User Persona
Social media addiction is a cross-generational challenge, but to move the project forward, we needed a clear focus. During the sprint, Alicia and I considered two distinct profiles that could benefit from our future product: minors and the millennial generation.
Social media addiction is a cross-generational challenge, but to move the project forward, we needed a clear focus. During the sprint, Alicia and I considered two distinct profiles that could benefit from our future product: minors and the millennial generation.
As millennials ourselves, we have first-hand experience with how excessive usage negatively impacts mental health and productivity, patterns we also see within our own social circles. We ultimately decided to create a user persona close to our own reality, allowing us to apply a deeper, more empathetic lens to the problem.
As millennials ourselves, we have first-hand experience with how excessive usage negatively impacts mental health and productivity, patterns we also see within our own social circles. We ultimately decided to create a user persona close to our own reality, allowing us to apply a deeper, more empathetic lens to the problem.
Mariana Rodrigues
Spanish teacher
33 years old (Millennial)
BIO
Mariana is a 33 year old Spanish teacher for high school students. She loves to read, hang out with her friends and go to the beach.
Personality
Communicative
Self Aware
Goal Oriented
Technology Usage
She uses her iPhone 4-5 hours a day and spend most of this time on social media, Instagram more specifically.
She admits to using their phone excessively - “It’s horrible”. She uses the app mainly to scroll through posts and watch Reels.
Pain Points
Many times Mariana spends more time than she would like scrolling through Instagram. After a long consecutive period of using the social media, Mariana feels drained and guilty.
Goals
Mariana would like to reduce her time on social media and therefore reduce her screen time on her phone in general. She doesn’t want to delete the app completely as it shows things that she’s interested in, she just wants a healthier way to consume these contents.
Mariana Rodrigues
Spanish teacher
33 years old (Millennial)
BIO
Mariana is a 33 year old Spanish teacher for high school students. She loves to read, hang out with her friends and go to the beach.
Personality
Communicative
Self Aware
Goal Oriented
Technology Usage
She uses her iPhone 4-5 hours a day and spend most of this time on social media, Instagram more specifically.
She admits to using their phone excessively - “It’s horrible”. She uses the app mainly to scroll through posts and watch Reels.
Pain Points
Many times Mariana spends more time than she would like scrolling through Instagram. After a long consecutive period of using the social media, Mariana feels drained and guilty.
Goals
Mariana would like to reduce her time on social media and therefore reduce her screen time on her phone in general. She doesn’t want to delete the app completely as it shows things that she’s interested in, she just wants a healthier way to consume these contents.
User Persona
Social media addiction is a cross-generational challenge, but to move the project forward, we needed a clear focus. During the sprint, Alicia and I considered two distinct profiles that could benefit from our future product: minors and the millennial generation.
As millennials ourselves, we have first-hand experience with how excessive usage negatively impacts mental health and productivity, patterns we also see within our own social circles. We ultimately decided to create a user persona close to our own reality, allowing us to apply a deeper, more empathetic lens to the problem.
Mariana Rodrigues
Spanish teacher
33 years old (Millennial)
BIO
Mariana is a 33 year old Spanish teacher for high school students. She loves to read, hang out with her friends and go to the beach.
Personality
Communicative
Self Aware
Goal Oriented
Technology Usage
She uses her iPhone 4-5 hours a day and spend most of this time on social media, Instagram more specifically.
She admits to using their phone excessively - “It’s horrible”. She uses the app mainly to scroll through posts and watch Reels.
Pain Points
Many times Mariana spends more time than she would like scrolling through Instagram. After a long consecutive period of using the social media, Mariana feels drained and guilty.
Goals
Mariana would like to reduce her time on social media and therefore reduce her screen time on her phone in general. She doesn’t want to delete the app completely as it shows things that she’s interested in, she just wants a healthier way to consume these contents.
Mariana Rodrigues
Spanish teacher
33 years old (Millennial)
BIO
Mariana is a 33 year old Spanish teacher for high school students. She loves to read, hang out with her friends and go to the beach.
Personality
Communicative
Self Aware
Goal Oriented
Technology Usage
She uses her iPhone 4-5 hours a day and spend most of this time on social media, Instagram more specifically.
She admits to using their phone excessively - “It’s horrible”. She uses the app mainly to scroll through posts and watch Reels.
Pain Points
Many times Mariana spends more time than she would like scrolling through Instagram. After a long consecutive period of using the social media, Mariana feels drained and guilty.
Goals
Mariana would like to reduce her time on social media and therefore reduce her screen time on her phone in general. She doesn’t want to delete the app completely as it shows things that she’s interested in, she just wants a healthier way to consume these contents.
Benchmark Analysis
Benchmark Analysis
Before ideating our solution, we conducted a benchmarking analysis to understand how the current market addresses this issue. Below is a comparative analysis of the leading products:
Before ideating our solution, we conducted a benchmarking analysis to understand how the current market addresses this issue. Below is a comparative analysis of the leading products:
Forest
One Sec
App Block
Idea
A focus app, but it works by gamifying your ability to not use your phone.
Adding an interruption page with a subtle invitation to take a breath before opening an app.
Blocking specific apps or websites for chosen hours or days.
Pricing
Free or 27.99€ per year for all features.
Free or 14.99€ per year for all features.
Free or 29.99€ per year for all features.
Usability
3/5
4/5
3/5
Visual Design
4/5
4/5
3/5
Effectiveness (based on App Store reviews)
4,7/5
4,8/5
4,5/5
We identified several market solutions focused on blocking or limiting app access. However, we questioned the long-term effectiveness of these tools and decided to approach the problem from a different angle. Instead of a punitive approach, our proposal focuses on awareness-based interventions, using strategic prompts that invite users to reflect on their screen time and the impacts of excessive usage.
We identified several market solutions focused on blocking or limiting app access. However, we questioned the long-term effectiveness of these tools and decided to approach the problem from a different angle. Instead of a punitive approach, our proposal focuses on awareness-based interventions, using strategic prompts that invite users to reflect on their screen time and the impacts of excessive usage.
Forest
Idea: A focus app, but it works by gamifying your ability to not use your phone.
Pricing: Free or 27.99€ per year for all features.
Usability: 3/5
Visual Design: 4/5
Effectiveness (based on App Store reviews): 4,7/5
One Sec
Idea: Adding an interruption page with a subtle invitation to take a breath before opening an app.
Pricing: Free or 14.99€ per year for all features.
Usability: 4/5
Visual Design: 4/5
Effectiveness (based on App Store reviews): 4,8/5
App Block
Idea: Blocking specific apps or websites for chosen hours or days.
Free or 29.99€ per year for all features.
Usability: 3/5
Visual Design: 3/5
Effectiveness (based on App Store reviews): 4.5/5
Benchmark Analysis
Before ideating our solution, we conducted a benchmarking analysis to understand how the current market addresses this issue. Below is a comparative analysis of the leading products:
Forest
One Sec
App Block
Idea
A focus app, but it works by gamifying your ability to not use your phone.
Adding an interruption page with a subtle invitation to take a breath before opening an app.
Blocking specific apps or websites for chosen hours or days.
Pricing
Free or 27.99€ per year for all features.
Free or 14.99€ per year for all features.
Free or 29.99€ per year for all features.
Usability
3/5
4/5
3/5
Visual Design
4/5
4/5
3/5
Effectiveness (based on App Store reviews)
4,7/5
4,8/5
4,5/5
We identified several market solutions focused on blocking or limiting app access. However, we questioned the long-term effectiveness of these tools and decided to approach the problem from a different angle. Instead of a punitive approach, our proposal focuses on awareness-based interventions, using strategic prompts that invite users to reflect on their screen time and the impacts of excessive usage.
Forest
Idea: A focus app, but it works by gamifying your ability to not use your phone.
Pricing: Free or 27.99€ per year for all features.
Usability: 3/5
Visual Design: 4/5
Effectiveness (based on App Store reviews): 4,7/5
One Sec
Idea: Adding an interruption page with a subtle invitation to take a breath before opening an app.
Pricing: Free or 14.99€ per year for all features.
Usability: 4/5
Visual Design: 4/5
Effectiveness (based on App Store reviews): 4,8/5
App Block
Idea: Blocking specific apps or websites for chosen hours or days.
Free or 29.99€ per year for all features.
Usability: 3/5
Visual Design: 3/5
Effectiveness (based on App Store reviews): 4.5/5
Targets
Targets
After some refinements, these were our final intervention ideas:
After some refinements, these were our final intervention ideas:
Awareness Onboarding: A full-screen warning when starting Instagram, detailing the risks of prolonged use. A compliance barrier (reading checkbox and age validation) and two exit flows: direct access to the platform or the educational page.
Awareness Onboarding: A full-screen warning when starting Instagram, detailing the risks of prolonged use. A compliance barrier (reading checkbox and age validation) and two exit flows: direct access to the platform or the educational page.
Educational 'Learn More': A dedicated content hub, integrating video and text on the psychological mechanisms of digital addiction.
Educational 'Learn More': A dedicated content hub, integrating video and text on the psychological mechanisms of digital addiction.
Interactive Scroll Warning: An interruption pop-up using an emoji scale (Fine, Neutral, Tired) to induce emotional self-perception. The user must actively decide between ending the session or proceeding.
Interactive Scroll Warning: An interruption pop-up using an emoji scale (Fine, Neutral, Tired) to induce emotional self-perception. The user must actively decide between ending the session or proceeding.
2-Hour Milestone Warning: A full-screen intervention triggered after 120 minutes of continuous use. It uses visual and informative appeal regarding the risks of prolonged use to encourage logging off.
2-Hour Milestone Warning: A full-screen intervention triggered after 120 minutes of continuous use. It uses visual and informative appeal regarding the risks of prolonged use to encourage logging off.
Slide-in Countdown: A slide-in warning that appears from the bottom up suggesting an immediate break. It includes a 5-minute countdown timer and buttons to either accept taking a break or continue scrolling.
Slide-in Countdown: A slide-in warning that appears from the bottom up suggesting an immediate break. It includes a 5-minute countdown timer and buttons to either accept taking a break or continue scrolling.
Time Tracking (Count Up): A slide-in with the user's real-time stopwatch upon reaching the 2-hour mark. In addition to the exit options, it offers a shortcut to algorithm management.
Time Tracking (Count Up): A slide-in with the user's real-time stopwatch upon reaching the 2-hour mark. In addition to the exit options, it offers a shortcut to algorithm management.
Algorithm Control Center: A settings page with toggle bars, allowing the user to customise their feed (chronological order, disabling infinite timeline, and prioritizing real connections).
Algorithm Control Center: A settings page with toggle bars, allowing the user to customise their feed (chronological order, disabling infinite timeline, and prioritizing real connections).
Targets
After some refinements, these were our final intervention ideas:
Awareness Onboarding: A full-screen warning when starting Instagram, detailing the risks of prolonged use. A compliance barrier (reading checkbox and age validation) and two exit flows: direct access to the platform or the educational page.
Educational 'Learn More': A dedicated content hub, integrating video and text on the psychological mechanisms of digital addiction.
Interactive Scroll Warning: An interruption pop-up using an emoji scale (Fine, Neutral, Tired) to induce emotional self-perception. The user must actively decide between ending the session or proceeding.
2-Hour Milestone Warning: A full-screen intervention triggered after 120 minutes of continuous use. It uses visual and informative appeal regarding the risks of prolonged use to encourage logging off.
Slide-in Countdown: A slide-in warning that appears from the bottom up suggesting an immediate break. It includes a 5-minute countdown timer and buttons to either accept taking a break or continue scrolling.
Time Tracking (Count Up): A slide-in with the user's real-time stopwatch upon reaching the 2-hour mark. In addition to the exit options, it offers a shortcut to algorithm management.
Algorithm Control Center: A settings page with toggle bars, allowing the user to customise their feed (chronological order, disabling infinite timeline, and prioritizing real connections).
3/7
3/7
Unscroll: Define
Unscroll: Define