Designer
Interaction Design
A solution to help users disengage from active technology consumption before sleep.
A design feature for android lock screen to improve screen health of active smartphone users.
SNUG
A bedside device to help users disengage from active technology consumption before sleep.
Background
Quality of sleep in today's busy world is declining among all age groups. This is due to a shift in technology use and work culture over the last fifteen years. Poor sleep health is a common problem and results in unproductive days.
Insights from Survey
78.1% of the participants’ last activity before bed is social media or watching TV shows
Only 39% of the participants are able to fall asleep within 15 minutes of hitting the bed
89.1% of participants are very active on phones in the hour before sleep
38% of participants interact with 2 or more screens in the hour before sleep.
50% of the participants’ first activity immediately after waking up is checking their phones
Users and Scenarios
Shubham: 28 year old working youngster who has recently realised the positive effects of mindfulness and habits.
Harshal: 30 year old who wishes to engage in light and useful activity like reading or music before bed and after waking up.
Jaya: This 24 year old works two jobs, is perpetually exhausted, has a messy daily schedule, and needs help sleeping and waking up on time
Abhay: 35 year old who believes that mobile phone radiations are harmful and wants to spend less time on social media.
Brief
How might we design an interactive device which
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Helps you disengage from technology and active content consumption just before sleep and after waking up.
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Encourages you to engage in positive habits, light activity and mindfulness practices.
Potential Features / Tasks
BOOKS
Download and listen to audio books
Captions to assist audio
ALARM
Wake up with custom tunes.
Gradually brightening warm lights to assist with waking up.
MUSIC
Preloaded or custom playlists for positive vibes in the room.
RELAXATION
Guided techniques for wind down, meditation and relaxtation
JOURNALING
Record audio journals to reflect on your day and listen to your previous recorded journals.
Concept Overview
'SNUG' is a compact bedside device that provides light activity that helps you wind down, and actively disconnect from multiple screen time in the hour before sleep and after wake up.
Two of its side surfaces provide diffused light, that can be used to gradually wake you up, guide you through relaxation routines and also serve reading light.
The device is designed to have -
Single Colour, Monochrome UI
No overuse of colours, video content, which cause overstimulation.
Non- Scrollable Screens only
Breaks the expectation of continuous information and infinite content.
Square Screen, Large buttons
Providing users with something different from the conventional aspect ratio.
Android Focus
Android lock screen designed to prioritise information and improve screen health of active smartphone users.
UXplorer 2022
This project is part of a submission made to UXplorer 2022, organised by YUJ Designs. Team: Sai Gayathri, Harshal M
Backround
Today's smartphone apps have been designed to give us maximum content, often leaving us overwhelmed, but wanting more. Many times, we wish to use our phones for a specific task, only to end up in a rabbit hole ultimately resulting in ‘digital fatigue’.
Target User
Smartphone User who's actively looking to improve their screen health
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Desire to experience a simpler digital lifestyle.
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Has phases of uninstalling and reinstalling reddit and instagram.
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Experimented with multiple screen health and timer apps.
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Briefly shifted to an old button phone for few months.
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Acknowledges the importance smartphones today’s world for daily activities like transport, payment, or food.
Brief
How might we design an intervention that enables users to improve their screen health by prioritising tasks, and intuitively avoiding other addictive, non-priority tasks.
Concept Overview
Android Focus lists apps for quick access on your phone's lock screen.
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Choose app, authenticate and use minimal version of those apps, available in a monochrome theme.
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Unlock your phone regularly, and get access to your phone's main home screen.
How does it work?
Your lock screen gives you quick access to priority apps, without going to your home screen. Android Focus compartmentalises the information served to you, making smartphone use a more mindful activity.
Can I uninstall it?
Android Focus is just an additional lock screen launch feature offered by android that can be enabled or disable from settings anytime.
Can I customise my priority apps?
Yes! You can choose which applications go on your minimal lock screen. Each application is reduced version with minimum features and is available in monochrome.
How does it feel?
Lighter, more mindful, feels like an additional step to reach your non-priority apps.