MANA
This is a task and project manager that helps students concentrate on the specific task list required for the project.
Role
Concept
UI & UX Design
Visual Design
Prototype
Project Type
Individual school project
Create a project to solve the problem faced by college students.
Start time
September 2018
Duration
6 weeks
Problem
Students chronically put off finishing assignments, avoid assignments and deliberately look for distractions. It hurts study so much, even mental health.
Challenge
How might we help college students manage projects well and avert procrastination?
Solution
Design a user-friendly tool that helps college students simplify the project execution, improve productivity, and concentrate on the specific task list required for the project.
FEATURE 1
Sync Student Profile
The onboarding is fairly straightforward, students log in with their school email. MANA will receive their major and courses.
FEATURE 2
Break projects down into tasks deliverables by default
According to the related course and type of project, breaking projects down into prioritized tasks can be a huge motivator.
Set up automatic reminders
MANA automatically sets a task reminder for users after setting both a due date and a time for a task.
FEATURE 3
Send task reminders
Users receive a task reminders at a set time period before the due date is reached.
FEATURE 4
Drag and drop to change task priorities and reminder time
Urgent tasks in red. Normal tasks in blue.
Sub-tasks in light blue.
Swipe to complete or delete
01. RESEARCH
What is the most common problem faced by college students?
Most college students have problems in managing study well. As deadlines approach, students say they find themselves using their time for anything but homework.
An estimated 25 to 75 percent of college students procrastinate on academic work. According to Ferrari, Johnson, and McCown, one of the major cognitive distortions is that overestimate how much time they have left to perform tasks.
What is the negative impact of procrastination?
Procrastination has a major impact on jobs, grades, relationships, including mental health. Procrastinators have higher levels of stress and illness than non-procrastinators.
Interviews
I interviewed 8 students who have procrastination to dig more into what is the main cause of the procrastination.
- Have you overwhelmed by your workload and had difficulty deciding where to start?
- Have you ever made a project management plan? Do you have difficulty making it?
- Do you have difficulty sticking to it?
- Have you been doing anything but avoid assignments?
- Do you frequently feel directionless and haven't a target to work towards?
- Do you create justifications and reasons for delaying getting tasks done?
- Have you struggled to start a project when you know the deadline is a long way off?
- Do you think you still have plenty of time before deadlines?
- Do you have fear of producing work to a low standard so you never actually get around to starting anything?
Current Pain Points
- Students have difficulty making project management plans and they don't know how to start.
- Students look for distractions and have a lack of focus. Distraction is the most common reason for procrastination.
- Students have "plenty of time" procrastination, which always thinks there's still plenty of time left before deadlines.
- Students have difficulty making project management plans and they don't know how to start.
- Students look for distractions and have a lack of focus. Distraction is the most common reason for procrastination.
- Students have "plenty of time" procrastination, which always thinks there's still plenty of time left before deadlines.
Who are the target users?
College students who have difficulty making project management plans and cannot focus on what matters.
02. Empathize
Therefore, the refined challenge is:
How might we help college students manage projects properly and concentrate on the project?
Daniel is a representative user who has a good study habit of pushing projects forward through daily effort. Susan is a potential user who has a bad study habit of having to cram for deadlines.
Persona
Daniel is a college junior who needs to carry out several projects at the same time. He struggles with managing projects and feeling frustrated as he delays performing study plans sometimes.
Journey Map
Persona
Susan is a college freshman who always thinks there is plenty of time left before deadlines and puts off finishing her projects, but she really wants to avert "plenty of time" procrastination.
Journey Map
Design Criteria
Based on the persona and journeymaps above, the design criteria is defined:
03. IDEATION
Brainstorming
First, I sparked thoughts and ideas using sticky notes for brainstorming session.
Competitive Analysis
Second, I researched exemplary task management tools. These apps used by millions of people to create various tasks in life. However, none of the apps that only focus on students, helping them make a project management plan.
Sitemap
I built the sitemap based on the analysis and brainstorming above.
Divergent Sketch
Homepage Consideration
List Design Consideration
Wireframes
I came up with wireframes, which can help me identify the optimal structure of the application and better understand user behaviors.
04. DESIGN
The purpose of MANA is to help students concentrate on the specific task list required for the project. Adopting minimalistic design patterns allows users content to focus on task list and project list.
Design System
The primary color is blue, which reduces stress, eliciting a calming emotional response, making people happier. The study from the University of British Columbia found that blue brought out students' creativity.
The red is a secondary color, which signals urgent, making students more cautions. The same study from the University of British Columbia found that red can also make people answered with greater accuracy.
UI Illustration
05. EVALUATION
Usability Testing
To conduct user tests, I built paper prototypes and a small sample group.
Why: Help me get invaluable insights into users' needs
Why: Help me get invaluable insights into users' needs
Advance the design interfaces and user effectiveness
Advance the design interfaces and user effectiveness
Who: 5 representative participants
How: Found and scheduled five representaive participants
How: Found and scheduled five representative participants
Asked them to perform a series of realistic tasks
Asked them to perform a series of realistic tasks
Observed and recorded how they behaved with MANA
Observed and recorded how they behaved with MANA
Asked they about their experience and thank them for their participation
Asked they about their experience and thank them for their participation
Design Iteration
A more intuitive and understandable step-by-step guide to creating a project
"A start guide to creating the first project confused me sometimes."
-- Quote from No.2 participant
An automatical task reminder for users after setting both priority and deadline for a task
Drag and drop to change task priorities and reminder time in seconds
" I don't want to spend more time on project settings."
-- Quote from No.4 participant
A clear, effortless task list.
"I don't know whether the time is due time or reminder time until you explain to me."
-- Quote from No.1 participant
Future steps
Boost students motivation to engage with MANA
Most students feel stressed by their schoolwork. A reward system can help them feel positive about their schoolwork and be more productivity. The challenge is how to build a reward system to improve student engagement?
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