What I learnt designing Tick Log — A Time Management App

Caleb Williams
Jul 24, 2017 · 4 min read

The world of design has contributed to making our lives easier, but we still struggle to keep up with time. Do you ever wonder how much time you spend on your daily tasks at work, personal projects and other activities? I know as a college student, I would sometimes miss deadlines on projects and assignments. This only improved when I implemented efficient time-management skills.

Over the last 12 weeks, I have been developing a project with a goal to solve the ‘problem’ of time management. This project was structured to progress through the varied stages as follows — Need-finding, Ideation, Prototype, Design heuristics, Plan &Skeleton, User testing, Prototype and Final Review.

I started with the need-finding phase. This took about two weeks to administer. I interviewed over 20 people to determine how they manage their daily activities. My findings were tailored to ensure that responses provided aligned with the project’s goal. Some expressed that they used different time management apps, while others used a calendar board in their room or workplace.

The question afterwards was — why are they still not able to effectively manage their time, even with the tools they utilise? By the end of the interviews, it was clear to me that the majority had no idea why their tools or methods were ineffective. The next stage for me was to map out a storyboard for better understanding of the problem

Wire-framing and Prototypes

After weeks of evaluating my responses, I structured the first version of the wireframes for Tick Log. This framework was to be modified as the project proceeds based on user finding/results.

Wireframe home page Screens.

First Review

I submitted the first version of the Tick Log wireframes so my colleagues to review them. I got quality feedback on certain needs to be adjusted and improved, like correcting the issue of missing pages. The changes were made and an updated version uploaded to Invision platform, so the app’s link could be shared with users.

Invision allows for users to utilize the app in a more realistic format, enabling me to quickly note pages that required changes to improve user accessibility. I made so many adjustments — like adding pages that connect with user experience, i.e. the statistics page that gives users a breakdown of time spent on different tasks. I also added a setting/account page.

Final Version Tick Log Version…Ready For Testing.

For the final version, the app was uploaded to a user testing website where professionals could go through the design. This website sends you a video of the tester’s navigating through your app, while commenting as well. You get to see behaviours and tones of users. Though I call this a final version, testing never stops.

Final design Screens.
Tick Log Statistics Screen

Bringing It All Together

Designing this was as expected, a learning curve for me. Every step from the research stage to story boarding, wireframes, iteration up till the final version left me with a question — Will this Tick Log app solve the time management problem many face? I will leave that question up to you to answer. The next step is to launch the app and track analytics.

My goal is to continue to solve problems with creative design.

Caleb Williams

Written by

E commerce and Growth Contributor — Solving Problems through Design..

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