Sprout

Role

UX Designer/UX Researcher

Tools

Figma, Whimsical, & Stony Brook University Library Data Base

Date

April 2022 (1-2 weeks)

Overview

Background

In my ISE300: Technical Communication course, we were assigned a project that required the class to establish a company and develop a product or service to address a real-world problem. After several rounds of brainstorming, my team and I decided to create a mobile application that encourages individuals to make environmentally friendly choices. My responsibility within the team was to design the user interface (UI) and research how gamification could positively influence users' goals and mindsets.

Primary User Research

Academic Research

I have written a literature review to support my argument for the effectiveness of gamification design in influencing positive changes in individuals. The research study focuses on the design aspect of the application, as a well-designed user interface can positively influence users’ goals and mindsets. When creating the best possible user experience, it is important to understand the behavioral science of how motivation is generated and how users should interact with the application. The essential project’s research topic delves into human-computer interaction studies of goal-oriented tasks to effectively engage users in continuously choosing carbon-positive or carbon-neutral actions.

Key Points in the Study

  1. Two types of goals driving motivation are identified: extrinsic goals (external factors like money or fame) and intrinsic goals (personal growth).
  2. Experiments, like Deci's Soma puzzle cube study, highlight the limitations of extrinsic rewards in sustaining motivation.
  3. Environmental factors, societal influences, and locus of control play significant roles in motivating individuals towards eco-friendly behaviors.
  4. Self-Determination Theory emphasizes autonomy, competence, and connection as drivers of intrinsic motivation.
  5. Gamification is discussed as a design technique to motivate users with game elements like rewards and challenges, but users may not grasp the seriousness if seen solely as a game.

Key Takeaways

  1. I want to utilize gamification in order to drive intrinsic goals, such as rewarding users with special badges if they complete a positive goal.
  2. I want to create a community and social aspect to my design in order for users to feel a sense of accomplishment and belonging.
  3. I want to include resources and educate users on their impact in order to mitigate the drawbacks of gamification.

Initial Draft

Wireframes

Final Screens

Gamifying Goals

When users perform a positive action, the application rewards them with experience points to grow their plant. They start with a baby sprout that eventually evolves into a full-grown tree. There are daily tasks that users must complete every day to help their sprout grow. Users can select different types of goals they want to meet under four categories: travel, food, energy, and products. When a user completes a goal, environmental factoids are displayed to highlight their impact.

Showing Progress

The mobile application incorporates a leaderboard element to compare the users with friends and other people online. This sense of competition can stimulate self-determination. Additionally, a measuring system that quantifies the positive impact of the user’s action can also induce motivation. For example, displaying the number of trees saved if the user has done a certain action can help users recognize and continue their positive impact.

Reflection

Next steps

1. Conduct Usability Testing

If I had more time, I would conduct usability testing to ensure that gamification was effective. Retention rate and daily user rate may help us understand if users are continuously using our app. A diminishing retention rate may indicate that users are not reaching their goals, which can be due to some underlying frustration.

2. New Features

I want to add more rewards, such as adding badges and achievements. Additionally, I want to improve the online community by creating public forums that showcase specific environmental agendas or achievements for other users. This would help the initial goal of forming everlasting community in the environmental space.