Google Habits
Background:
Google Habits is an end-to-end habit tracker app that would allow brands to offer prizes and rewards to users when they accomplish a goal. The reward feature would incentivize users to complete their goals while also enabling targeted advertising.
Roles:
I assumed the following roles designing this app:
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User Experience (UX) Designer
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Interaction (IxD) Designer
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User Interface (UI) Designer
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Visual Designer
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Objective:
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People try to develop new habits but most lose motivation after the first couple of days. Only few manage to integrated a new habit into their everyday life. The goal was to create an app that uses behavioral phycology, coupled with rewards (offers and prizes) as an incentive for user to meet their goals.
Deliverables:
Interaction Design:
High-fidelity interactive prototypes for key tasks on android
UX/UI Design:
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Competitive analysis
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User surveys and one-on-one interviews
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User journeys and task flows
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Site map
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Low-fidelity wireframes
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High-fidelity mockups and prototypes
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Usability tests and findings
Google Habits Features.
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Integrated Rewards:
Retailers and financial institutions are able to offer rewards and deals related to an user’s goal. For example if an user wants to run 1km everyday for one month at the end of the month they can get a 5 dollar gift card for Nike.
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Group Goals:
To be held accountable, users are able to create groups with their friends or other users. At the end of a challenge, a reward can be given to best performers.
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Integrated with Other Google Products:
Users will be able to put their goals into a schedule synced with Google Calendar, Google Fit and Gmail keeping user within the Google ecosystem.
Why retailers should be interested?
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Google Habits is the perfect platform for targeted advertising. As more users invite their friends to participate in group challenges, advertiser are able to reach specific audiences based on user goals.
For example, a wellness brand can offer someone who wants to go do more yoga a discount for one of their products. Similarly, a financial institution can offer a higher credit if an user reaches a new saving goal.
Psychology of Habits.
The COM-B Model for Behavior Change.
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“Behavior Change (B) happens when people have the capability (C), opportunity (O) and the motivation (M).”
Capability refers to an individual’s psychological and physical ability to participate in an activity.
Opportunity refers to external factors that make a behavior possible. (Group Challenge).
Motivation refers to the conscious and unconscious cognitive processes that direct and inspire behavior. (Targeted Ad).
User Interviews
How Might We?
User Flow.
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After conducting user interviews I created a simple user flow diagram to organize the main functions of the app. The three main functions are Home (where users can see quick stats and list of habits), Schedule (where people can see their goals and schedule) and Challenges (where users can find or make new group goals).
Keep Track of Goals
Users can make new goals, view their performance, review their awards and their streaks.
Users are also able to make their own habits/challenges or choose from recommendations. As users complete a habit or goal they are rewarded with points that can be used to buy in-app offers.
Sponsored Challenges
Google Habits allows brands to target specific demographics based on user profiles and habits. A brand or e-business is able to sponsor challenges. Users can also search for discounts.
For example, Lululemon can sponsor a competition for the chance to get a discount or to promote a new product.
Positive Affirmation
By giving users the option to create group challenges, and to invite friends with their gmail accounts, users can create a positive environment for them to reach their goals. Users can also make bets or compete for points, gamifying habit-making.
Prototypes & Screens
User Testing
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System Usability Scale (SUS) Score.
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After getting some friends to try the prototype, they were asked to complete a SUS test to evaluate the the usability of the app.
Nest Steps​
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Google habits is meant to be used by brands in order to reach target audiences, as such the UX for advertiser needs to be developed in order to create a simple to use tool for brands to reach new customers.
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The app was also developed for android, an IOS version would need to also be developed in order to reach Iphone users.