>91% agreed that better time management would reduce stress at work, increase productivity, improve focus on tasks, give more confidence at work & a better workplace relationship.

1 in 8 people (12.5%) never feel under control at work.

76% of people said they would be prepared to spend between 15-30 minutes a day if better time management saved them 90 minutes

Key Insights form User Interviews & Secondary Research

Need for time management

Manage the daily tasks
Work-Life Balance

Motivation to manage time better

Penalties and deadlines
Breaking a task into smaller tasks

Roadblocks

Procrastination, Lack of motivation & discipline  
Don’t know how much time to dedicate to any goal

Constraint with current tools

Too many tasks on one page  
Gets anxious to see a countdown timer

Define

How might we

How might we help users manage their time and energy more intentionally to build consistent, productive habits?

Ideation

Mapping Use Cases

Features vs Behavior Change

During the ideation phase, I used Crazy 8s on FigJam to quickly explore different functionalities and use cases for Momentum. These ideas were shaped by user research and real pain points around time and task management. I then mapped each feature to specific behavior changes we wanted to drive, ensuring that every part of the app worked toward helping users build consistency, accountability, and better time habits over time.

Information Architecture

To improve clarity & navigation, I mapped the app’s information architecture, ensuring a smooth, focused user flow across key features.

SOLUTION

Momentum is a task and time management app designed to build lasting habits, not just help users plan better.

Smart Task Manager

Automatically adjusts tasks based on priority, available time, and user intent for seamless daily planning.

Monetary Penalty System

A bold accountability layer that assigns real value to missed commitments, pushing users toward consistent behavior change.

Productivity Support Tools

Includes focus timers, scheduled breaks, and a personal productivity dashboard to help users stay sharp, balanced, and track progress.

The Solution in Detail:

HOME SCREEN: TIMELINE

Motivational Nudges

Daily, personalized prompts to inspire consistency, boost focus, and keep users committed to their productivity journey.

Dynamic Task Progress

Momentum allows users to track progress in percentages, not just binary done/undone. This flexible approach offers a more realistic view of work-in-progress. As tasks update, the app intelligently reassigns time slots based on completion levels, keeping your day fluid, focused, and achievable.

Smart Breaks & Task Tagging

(Add Goals)

Smart Breaks & Task Tagging

(Add Goals)

Smart Breaks & Task Tagging

(Add Goals)

Long tasks are automatically broken into manageable segments with AI-suggested breaks, helping users stay energized and focused. Add custom tags for better clarity, context, and effortless organization.

STATISTICS: CONTINUOUS TRACKING

Energy Mapping

Tracks the balance between focused work and recovery, measuring energy spent per task category against energy regained through breaks.

Efficiency Overview

Visualizes daily task completion, focus time, and overall productivity, giving users a quick snapshot of how efficiently their day was spent.

Time Utilization

Breaks down where your time goes, across categories and unused hours, helping you spot gaps and optimize your day.

CONTROL: FOCUS, REWARDS & PENALTIES

Deep Focus Mode

Silences distractions by temporarily blocking background apps, so users can fully lock in on the task at hand.

Control & Rewards

Tracks your earned points by balancing rewards and penalties. Earn enough, and you can redeem them toward your subscription, turning consistency into tangible value.

Penalties

Fully customizable point system tailored to each user’s goals. Set your own stakes, earn your own wins.

LEARNINGS & REFLECTIONS

My Learnings

1. Behavior change needs more than features.
I learned that real impact comes from designing for habits, using friction, accountability, and motivation to nudge users toward consistency.

2. Fast timelines sharpen focus.
Going from research to prototype in just two weeks taught me how to prioritize ruthlessly and still build something intentional and usable.

3. Small interactions, big impact.
Even subtle design choices, like progress sliders, smart breaks, or motivational nudges, can create moments of delight and make the experience feel personal.