Empathize
Problem Statement:
The creation of short form content has taken the internet by storm. A vast majority of teenagers and young adults are spending excessive amounts of time on social media because of this content. There is a new term for staying on social media for an exessive amount of time, doomscrolling. I am looking to create an app to solve the problem of doomscrolling, since it is a problem I also struggle with. Talking with my friends and peers, I have heard the phrase "I scroll too much on TikTok" or "Instagram" more times than I can count. It is clear to me that people know they spend too much time on social media, but don't neccessarily know how to stop. The app will help people stop spending too much time on social media, but will not stop it entirely. The goal is to create a healthy relationship between the user and social media through pop ups and interactive prompts, mainly when the user is viewing short form content.
Recruitment Strategy:
Since the group of people who is primarlity affected by doomscrolling is generation Z, I have picked my 5 participants based on their age and social media presence. Since the primary age group that can be affected by anxiety and depression is 18-25, I tried to stay within this age range. This will allow me to also see the emotional aspect of doomscrolling and how I can help safeguard these vital years from social media addiction. I also chose to interview two men and three women since the distribution between men and women using TikTok and Instagram are fairly even.
Interview Questions:
The two most used applications with "scrolling" functionality as their main source of short form content distribution are TikTok and Instagram. Since this is the case, I decided to keep my questions formed around the use of these two applications. I personally know all of the people that I interviewed and know they use one of these applications, this made the questions a lot more appealing than referencing a vague term. I also followed up on a couple different answers from the participants for clarification or expansion on an answer.
- How long have you been using social media
- How do you usually use Instagram or TikTok
- When do you tend to scroll the longest
- What do you notice while scrolling
- How would you describe your own habits
- What do you do when you open Instagram or TikTok
- Do you ever get on your phone and instinctivly open Instagram or TikTok
- What makes you stop scrolling
- What do others say about your social media use
- What do others say about their social media use
- When scrolling, how do you feel
- After scrolling for too long, how do you feel
- What frustrates you about your social media use
- What do you get out of scrolling
- If an app were to help my doomscrolling, I would want
Empathy Maps:
James was selected as he is within the age range that we want to observe (20 years old) and is a man. I also selected him since I know him personally and know that he scrolls on social media frequently and shares short form content online frequently.
Sadie was selected as she is within the age range we wanted to observe (21 years old) and a woman. I also selected her as I know her personally and observe her watching short form content on a regular basis and can talk with her in-depth about responses.
Lilly was selected as she is within the age range we wanted to observe (18 years old) and gives me insight into the younger demographic of the age range. She also was selected since I know her personally and can get her to be completely honest about her habits when using social media.
Katie was selected as she is within the age range we wanted to observe (24 years old) and is a good representation of the upper portion of the age range. She was also selected since I know her personally and can follow up to gather in depth information as needed even throughout the project.
Brody was selected as he is within the age range we want to observe (18 years old) and since he is a younger man. With brody being a young man, we are able to see the bottom portion of the population range through the perspective of both men and women. This is extremely important because a large majority of social media users are around or at the age of 18.
Conclusion:
After going through my interview pool and talking to each person individually, I learned some fairly interesting things. In the majority of the responses, negative things were said about scrolling and social media more often than anything positive. Although some things were positive from each person after being specifically prompted to find something positive, but the positive responses did not come naturally. This leads me to believe that a lot of people understand and know that their relationship with social media and scrolling is not good. One answer that also persisted among differnent participants, was responding with "ads" when asked "what do you see when scrolling." Which for me is a cause for concern, since when people are consuming endless amounts of content, the only things they can really remember when walking away are the targeted ads. This brings me to the realization that people are not completely concious of what they are consuming and mindlessly scroll. This is also reflected in almost every response about how people wished they spent less time scrolling and spent less time distracted from other important things. All of these responses show me that not only would a doomscrolling awareness app be beneficial, it almost is necessary to allow people to gain back some of their life.
Works Cited:
Dixon, Stacy Jo. “Social platforms: active user gender distribution 2025.” Statista, 13 March 2025, https://www.statista.com/statistics/274828/gender-distribution-of-active-social-media-users-worldwide-by-platform/. Accessed 22 September 2025.
“Mental Illness - National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).” National Institute of Mental Health, September 2024, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/mental-illness. Accessed 22 September 2025.
User's Needs and Problems
To create my user persona, I began by reviewing the results from the five empathy maps I made in the "Empathize" stage. Each participant was slightly different with their social media use, but they all had very strong similarities. Every participant had very similar motivations, behaviors, and frustrations based on the empathy maps. Across the board, most participants used Instagram or TikTok to relax, stay entertained, or connect with friends, but often found themselves spending more time on the app than intended.
After distinguishing the shared themes between each participant, I combined the overlapping traits, thoughts, and needs into a single user. One persona works perfectly for this project as we are targeting one particlar group of people. That group is younger social media users who are aware of their social media habits but struggle to maintain balance.
Since my target age group was younger adults, I decided to make this projects persona, Emily, be a 22 year old woman. I also decided to have the persona be enrolled in school since that was also a factor that all participants shared. I also built her background based on recurring answers in the interview to keep her accurate towards the target group. Most of these recurring answers lead me to build a persona that values social media for connection and entertainment, but wants subtle guidance to healthier digital habits.
Business Model Canvas
For my business model canvas, I used my persona along with conventions that other apps made for phone usage use. I had to mold these conventions slightly as most apps are primarily focused on screen time in general, where as this project is specific to doom scrolling.
Conclusion
This stage of the project allowed me to critically think about how I really want to model my application. I've come into this project with a vision of how the end product will turn out, but that vision has largely changed since. This particular portion forced me to really take into account what the best outcome based off of the participant responses would be. This meant that I needed to think about the people that were using my app, not just I wanted the app to do.
From the empathy maps, I created my persona Emily Hart who represents somebody who is trying to balance entertainment and productivity. Creating my persona really helped me humanize the average user for the application, which is very important when thinking about next steps. Building the background of the persona also really helped me think about how she could possibly interact with the app and her general thoughts on it. This thinking can also extend beyond the project and into the code that I write too. Some day I will not be the only person to write inside of a code base, and thinking of how another person will see and understand my code should be a priority.
The business model canvas added another layer of understading. Translating the needs of Emily into business terms forced me to really think even beyond the design of the app itself. That includes how the app would operate, deliver value, and sustain itself. I also needed to think about how someone like Emily would want a company that owns this particular app to operate. This is shown in the value proposition, as this shows how a company can be compassionate and not forceful with the prompts. Thinking about the feelings of the user is incredibly important, and this section of the project has made me understand that.
Before moving forward to the next phase, I have learned my app needs to do three things.
- Encourage reflection, not restriction
- Blend saemlessly into existing habits
- Stay visually engaging and positive
Design and tone should aim to motivate, not guilt trip. This stage has been eye-opening and helped me transition my idea into a user-centered idea that is both meaningful and practical.
Ideate
I went with the mind mapping approach to generate ideas for the application. I decided to go with this approach because I like actively building off of previous ideas and visualizing them. Having the ideas written down allows me to sit on the idea for a lot longer than I normally would. Since I am able to walk away from actively thinking about a topic and don't have to worry about forgetting about the topic, I can treat thinking of ideas as a marthon rather than a sprint.
When I started making my mind map, I thought of what to put at the center. I decided to put "Breaking the scroll" since that is essentially what I am aiming to achieve with my app. After writing down the main premise of the app, I thought about what are key things that the app should really provide. These elements were Awareness, Friction, Replacement, Customization, Social Support, and Rewards. For instance, Awareness included timers and notifications that gently remind users when they’ve been scrolling too long; Friction covered features like breathing exercises or a hold-to-continue button that forces users to pause before continuing; Replacement Activities focused on three major types of activities that the user may choose from; Rewards included tracking minutes saved and showing progress streaks; and Social Support allowed for optional accountability with friends.
As I continued to expand and connect branches on the tree, I started to see how each branch reinforces the other. For example, Awareness and Friction features work together to help stop scrolling, while Replacement and Reward provide positive reinforcement to keep users motivated. During this process, I also thought about ideas I did no originally consider. I added the entire Social section of the app, and decided to add quiet hours as well. These quiet hours will be times where the user does not want to be nudged as often or at all by the app to stop scrolling.
Conclusion
Before this class I had never heard of Mind Mapping, but after trying it for this project, I realize that I have been missing out for a long time. It feels very flexible, creative, and makes it easy to see how all of my ideas connect. It was nice to just write down anything that came to my head and build off of it until I got to a point that I felt satisfied. Once I was done with that, I took my ideas and made the map visually appealing for the assignment. Even though I started with a ton of ideas for the app, the Mind Map helped me narrow down things to what was essential to my app. This helps me with my design process and not having to deal with a ton of features that would inevitebly lead to clutter. In the end, Mind Mapping helped me see that the key isn't to overload the users with features, but to keep the things mindful and purposeful.
Prototype
Low Fidelity Prototype
When I began my low fidelity prototype, I knew I had to keep the main principles I had been developing throughout the project. Along with these main principles, I knew that the features I had thought about in the previous section needed to be present and obvious. When creating the low fidelity prototype, I created pieces of the app that would exist outside of the application. These would be pop-ups over scrolling applications to take over the entire screen and hae the user focus on that.
I designed the home screen where users would be able to immediately turn on their focus and not have to go through many different steps to set up their application. I thought of this through the principle that we were taught that sometimes the best UI is no UI at all. From the home screen I designed the breathing gate and replacement activity screen, which help users pause their scrolling and engage in short, mindful actions like breathing or stretching. I also added a very simple stats page along with achievements so users would be able to see their actual progress to encourage them. I also created a settings page where users could customize exactly what their app does for their specific use case or need. I didn't worry too much on how colors or visuals would work, I just wanted to create a clear intuitive flow that showed the apps purpose.
High Fidelity Prototype
For my high fidelity prototype, I had to make a few slight changes to adapt to using Figma. For a lot of my low fidelity prototype drawings, the sizing of the font I was using did not look appealing when adapting to a screen. Along with the size of the wording, I changed a couple of the buttons that I drew earlier as they seemed to be too crowded on the high fidelity prototype. Finally, I added an error message whenever trying to add another app to the apps of concern which I did not include inside of my low fidelity mock up.
UX Design Laws
The three laws I focused on the most were Cognitive Load, Hick’s Law, and the Aesthetic-Usability Effect. Cognitive Load was the most important, since the purpose of my app is to help people slow down and relax, not overwhelm them with options. Every screen is simple, with one clear action and minimal distractions. Users can immediately understand what to do without having to think too hard, keeping the experience calm and focused. Hick’s Law also played a big role in my design decisions. When someone opens the app, they shouldn’t have to decide between a dozen features. Instead, they’re given just a few simple choices, such as starting a pause or completing a short replacement activity. This keeps users from overthinking and makes it easy to act in the moment. Finally, the Aesthetic-Usability Effect influenced how I approached the visual design. I wanted the interface to feel relaxing and trustworthy, so I used dark tones with soft blue highlights and clean typography. A calm, modern design helps users feel comfortable and encourages them to return to the app whenever they need a break.
The 10 Usability Heuristics
1) Visibility of system status The app lets the user know whats happening. Whenever the button Start Pause is pressed, there will not only be a timer to show that the application is working, but the button will change to a red Stop Pause.
2) Match between system and real world Instead of using abstract terms, I used familiar, human language like “Take 2 more calm breaths,” “Pause,” and “Minutes saved.” The breathing animations and progress bars mimic natural rhythm and movement to feel intuitive and grounded.
3) User control and freedom Users can skip or stop any activity at any time. You are also able to pick a different activity if the user does not like the current suggested activity.
4) Consistency and standards Icons, colors, and button placement is consistent throughout the entirety of the app.
5) Error Prevention There are back buttons on activities in case you skip an activity that you didn't mean to or selected the wrong activity when changing.
6) Recognition rather than recall The home screen you immediately see has user specific information so a user can open the app and immediately see their progress and active session. This allows users to not have to serach for important information
7) Flexibility and Efficiency of Use The app works both for new users and repeat users as everything is perfectly displayed on the home screen. It is quite efficient as you only have to open the app to see almost all of the information you need. If you also want to see relevant statistics from the past week, it is only one click away at the very bottom of the screen.
8) Aesthetic and Minimalist Design I made sure to use a soothing color pallete that was consistent throughout the app. I also made the app have blocks of information that you could click on to see more information to avoid clutter.
9) Help Users Recognize, Diagnose, and Recover from Errors When selecting Other on the Apps of Concern portion, if you search up your application and nothing comes up, an error alerting you that the app is not supported will show up. This will help users see as to why the app is not working for certain scrolling apps. There will also be a portion to allow for users to submit a support request for any app they would like.
10) Help and Documentation In the Help section, there will be FAQs and a place to contact support if there is something that they believe to be wrong.
Conclusion
I really enjoyed this stage of the project as I was able to finally put pen to paper and see something tangible. I really enjoy being able to see my work and show others what I have done, but I am incredibly thankful that I had the previous stages to guide me. One of the main takeaways from this section for me is that planning is extremely important. I initially wanted to start creating a mockup of the app immediately, but looking back I would not have gotten to the result I now have without all my preperation. Deeply thinking about what key features should be and how the user should interact with them directly affected the design of the app. I would be thrilled to design each piece of functionality for the app, but I have too many features in mind to make that attainable in this project. I wanted to make a mockup that was functional enough for others to see how the app should work and behave so I can recieve feedback in the next stage.
Test
Background Summary
When planning my usability tests, I wanted to see whether the app truly helped users pause, reflect, and regain control of their screen time. The goal was to test simplicity, ease of use, and emotional clarity. I wanted to see if the app is calming and easy to understand across different age groups and tech experience levels. I mainly observed how intuitive the navigation was, how difficult participants found each task, and how difficult it was to find certain features in the app. Since I wanted to capture authentic reactions, I decided to conduct my usability tests in person so I could observe facial expressions, gestures, and pauses in real time. Each session took place using my own laptop and phone prototype built using Figma. Every option in the bottom tab had a working screen, which made the test easier as I didn't have to explain which buttons didn't work multiple times. I had five participants total, three that were under 30 and two above 40, in order to represent a broader range of technical literacy and attention span. Each of the participants under the age of 30 lived in the Bozeman area, so meeting up in a public setting was relativley easy. As for the two individuals above the age of 40, I decided to ask my parents to test my app over the fall break. This made testing on the older age group very convenient as I know my parents quite well and can tell when they are confused, frustrated, or pleased with something. With all my users defined, the goal of making sure that the interface itself felt approachable and self-explanatory was underway.
Methodology
For each of the participants, they were tasked with three portions to complete. Pre-test questions, usability tests, and post-test questions. Pre-test questions measured the participants general phone usage, daily screen-time awareness, and what they'd expect from an app designed to reduce doomscrolling Tasks tested core interactions. Post-test questions measured ease of navigation, design clarity, and emotional reaction. I observed how long it took each person to complete a task, noted hesitation or confusion, and recorded comments as they thought aloud.
Pre-Test questions
1) How many hours a day do you estimate you spend on social media or scrolling? 2) What situations usually trigger your scrolling (boredom, stress, downtime, etc.)? 3) Have you ever tried limiting your screen time before? If so, how? 4) What would make an app like this appealing or helpful to you personally? 5) How easy do you believe it will be to navigate the app? (1 = super easy, 10 = extremely difficult)?
Tasks
1) Start a "pause session" from the home screen 2) Start and complete a replacement activity 3) Change the quiet hours (The hours that the app will not track your social media activity) 4) View the "minutes reclaimed" statisitic
Post-Test questions
1) How easy was it to navigate the app? (1 = super easy, 10 = extremely difficult)? 2) Did you understand what each screen was for without explanation? 3) Did the breathing or replacement screen feel calm and intuitive? 4) Did any part of the app feel confusing, frustrating or unecessary? 5) Would you personally use this app to manage screen time? Why or why not 6) What was your favorite part of the app? 7) What would you change or add to your experience?
Participants and demographics
One of the participants was my father. He is a 61 year old man who primarily uses TikTok at night. Another participant is my mother who is a 48 year old woman who uses a mix of TikTok and Instagram also at night, but sometimes during the day. Another participant is my coworker who is a 26 year old man who rarely uses social media and is a software developer. Another participant is my girlfriend who is a 21 year old woman who is familiar with social media and uses Instagram throughout the day for various reasons. Finally, the last participant is my younger brother who is 20 years old and used to technology. He uses TikTok and Instagram along with various other social media platforms.
Data Collected
The majority of the data I collected was from the pre-test and post-test questions, and I drew some final conclusions form what I witnessed and timed for in the actual tests.
Test Results
Every participant said the app felt easy to use and visually calming. The breathing gate was rated the most helpful feature because it forced a physical pause. The stats screen was also well received for showing measurable progress (“minutes reclaimed”). Common feedback included:
- “Would love more replacement options like journaling or drinking water.”
- “Add a sound cue when the breath is done.”
- “Dark mode is great, but maybe add a soft color variant.”
No one reported confusion about the core flow, and all completed their tasks without assistance.
Key Statistics
One of the bigger statistics that surprised me was the amount of participants who had actively tried to limit their activity on social media. I assumed that everyone that participated was contempt with the amount of time they spent on social media.
I was also surprised by the amount of people that understood what each screen was used for as no participant was confused. This gives me the sense that my approach was correct with the difference in tabs.
Finally, the last key statistic was the ease of use. Each of the participants except for my father thought the UI and design was the easiest it could possibly be. My dad ranked the app a 2 since he wished the quiet hours was on the home page to immediately change.
Programming
Above you can see the python code I created in order to find some of the key statistics that I was measuring for. I even decided to use a paired t-test for measuring the difference between the percieved difficulty and the actual difficulty per participant.
Conclusion
Completing my usability testing gave me a much clearer understanding of how real users interact with my app and how well it helps people pause their scrolling habits. Even with a small group of five participants, I received valuable insights into what felt intuitive, what was confusing, and overall thoughts on the UI. Overall, starting a pause, completing a breathing cycle, and reviewing reclaimed time, proved simple across all participants. All participants described the app as easy to navigate and "lighter" than expected, which aligns perfectly with the purpose of my app. The feedback I gathered will guide my next rendition, especially around enhancing visual cues, offering more personalized replacement activities, and refining the color theme. These results reinforced how essential thoughtful UX is to behavior-focused apps. I was shocked at some of the key statistics that were measured from the participants, but these findings were crucial to my understaning of next steps. Moving forward, I’ll continue to refine the design to ensure it stays intuitive, mindful, and truly helpful for users trying to take back control of their attention.
Credits:
Created with images by ARAMYAN - "man hand holding smart phone" • miss irine - "Technician holds processor above circuit board. Man works in tech laboratory with motherboard, microchips. Engineer checks hardware, tests computer electronics for performance, quality. Server" • (JLco) Julia Amaral - "Businesswoman using a mobile phone in an office lobby" • WHstudio Leushin N - "Smiling charming brunette Asian woman uses mobile phone happy texting in social networks addicted to modern technologies wears casual jumper isolated over blue background.,Online communication"