The Problem

1. Procrastination is an emotional regulation issue, not a time management issue.

• Traditional productivity apps focus on organization and tracking but ignore the emotional resistance that causes procrastination in the first place.
• Users avoid opening the app because it reminds them of tasks they're anxious about.
• Different emotional barriers (fear of failure, task aversion, overwhelm) need different interventions.

2. Meet mascot Pebbles, an emotional anchor

Users said they were avoiding to open the app because they were already intimidated by the tasks they were procrastinating on.

So, to create a safe and welcoming environment, we created Pebbles, a joyful and energetic mascot. I collaborated with the founder to define Pebbles’ personality and role, and integrated the character into the design system throughout the app.

Timer Before

Timer with Pebbles

We traded text-heavy screens that increases mental load for more animations and interactions with Pebbles to create a friendlier experience. New screens increased clarity and reduced intimidation.

Onboarding Before

Onboarding with Pebbles

3. Pebbles as an AI Chat Coach for personalized emotional intervention

Users procrastinate for different reasons and require unique solutions for each situation.

Pebbles identifies why users feel stuck such as fear of failure, feeling overwhelmed, etc. and guides them through customized strategies that address why, regulates emotion, and encourages users to overcome the initial barrier of starting.

Pebbles makes the AI feel like a progress-oriented supportive coach that listens and tailors to user’s situation.

4.Frictionless, Momentum-focused Timer flow to Get Things Done!

We also asked how might we design a timer flow that removes mental & emotional friction and maintain momentum?

1. Linear path creates focus and reduces friction to get users to get past the hardest part: starting
2. Built-in reward system creates positive emotional association and shortcuts with suggestions removes decision fatigue
   
3. "Learned Industriousness" acknowledges the psychology of momentum and leveraging deep state focus

5. Takeaways

I realized that designing to influence emotion to promote motivation and focus goes beyond aesthetics, like picking a color palette that is both soothing and energizing, or using flowy shapes and gradients. Studying how Duolingo and Finch utilize their mascots to create an encouraging experience showed me how designing Pebbles was pivotal to the emotional experience of using Dawdle.

Designing Pebbles also introduced me to system designing. Pebbles first feature started as an AI chat bot, but quickly realized its potential as a mascot that helps users onboard and cheerlead users in the background throughout multiple screens.