Product & Content Designer
Balance
Role: Product Designer, UX Researcher, Content Designer
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Basic Process: Research > Ideate > Design > Prototype > Iterate
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Timeline: One week
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Tools: Figma, Adobe Illustrator
Overview
Balance is a thoughtfully designed productivity app that helps students navigate the demands of academic life, work, and personal responsibilities. By offering customizable categories, time-zone-based reminders, and an intuitive interface, the app addresses key challenges identified during research, such as balancing workloads and staying connected with loved ones. With its user-friendly experience and focus on inclusivity,
Balance empowers students to stay organized and maintain meaningful connections, making their transition into new academic environments seamless and stress-free.
The Challenge
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This school project required that I design a mobile To-Do List application tailored for students like myself who are just beginning their journey in a new educational program,
at the Institute of Design. The objective was to identify the essential tasks and scenarios where such an app would be most beneficial.
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The Balance app uses a calming blue palette to promote focus and emotional ease, with varying shades for hierarchy and a clean white background to prevent visual clutter. The Soleil typeface was chosen for its modern, approachable style and high readability, ensuring clear and accessible text across all screen sizes. These design choices foster a sense of calm while supporting productivity for students managing busy schedules.
Visual Architecture
Research
Step 1 - Competitive Analysis
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During the research phase of designing the Balance app, I conducted a competitive analysis by examining popular productivity tools like Apple Notes, Todoist, and Google Tasks. These apps were identified as the top three most frequently used by a group of 10 master’s students at the Institute of Design when interviewed. My analysis focused on key features such as task organization, user interface design, and cross-platform compatibility. I also assessed how these apps support new users in setting priorities and staying organized, which informed my approach to designing a tool that addresses the unique needs of students navigating the early stages of their academic programs.
Research
Step 2 - interviews
I identified key user needs that informed the Jobs to Be Done for the Balance app.
I interviewed 12 students who expressed a strong need for a tool that simplified task management and helped them adapt to the demands of a new academic environment.
The research revealed that they sought a way to structure their schedules and responsibilities in a way that balanced academic, personal, and work tasks.
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Additionally, they needed features that provide reminders, progress tracking, and a clear categorization of tasks to avoid feeling overwhelmed. These insights shaped the core functions of the Balance app, ensuring it supports productivity while reducing stress.
Design
Personal Category
I focused on designing an app that would help students balance their personal lives, academics, and work responsibilities, with customizable categories to fit their unique tasks and goals.
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However, as I reflected on my research, I recognized a crucial insight: 70% of the students I interviewed were international students who shared that they felt overwhelmed by heavy workloads, and the challenge of staying connected with family in their home country largely due to time differences.
To address this, I incorporated features such as time zone conversion tools and scheduled reminders specifically for communication.
These additions aimed to help users maintain meaningful relationships while managing their academic and personal responsibilities more effectively, creating a more supportive and holistic productivity experience.
Design
Notes Section
More than half of the interviewed students shared that they often grocery shopped for friends, roommates, or family members they lived with but struggled to coordinate shopping lists. To address this, I designed a collaborative notes feature that enables real-time communication for seamless shopping trips.
Iteration
Before
There was no clear differentiation between multiple users. It was also difficult to know which user needed what item.
After
I utilized color as a way to differentiate users and included a pop up menu that displayed the user's name and a call button.
Design
School Category
I designed this feature to help users stay organized and manage their coursework more effectively. Many students juggle multiple assignments and deadlines, often breaking them down into smaller tasks. By allowing users to input assignments, set due dates, and check off progress steps, this feature provides a clear roadmap for completing work on time, reducing stress and improving productivity.
Analytics
I designed an Analytics feature that helps users track how they spend their time across academic, work, and personal activities. By visualizing time allocation through pie charts and bar graphs, users can identify patterns, improve balance, and make informed decisions about productivity and well-being.
Future Iterations
I identified opportunities to refine the interface based on feedback gathered from usability tests conducted with students. Their input highlighted the need for more intuitive onboarding steps and clearer navigation for customizing categories. I also identified areas where features such as time zone conversion and reminders could be simplified to reduce cognitive load.
By incorporating these insights, I can improve the app’s flow and interactions, ensuring that it supports users’ productivity without overwhelming them. Each iteration brought me closer to a seamless experience that balances functionality with emotional support for students navigating busy schedules and international connections.