I’m an independent UX/UI Designer, and I could use some collaborators/coders to actualize this idea I’ve had for a while. It’s for a habit building app that’s streakless, i.e. doesn’t rely on keeping streaks going/being in the app to develop habits.
The core idea instead is that users create ‘Types’ based on the prompt “I’m the type of person that [blanks].” Each type has corresponding habit stacks to satisfy those roles, which are made up of ‘habit units’ that consist of a cue and a routine.
Let’s say that James has a hard time cleaning his dishes. He goes into this untitled app and decides to set a cue for a cleaning dishes routine, such as ‘Play Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams from my Music Library’. He actively cleans the dishes to Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams. Over time, the app helps conjoin the cue with the habit. He does the same thing with running and other desired habits, which are all presented in a visual framework that reinforces his personal development aspirations.
I have some preliminary wireframes ready to go, but beyond HTML/CSS, I lack the coding knowledge the make it happen. I’d love to work with a coder on this to make it happen.
I love doing the dishes. And I love that it’s a tech-free activity. I love that I don’t need to get prompted. I just did a HUGE pile actually (I’m currently staying at a friends house) and I watched the shadows lengthen in the backyard and squirrels running around. I love Fleetwood Mac too. And Dreams, especially - but why connect those things?
For me, I find that playing music helps block off any exits for activities I may be tempted to end prematurely or avoid. It’s like “Ok, the music is playing, now it’s time to clean or organize or do chore X.”
I see your points though and agree that notifications, buzzes, and other such features, would be bad and against what humane design is all about.
That said, I personally see nothing wrong with making wholesome, capacity-building activities like cleaning and exercising, habits. I would say that our capacity to memorize and develop things through repetition is part of being human. The problem comes from, as you mentioned, slavishly serving the robot reminding us and not our own wants for self actualization.
I think a tool to help us build habits in more holistic, big picture ways, is sorely needed.
There are 2 ways you can use such habit apps. One way, as you say, is to create cue’s (i.e. with a notification, or music that starts playing) reminding you to start acting on your habit right away. This is more intrusive and not the way I used the app.
The other way is to time the cues after the fact. In my case for the 7 or so habits I was practising, I timed the notifications to appear all at once on the morning of the next day and make no sound. This way every morning I took some seconds to reflect on the previous day and checkmark (or not) my 7 habits.
I think the app has some way of recording streaks, but they are on a separate screen, and I never used that. Instead I only looked back on the past 5 days that were shown in the summary screen. Looking back further is not needed.
Hi - streakless behaviors are already integrated into the system we’ve built at www.getmotivatedbuddies.com. You can create plans, and build habits in a way that builds a mindful approach to engaging with your behaviors. Users transform because they don’t feel judged and bring curiosity to their behaviors and patterns, giving them space to make actual change. People use the site for all kinds of behaviors, and perhaps most important then have a Buddy who helps to reinforce your commitment because they see what you’re doing, and you see what they’re doing, and you help each other find the best course of action.
We also incorporate “types” but it’s a bit more comprenehsive in that we collect preferences, for example, whether you consider yourself more goal oriented or process oriented, whether you prefer more or less communication, and these preferences allow us to make better partner and plan suggestions.
Cues come by either SMS or email at the time you prefer and at the end of your activity.
Oh, and you can earn points through the process as well!
