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“ Echo ”
A daily reflection app designed to
foster self-awareness and build lasting habits.
Date
Jan 2025
Project Type
UX Master’s Final Project
*
THE PROBLEM
Self-reflection supports emotional well-being, but most journaling apps fail users in predictable ways.
They're either …
Too clinical (feeling like therapy homework)
Too vague (blank pages are intimidating)
Too productivity-focused (treating reflection like a task to complete)
💡
The insight:
People want to reflect, but existing tools create friction instead of removing it.
*
RESEARCH APPROACH
I studied existing journaling apps, read behavioral psychology research on habit formation, and interviewed 8 young professionals about their relationship with reflection.
Common pain points:
Blank page paralysis:
"I never know what to write"
Guilt around inconsistency:
"I feel bad when I miss days"
Performative pressure:
"It feels like I'm writing for someone else"
Lack of progress visibility:
"I don't know if this is helping"
💡
What I learned:
The barrier to journaling isn't motivation,
it's friction.
*
PROBLEM DEFINITION
How might we remove friction from daily reflection while building sustainable habits?
From research, three core needs emerged:
Structure Without Rigidity
Users need guidance to start, but freedom to reflect authentically.
Progress Without Pressure
Visualization should motivate, not guilt-trip when someone misses a day.
Emotional Safety
The app needs to feel like a private, judgment-free space.
*
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Based on these insights, I established three principles:
Gentle by Design
No harsh metrics, no guilt. Soft language, warm colors, and forgiving streaks.
Start Simple, Go Deep
Low barrier to entry (one tap to begin), with optional depth for engaged users.
Growth Feels Good
Progress is visualized through a living Zen Garden, organic, not numerical.
*
BEHAVIORAL FRAMEWORK
I designed Echo around the Hook Model to build lasting habits:
Trigger
Daily notifications at user-chosen times
Action
One-tap "Reflect Now" with guided prompts
Reward
Zen Garden grows, mood insights appear
Investment
Personalized reflections accumulate, creating emotional attachment
This creates a feedback loop where reflection becomes intrinsically rewarding.
“ Echo ”
A daily reflection app designed to
foster self-awareness and build lasting habits.
Date
Jan 2025
Project Type
UX Master’s Final Project
*
THE PROBLEM
Self-reflection supports emotional well-being, but most journaling apps fail users in predictable ways.
They're either …
Too clinical (feeling like therapy homework)
Too vague (blank pages are intimidating)
Too productivity-focused (treating reflection like a task to complete)
💡
The insight:
People want to reflect, but existing tools create friction instead of removing it.
*
RESEARCH APPROACH
I studied existing journaling apps, read behavioral psychology research on habit formation, and interviewed 8 young professionals about their relationship with reflection.
Common pain points:
Blank page paralysis:
"I never know what to write"
Guilt around inconsistency:
"I feel bad when I miss days"
Performative pressure:
"It feels like I'm writing for someone else"
Lack of progress visibility:
"I don't know if this is helping"
💡
What I learned:
The barrier to journaling isn't motivation,
it's friction.
*
PROBLEM DEFINITION
How might we remove friction from daily reflection while building sustainable habits?
From research, three core needs emerged:
Structure Without Rigidity
Users need guidance to start, but freedom to reflect authentically.
Progress Without Pressure
Visualization should motivate, not guilt-trip when someone misses a day.
Emotional Safety
The app needs to feel like a private, judgment-free space.
*
DESIGN PRINCIPLES
Based on these insights, I established three principles:
Gentle by Design
No harsh metrics, no guilt. Soft language, warm colors, and forgiving streaks.
Start Simple, Go Deep
Low barrier to entry (one tap to begin), with optional depth for engaged users.
Growth Feels Good
Progress is visualized through a living Zen Garden, organic, not numerical.
*
BEHAVIORAL FRAMEWORK
I designed Echo around the Hook Model to build lasting habits:
Trigger
Daily notifications at user-chosen times
Action
One-tap "Reflect Now" with guided prompts
Reward
Zen Garden grows, mood insights appear
Investment
Personalized reflections accumulate, creating emotional attachment
This creates a feedback loop where reflection becomes intrinsically rewarding.