NO PICKITY

Designing a tool to track and manage urges and events

Body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) affect daily functioning for as many as 1 in 20 people, yet existing treatments have less than 20% long-term success. I designed a product to help users manage BFRBs, promoting self-awareness and understanding.

Platform

Mobile app

Team

- Product designer (me)

Discover

Discover

Define

Define

Develop

Develop

Deliver

Deliver

Discover

Evaluating user and competitor insights

I first conducted a screener survey to recruit potential participants with body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) for user interviews. I started with asking what respondents tracked more generally to build rapport before asking more specifically about their BFRBs:

20%

of affected respondents had tracked their body-focused repetitive behaviors*

67%

of those respondents found that doing so was helpful toward managing them

*Tracking may exacerbate feelings of shame or embarrassment that people with BFRBs may already be experiencing.

Next, I conducted user interviews to understand what participants had found to be helpful toward managing their BFRBs:

I analyzed existing apps for tracking and managing BFRBs, focusing on their gamification and social components:

🎮

Streaks may encourage users, but breaking a streak may further exacerbate any existing feelings of shame and embarrassment

👥

Social aspects can increase motivation and accountability, but may require additional moderation to stay safe and engaging

Define

Building empathy alongside business objectives

I synthesized research insights into a persona, Lauren the nail-biter:

To better empathize, I created a storyboard capturing Lauren's experience:

I sought to identify a valuable solution for both parties from shared user-business goals:

Guided by the user's perspective, I asked the question:

💭

How might we help people affected by body-focused repetitive behaviors visualize patterns and insights around their behavior and be inspired and encouraged by each other's success?

Develop

Prioritizing features for initial design recommendations

I brainstormed potential features using an opportunity solution tree:

I prioritized features by plotting them on an effort vs. user value matrix:

Then, using a simple sitemap and referencing likely task flows, I developed lower-fidelity wireframes:

Deliver

Refining designs based on user feedback

I drafted a usability testing scenario to test how users would navigate through the flow to complete the three main tasks:

  1. Log an event and set a daily reminder

  2. Add a community post after logging an urge

  3. Receiving the reminder and viewing personal insights

🎉

All participants were able to complete the tasks and many even expressed excitement at the concept :~)

The most common issues experienced across participants were with logging events:

I also addressed common issues related to adding posts in priority revisions:

Adding a playful color palette to the initial improvements from testing, I created higher-fidelity wireframes:

Debrief

Next steps — grow and collaborate

Key learnings from this project include working within design constraints, collaborating with a mentor, and engaging with prospective users. Moving forward, I aim to:

  • Explore mobile app development to better understand technical constraints and iterate on the design.

  • Consult subject matter experts to further support user motivation and engagement with the app.

  • Continue refining the design, incorporating insights from diverse perspectives.

By pursuing these goals, I can further enhance my skills in user-centered design and contribute to innovative solutions.