UX Design, Productivity, Habit Formation
A gentle space to pause, reflect, and grow, one day at a time.
I designed Echo as a solo project to explore how mental health tools can feel less clinical and more emotionally supportive. The goal was to design a habit-forming wellness app that prioritizes reflection over productivity.
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PROJECT OVERVIEW
Echo is a mobile app that helps users build a consistent daily reflection habit through mood tracking, gentle prompts, and an interface that feels calm, warm, and intentional.
It’s designed to reduce the friction of journaling and turn reflection into something simple, meaningful, and sustainable; this is especially true for students and young professionals navigating stress, burnout, and emotional overload.
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PROJECT TYPE
Timeline:
4 weeks
Tools:
Figma, Notion, ChatGPT, Miro
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THE PROBLEM
Most wellness apps are either too rigid (data-heavy trackers) or too vague (inspirational fluff). What’s missing is a quiet middle ground, something reflective, intuitive, and emotionally grounded.
"I want to reflect more, but I never know what to write.”
“I’ve downloaded 3 journaling apps but never stuck to them.”
"I don’t want another productivity app disguised as self-care.”
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CORE GOALS
Make reflection feel approachable
no pressure, no streaks
Design for emotional rhythm
support high and low days equally
Balance structure and flexibility
guided prompts with room to wander
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UX APPROACH
I interviewed 6 users (students & early-career creatives) about their journaling habits and pain points. Based on this, I designed Echo to meet users where they are, not where they “should” be.
Key Themes:
People don’t reflect because they don’t know where to start
Mood tracking feels robotic when disconnected from emotion
Many wellness apps feel like checklists, not safe spaces
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THE SOLUTION
(MVP)
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DESIGNED FOR BEHAVIOR CHANGE
Built around the Hook Model:
Trigger:
Daily notifications prompt users to reflect
Action:
A single-tap “Reflect Now” entry point
Reward:
Zen Garden updates + mood insights
Investment:
Personalized reflections build over time, emotionally tying users to their journaling practice
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ACCESSIBILITY & TONE
Soft, encouraging, and non-performative voice
“Take your time,” “Your space is here”
Works offline
built for end-of-day quiet moments
Low cognitive load
one screen at a time, predictable flow
No gamification
no distractions from the goal & purpose
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TESTING & ITERATION
I ran two rounds of testing:
Mid-fi prototype:
tested clarity of the journaling flow
High-fi prototype:
tested emotional tone, usability, and visual rhythm
Changes I made:
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KEY LEARNINGS
Designing Echo helped me understand how UX can support emotional sustainability:
Less pressure = more consistency
Small rituals build momentum better than goal-setting
Tone, color, and rhythm matter as much as usability
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WHAT'S NEXT?
Take a look ...
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