Open For Existential Awareness✧

Open For Existential Awareness✧

Open For Existential Awareness✧

Open For Existential Awareness✧

Open For Existential Awareness✧

Open For Existential Awareness✧

Open For Existential Awareness✧

Open For Existential Awareness✧

school project✧

school project✧

school project✧

school project✧

school project✧

school project✧

school project✧

school project✧

Client

school project

Duration

feb – april ’24

My role

ux/ui design

The problem

many young adults spend a lot of time on their phones, often scrolling through social media without purpose. This habit can shorten attention spans, disturb sleep, and lead to feelings of dissatisfaction, causing them to miss out on real connections and experiences.

The rise of short, rapid videos has made these issues even more intense, affecting their overall well-being.

So how might I…
 
help young adults live more fully in the present moment?
The solution

the goal wasn’t to remove phones from daily life, but to reduce aimless scrolling and create moments of mindful awareness. Ideally, this approach would help young adults feel more present and focused, shifting from passive phone use to active engagement with their surroundings and their own thoughts and feelings.

This balance aimed to foster a healthier relationship with technology, allowing for richer, real-life experiences alongside digital interaction.

Research results

based on my research, I created The Journey of Addiction and The Journey of Change to understand how addiction and behavior change happen over time. Addiction develops when behaviors are used to cope or function (stages 3 and 4). That’s where my target audience is at.

The Journey of Change also shows that people in later stages need support and routine rather than wake-up calls as a solution. My focus is on stages 3-5, where a nudge and structure are most helpful.

using insights from the target audience and details from The Journeys, I created the persona Emily.

Design guidelines and rules
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  • Design guideline 1.3
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  • Design rule 2.3
  • Design guideline 3.3
  • Design rule 3.3
Result: Open For Existential Awareness

Open For Existential Awareness is a pocket-sized notebook designed to help users swap mindless scrolling for moments of mindfulness. Shaped like a smartphone, it’s a simple, offline alternative for when reaching for your phone becomes a habit.

instead of scrolling, users can open the notebook to find prompts and activities that encourage them to pause, reflect, and connect with their surroundings and inner thoughts.

✧ the notebook’s small, phone-like size makes it easy to carry around, serving as a gentle nudge to choose reflection over screen time. By keeping the phone out of reach, this notebook becomes an inviting and simple alternative to digital distractions.

 

✧ inside the notebook are prompts and exercises designed to encourage self-reflection. These questions cover topics like gratitude and personal values, helping users focus on the present moment and build a mindful daily routine that supports their well-being.

✧ users can personalize the notebook by adding their own notes, drawings, or decorations, making it a unique reflection of their journey. This creative freedom makes using the notebook more engaging and enjoyable, turning mindful reflection into a meaningful daily habit.

Contact

alicekruijthoff@gmail.com

Alice
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