![[old]Streamlining Wake-Up Routines with Group Alarms and Chronotype-Driven Personalization](https://images.spr.so/cdn-cgi/imagedelivery/j42No7y-dcokJuNgXeA0ig/d92e1888-a82e-4457-82fd-395da6e1a8bf/UUUP_TItle/w=3840,quality=80,fit=scale-down)
The Problem
Out of many alarms apps on the market, from traditional default alarm apps to creative alarms, we consistently experienced a host of different user experience challenges. Throughout the years, comments from online platforms and personal connections echoed the same frustrations. These common pain points were more than just observations - they were personal experiences that prompted us to explore a better solution.
The Approach
🕐 1. Understanding User Routines
- Investigate morning routines to optimize the wake-up experience.
- Examine night-time practices to streamline alarm setups.
- Analyze individual habits and lifestyles to tailor the app's functionality.
🕑 2. Incorporating Chronotype
- Explore the possibility of integrating chronotype to prioritize core factors influencing the wake-up processes, sidestepping prevalent market trends.
HOW MIGHT WE…
Research and Insights
DESIGN INSIGHT 1: Situational Nature of the Wake-Up Process
- Overview: Our wake-up times and routines aren't fixed. They shift based on a myriad of factors, be it our professions, personal commitments, or even travel plans.
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- Implication: Alarm apps should be adaptable, reflecting the inherent variability of our daily lives.
RESEARCH DISCOVERY
Discovery 1: Routine Variances in Waking
Depending on lifestyle roles, individuals have varying wake-up and get-up times, primarily influenced by their activities and schedules. We categorized these as:
- Inconsistent Routine
- Consistent Routine
- Occasional Routine
Discovery 2: Role of Habits, Motivations, and Concerns
Personal discipline, level of responsibility, and the perceived consequences of not waking up are key drivers in people's wake-up motivations. These factors collectively shape the ease or difficulty of waking up, influencing alarm set-up behaviors and the overall quality of morning routines.
Those with lower self-control often struggle with maintaining ideal sleeping habits conducive to waking up seamlessly.
Having stringent schedules due to responsibilities ensures more consistent wake-up times.
A low stake in waking up translates to reduced motivation to rise. Conversely, high stakes can bolster the incentive but might negatively impact sleep quality.
Discovery 3: Reactions to Alarms and Design Implications
The way alarms are set up and responded to can vary significantly between individuals: users exhibit diverse behaviors upon hearing their alarms:
Some users stop the alarm immediately, making a conscious decision to start their day.
For some, the alarm's sound is a mere signal that there's still some resting time left, leading them to hit snooze repeatedly.
Others might turn off the alarm without realizing, often in anticipation of subsequent alarms, only to find themselves oversleeping when no more alarms sound.
DESIGN INSIGHT 2: Awareness of Time and Responsibilities
- Overview: The level of one's awareness regarding their morning responsibilities affects the ease of their wake-up process. Being conscious of morning tasks and the time allotted for them promotes a smoother start to the day.
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- Implication: Alarm designs should foster this awareness, perhaps with features that allow users to jot down or visualize their morning tasks along with their alarms, ensuring a harmonious transition from sleep to wakefulness.
RESEARCH REPORTS:
📝 Condens and Maze reports available upon request 📝
Macro Strategy Analysis: “Guiding Business and Design”
We started with a macro-level strategy analysis, using existing research to frame our business goals and scalability. This informed our Journey Map and Site Map, guiding the project vision.
User Interviews: “Understanding User Needs”
We then conducted user interviews to directly hear from users about their needs and pain points. These insights were essential for identifying the most impactful design directions.
Micro Research: “Data-Driven Usability Validation”
We continually refined our design with heuristic evaluations and usability tests. This ensured each feature was user-friendly, effective, and backed by real data.
DESIGN INSIGHT 3: The Diverse Perception of Alarms
- Overview: Alarms aren't universally viewed in the same light. For some, they are fail-safes, a backup to ensure they're up. For others, they're essential, a non-negotiable start to the day.
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- Implication: Alarm functionality should cater to both groups, offering robust reliability for those who rely heavily on them and flexible options for those who use them as a secondary measure.
Situational Persona - Audience
Informed by our research insights and influenced by the concept of chronotype, we have identified four distinct personas. These personas are shaped by a combination of their unique sleep behaviors, specific alarm preferences, and their individual goals and needs related to sleep and wakefulness.
It's vital to understand that due to the Situational Nature of the Wake-Up Process, these personas aren't rigid classifications. People's alignment with a specific persona can change based on various life events or circumstances (Situational Persona Switching). Some scenarios prompting situational persona switching include:
- An early morning commitment or important event.
- Elevated stress levels affecting nighttime rest.
- A late-night social or professional engagement.
- Catching an early flight or train.
DESIGN INSIGHT 4: The Coexistence of Routine and Ad-hoc Alarms
- Overview: No matter one's general disposition towards alarms, there exists a blend of the daily routine alarms with the occasional, situational ones.
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- Implication: Alarm setups should be intuitive enough to support both quick setups for one-off needs and more habitual, recurring alarm schedules.
The Process
User Flows & Site Mapping:
We integrated each chronotype, along with our personal experiences, to craft comprehensive user flows. These became the foundation of our overall site map.
Iterative Design & Feedback Loop:
Over 10 design iterations were undertaken. Through heuristic evaluations, dialogues with potential users, and consultations with developers, we refined the design to ensure an intuitive, scalable user experience.
The Solution
Design Language
Neubrutalism: Chosen for its audacity. With bold colors and commanding typography, it ensures the app makes an immediate impression. Its raw style aligns with our goal of clear, direct communication.
Monochrome Flat Design: Introduced to balance Neo-brutalism's intensity. This monochromatic approach offers a clean, streamlined interface, ensuring ease of use and reduced cognitive strain.
Key Features
- Discovery 1: Addresses the changing alarm requirements arising from daily routine variations.
- Design Insight 4: Recognizes the simultaneous need for both Routine and Ad-hoc Alarms.
- Design Insight 3: Addresses the varied ways users perceive and interact with alarms, streamlining the process to cater to diverse needs.
- Design Insight 1: Addresses the situational nature of waking up, offering an adaptable alarm system that adjusts to the user's specific needs and contexts.
- Design Insight 2: Aligns with users' awareness of their own needs and habits, offering advanced customization to better suit their specific wake-up contexts. Additionally, “Time Readout” enhances users' time and responsibility awareness, aiding in more informed decisions upon waking up.
Explorative Features
- Design Insight 1 & 3: Addresses the situational nature of the wake-up process and diverse perceptions of alarms, offering a seamless and intuitive user experience that can adapt over time.
#NEXTSTEPS
- New Feature: Get-up check
- With the support of my cohesive collaborators of like-minded designers, researchers, and developers, we are en route to bringing these visions to life ✌🏻
#TAKEAWAYS
- Precision Through Research: Targeting Features that Matter
- Balancing Style with Usability: Neubrutalism Meets Usability
- Future Meets Psychology: AI and Chronotypes
The research process was incredibly enlightening. It helped me narrow down essential features by focusing on the real needs of users, leading to a more efficient and targeted design process.
I learned that harmonizing a bold design style like neubrutalism with user functionality is achievable. This project taught me to skillfully navigate the intricate balance between aesthetic choices and practical utility.
This project provided valuable insights into integrating both new technologies like AI and established psychological concepts like chronotypes. The fusion of these elements adds layers of functionality and adaptability to the user experience, and it showed me new avenues for scalable and customizable design.
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