Motivate Me
A student-centered productivity tool designed to enhance motivation and task management through integrated scheduling, goal-setting, and self-regulated learning features.
Contents
Preview
TLDR - Short n' Sweet Version
MotivateMe is a motivational productivity tool designed for students and professionals who struggle with procrastination, task management, and fragmented digital workflows. Developed over 12 weeks by a multidisciplinary UX team, the platform combines research-backed features like color-coded calendars, goal tracking, and positive reinforcement to foster sustainable motivation. Extensive primary and secondary research informed the design of a clean, customizable interface featuring priority sliders, calming visual themes, and integrated scheduling. Usability testing refined key elements to enhance clarity, reduce cognitive load, and drive consistent engagement.
Context
Developed during a master’s-level UX course, this project addressed the common issue of procrastination by reimagining digital productivity tools for real-world user needs.
The Problem
Students and professionals struggle with managing motivation and time, relying on multiple apps without sustainable productivity habits.
The Challenge
How can we design a unified platform that not only organizes tasks but also supports sustained motivation?
The Solution
A digital tool integrating task management, calendar views, progress tracking, and self-motivation modules in a clean, user-centered UI.
Research Methods
The research included literature review, interviews, expert feedback, and competitor analysis. We aimed to understand user struggles with motivation and task management and translate these into actionable design goals.
Problem Statement
Users need an intuitive and motivational digital tool that helps them balance tasks, deadlines, and goals in one centralized interface.
Secondary Research
Motivation: Identified autonomy support, competence, and intrinsic rewards as essential for sustaining motivation. Time Management: Researched methods like time-chunking, auditing, and the Pomodoro method. Tool Usage: Most users rely on 2–3 apps (e.g., Notion, Google Calendar, Trello), indicating fragmentation. Behavioural Insights: Notification badges and perceived opportunity cost influence engagement and task completion.
Context & Struggles
Many tools focus on task tracking rather than user motivation, resulting in low habit retention.
Primary Research
Conducted 10 interviews, including two I personally transcribed and analyzed. Designed and refined screening, interview questions, and research scripts through pilot tests. Found that 85% use Google Calendar but still struggle with prioritization. Identified user preference for integrated calendar views, color-coding, and customizable priorities.
Key Interview Findings
Users struggle to visualize deadlines across multiple tools. 70% preferred colour-coded, calendar-based task systems. Most expressed a desire for tools that feel more “human” and motivational.
User Personas
Created "Bobby Cooper," representing a young professional balancing academic and personal goals.
User Journey Map
Visualized challenges with multitasking, motivation dips, and scattered task lists.
Competitor Analysis
Reviewed Notion, Trello, and Google Calendar. Identified gaps in prioritization, motivation features, and cross-device continuity.
Prioritization Grid
Used to define must-have features like task visualizations, reminders, and progress tracking.
Design Decisions
Translated research insights into visual, interactive components that reflect user preferences for simplicity, clarity, and motivation.
Adding Priority Ranking
Introduced a sliding priority scale for tasks, enhancing task visibility and urgency hierarchy.
Light & Dark
Developed Light/Dark Mode with a calming visual theme, aligned with productivity and mental clarity.
Usability Testing
Validated design through feedback from peers, instructors, and test users. Adjustments were based on clarity, navigation ease, and motivational engagement.
Task Labels
Refined task breakdown labels and navigation after feedback from five users.
Rewards & Network
Redesigned Network and Rewards tabs for better alignment with motivational goals.
Key Findings
Improved task creation speed and reduced cognitive load. Enhanced motivational prompts and daily summaries increased return usage. Added navigation shortcuts and clearer task flows based on behavioral feedback.
Visual Design
Crafted a clean, organized interface inspired by calming, minimalist aesthetics.
Design System
Task cards, scheduling modules, reminders, and motivational messages designed with modular consistency.
Colour & Typography
Soothing tones of blue and neutral greys, combined with modern sans-serif fonts. Developed style tiles for dark/light modes ensuring brand consistency and accessibility.
Final Design
Integrated all research and feedback into a cohesive final UI with personalized dashboards and motivational flows.
Dashboard
personalized greeting, visual task priority slider, and goal progress.
Task Management
Colour-coded lists, “Add Something” quick entry, and day/week/project views.
Goal Tracker
Nudges, progress bars, and habit tracking with human-centered feedback.
Takeaways
Extensive Research
Extensive research from interviews to behavioral theories—shaped every design decision.
UX & Psychology
Designing for motivation required merging UX strategies with psychological frameworks like self-determination theory.
Clarity & Customization
Visual clarity, customization, and personalization are crucial for creating digital tools users want to return to daily.