Based on user research insights, I created "How Might We" statements to reframe pain points as design opportunities. This process helped shift from problem-focused thinking to solution-oriented ideation:
*Through sketching sessions and low-fidelity wireframes, I explored various approaches including gamification, social features, ambient interfaces, and adaptive AI. The most promising concepts were combined into an integrated solution that addressed multiple pain points simultaneously.
💡 From Problems to Possibilities
How Might We...
Help students use their phones productively without eliminating their utility for learning?
Create accountability that motivates without adding pressure or stress?
Consolidate productivity tools into one cohesive experience?
Make focus tracking engaging and rewarding rather than punitive?
Focaura is a customizable study and focus app that turns your phone from a distraction into your best productivity tool.
As the sole designer on the project, I led the end-to-end design process—from user research and competitive analysis to wireframes and high-fidelity prototypes. I focused on creating an intuitive, engaging experience across the home dashboard, customizable focus modes, and community-driven features like Focus Together. The challenge was to design an app that helps students manage their phone usage without removing the phone's utility as a learning tool.
Project Overview
Focus with Friends
Track Work Sessions
Discover Others
All-in-One Homepage
Personal Profile
Custom Focus
Role
Lead Product Designer
Solo project
Disciplines
UI/UX Design
Prototyping
UX Research
Human-Centric Design
Timeline
5-Day Design Challenge
February 2025
Method 1
Interviews
Conducted 12 one-on-one interviews (30-45 min each) with high school and college students to understand the influence of technology in productivity and the idea of "locking in."
Current Academic Level
INTERVIEWS + SURVEYS
Key Takeaways
Top 5 Focus Factors
Social media + digital distractions
Lack of motivation
Stress/ anxiety
Lack of structured study habits
Noisy environment
Current Strategies
Listening to music or white noise
Creating a dedicated study space
Turning off notifications or "DND"
Setting specific study goals or time
Tools & Apps Used
Planner
Calendar
To do lists
Notion
Face time friends for study session
"One thing that has helped me lock in is putting my phone in my drawer so I can't see it. Out of sight out of mind."
— Isaiah Liggins, High School Senior
INTERVIEWS + SURVEYS
Research
INTERVIEWS + SURVEYS
Key Pain Points
📱
Digital Distractions
Inability to stay off digital devices and resist distractions like notifications, which severely disrupt focus.
52 phone checks per 2-hour study session
🗂️
Fragmented Tools
Managing tasks across multiple platforms leads to lack of structure and disorganization during study sessions.
Average 5+ apps used for productivity
💪
Low Accountability
Lack of motivation and accountability when studying alone makes it difficult to maintain consistent habits.
73% struggle with solo studying
Method 2
Surveys
Google Forms survey asking students about their experiences and challenges with productivity and technology. Received 47 responses providing quantitative data on focus challenges.
Weekly # of Hours Spent Studying
The Challenge
Context
🤳
The Problem
Staying Focused in a Digitally Distracting World
Students struggle to maintain focus mainly due to constant digital
distractions from smartphones and social media. These interruptions, along
with stress, lack of motivation, and poor study habits, make it difficult for
students to concentrate and be productive in their academic work.
🚧
The Challenge
Transforming Distractions into Productivity
Streamline the process of managing focus and productivity through a
platform that transforms digital distractions into structured tools that
enable users to easily organize tasks, reduce distractions, and successfully collaborate with peers, ultimately enhancing motivation and accountability.
Introducing
Focaura
An all-in-one productivity companion that transforms your smartphone into a powerful focus tool
Learnings
Key Reflections
🔨
Design Systems
Focaura was my first time building a design system from scratch. Creating
consistent components and styles across the platform helped establish a
clear visual language, while a focus on accessibility and responsive design
ensured the app remained user-friendly across all devices.
🧪
Usability Testing
Without direct developer collaboration, I relied heavily on feedback from
peers and usability testing to guide my design decisions. Iterating on key
features—like the home dashboard, custom focus modes, and Focus
Together—allowed me to continually refine the user experience based on
real user pain points and behaviors.
🫂
Empathy Driven Design
Designing thoughtful interactions was essential for helping users stay
oriented and engaged. Accounting for various states (e.g., active sessions,
completed tasks, distractions) helped create a smooth and intuitive
experience, especially in productivity features where context matters.
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