Case Study
Case Study
Level Up
Level Up
Level Up
Habit Tracker App - Build better habits, one day at a time.
Internal Resource &
Live-Chat Knowledge Platform
Habit Tracker App - Build better habits, one day at a time.
Role: Lead Product Designer
Role: Lead Product Designer
Scope: App Design
Scope: App Design
Duration: 5 - Day Sprint
Duration: 5 - Day Sprint
A simple, game-inspired habit tracker designed to help users build better habits without the pressure of perfection.
A simple, game-inspired habit tracker designed to help users build better habits without the pressure of perfection.
I Designed as a 5-day concept sprint to explore how positive reinforcement and flexibility can improve habit-building experiences.
Instead of punishing missed days, Level Up celebrates progress,
small wins, and long-term consistency.
Instead of punishing missed days, Level Up celebrates progress, small wins, and long-term consistency.
Designed as a 5-day concept sprint to explore how positive reinforcement and flexibilityccan improve habit-building experiences.
the challenge
the challenge
Habit trackers are broken.
Habit trackers are broken.
Habit trackers are broken.
Many habit trackers overwhelm users with too many features, rigid streak systems, and high cognitive effort. This leads to discouragement, drop-off, or feeling "punished" for not being perfect.
Many habit trackers overwhelm users with too many features, rigid streak systems, and high cognitive effort. This leads to discouragement, drop-off, or feeling "punished" for not being perfect.
01
Too many features create decision fatigue and overwhelm
02
Rigid streak systems create guilt when days are missed
03
High cognitive effort leads to discouragement and drop-off
04
Users feel "punished" for not being perfect
67%
67%
Drop off within
first 2 weeks
3+
3+
Features unused
by average user
#1
#1
Reason to quit:
broken streak guilt
Users need a habit tracker that celebrates progress instead of punishing imperfection.
Users need a habit tracker that celebrates progress instead of punishing imperfection.
Users need a habit tracker that celebrates progress instead of punishing imperfection.
the approach
Key patterns & insights
Key patterns & insights
Key patterns & insights
To understand habit-building behaviors, I conducted user
interviews and a survey with busy professionals who had
tried at least one habit-tracking app.
To understand habit-building behaviors, I conducted user interviews and a survey with busy professionals who had tried at least one habit-tracking app.
To understand habit-building behaviors, I conducted user interviews and a survey with busy professionals who had tried at least one habit-tracking app.
method
method
method
5 Remote Interviews
+ 10-Person Survey
5 Remote Interviews
+ 10-Person Survey
5 Remote Interviews
+ 10-Person Survey
PARTICIPANTS
PARTICIPANTS
Busy Professionals,
25–35
Busy Professionals,
25–35
Busy Professionals,
25–35
CRITERIA
Tried 1+
Habit App
CRITERIA
Tried 1+
Habit App
Users wanted simplicity
Users wanted simplicity
One-tap daily check-ins were preferred over multi-step flows.
One-tap daily check-ins were preferred over multi-step flows.
Gamification helped
Gamification helped
Badges, progress bars, and streak-free rewards kept motivation high.
Badges, progress bars, and streak-free rewards kept motivation high.
Missed days were emotional
Missed days were emotional
People described guilt, shame,
and "falling off the wagon”
People described guilt, shame,
and "falling off the wagon”
Flexibility mattered
Flexibility mattered
Users wanted a system that met them where they were, not one that punished them.
Users wanted a system that met them where they were, not one that punished them.
persona
Designing for the imperfect human.
Designing for the imperfect human.
Designing for the imperfect human.
Based on research, I created a persona representing the
core user. Level Up meets Jordan where they are; motivated but overwhelmed.
Based on research, I created a persona representing the core user. Level Up meets Jordan where they are; motivated but overwhelmed.
Jordan, 28
Marketing Specialist
Goals
Build routines that support mental clarity and focus
Improve consistency in daily habits like reading, exercising, or journaling
Feel accomplished without needing everything to be perfect
Frustrations
Gets discouraged when a streak is broken
Overthinks productivity tools and ends up abandoning them
Feels like their potential is limited by perfectionism and distraction
Motivators
Visual progress and rewards
Gamified experiences that feel fun and low-pressure
Flexibility without guilt
the solution
Four pillars of a progress-first experience.
Four pillars of a
progress-first experience.
Four pillars of a progress-first experience.
Research made one thing clear, users needed:
encouragement, flexibility, and momentum.
Research made one thing clear, users needed: encouragement, flexibility, and momentum.
how might we
Design a habit-building experience that encourages progress, reduces guilt, and motivates busy users to return daily, even after missed days?
Design a habit-building experience that encourages progress, reduces guilt, and motivates busy users to return daily, even after missed days?
Friendly Visual Progress
Soft colors and welcoming design reduce anxiety
while highlighting forward movement.
Soft colors and welcoming design reduce anxiety while highlighting forward movement.
Impact: Users feel calm, not judged.
Impact: Users feel calm, not judged.
Flexible Habit Logging
Users can add as many habits as they want with full control.
Users can add as many habits as they want with full control.
Impact: User feels in control and empowered.
Impact: User feels in control and empowered.
Micro-Rewards & Levels
Animations, badges, and level-ups celebrate
milestones.
Animations, badges, and level-ups celebrate milestones.
Impact: Motivation through positive reinforcement.
Impact: Motivation through positive reinforcement.
No-Penalty Streak System
Missed days don't reset progress; recovery paths
encourage continuation.
Missed days don't reset progress; recovery paths encourage continuation.
Impact: The reduced shame improved retention.
Impact: The reduced shame improved retention.
Impact: The reduced shame
improved retention.
design flows
Four flows. One seamless journey.
Four flows.
One seamless journey.
I mapped 4 core flows to showcase the user journey.
I mapped 4 core flows to showcase the user journey.
Onboarding
Onboarding
Dashboard
Dashboard
Add Habit
Add Habit
Progress
Progress
Allows users to create an account or log in to their existing one.
Allows users to create an account or log in to their existing one.
impact
impact
Outcomes & validation.
Outcomes & validation.
Outcomes
& validation.
↓ 70%
↓ 70%
↓ 70%
Reduced friction
Reduced friction
Reduction in script
lookup time
One-tap flows significantly
reduced logging effort
↑ 3x
↑ 3x
↑ 3x
Return visits
Return visits
Tools needed
during a chat
Positive reinforcement
increased daily returns
Consolidated from 3-5 tools to 1
Safe
Safe
Safe
Streak-free XP model
Streak-free XP model
Users reported feeling less
pressure, more motivation
New hires reached confidence in weeks,
not months
reflection
reflection
What I learned.
What I learned.
Level Up confirmed that simplicity matters more than clever features.
Emotional design, tone, animations, and feedback drive motivation more than functionality alone. Designing for imperfect humans creates more inclusive, more sustainable experiences.
Level Up confirmed that simplicity matters more than clever features.
Emotional design, tone, animations, and feedback drive motivation more than functionality alone. Designing for imperfect humans creates more inclusive, more sustainable experiences.
The best habit tracker isn’t the one with the most features, it’s the one that makes you want to come back tomorrow, even if you missed today.
The best habit tracker isn’t the one with the most features, it’s the one that makes you want to come back tomorrow, even if you missed today.