Ux/Ui

IDLE.is app that helps users dive into idleness

web

Challenges:

Overcoming the guilt around idleness and turning philosophical ideas into practical, non-intrusive features that truly support and protect idle time.

Description:

A project exploring how a digital tool can help people embrace idleness and overcome the stigma around it.

Research

Prototyping & Testing

Testing prototypes with potential users helped to upgrade the app and spark an interest.

Visual style is important to grab the attention of potential users. Follow my design thinking.

Visual Metaphor

What do potential users think about idleness? Which barriers prevent us from being idle?

Interviews & Questioner

Idleness is a complex philosophical concept. Research showed how helpful being idle could be.

Philosophical Research

"Idle actions are spontaneous expressions of what individuals prefer to do as they act within the contexts they have chosen."

...you can be creative only when you allow space and time — and this is also through idleness.

Respondents understand the
benefits of idleness...

In my childhood, I was being taught, 'Why are you just sitting and doing nothing?’... now I cannot rest at all

...but they cannot afford to enter this state

Cozy place

The app should help users create a cosy environment and achieve a relaxed mood, as it is important for interviewees to feel at ease in a comfortable setting.

Protect Idle

Idleness can be disturbed by a deadline reminder or an unexpected message, so it is vital to enable the app to switch off notifications.

Emotional Support

The app should provide emotional support to idlers and reassure them that they deserve to take a break.

Research results:

≈80%

A sudden reminder of business or pressure of deadlines was the leading factor that distracted the interviewees.

Idleness can be disturbed by a deadline reminder or an unexpected message, so it is vital to enable the app to switch off notifications.

91%

Most interviewees connected the image of sleep and immersion in idleness. Prefer to move to a cozy place, such as a bed or a sofa.

The same percentage reported feeling internal pressure if they spend their free time idling.

61%

Unstructured or unproductive leisure time makes respondents feel anxious.

The app should provide emotional support to idlers and reassure them that they deserve to take a break.

The app should help users create a cosy environment and achieve a relaxed mood, as it is important for interviewees to feel at ease in a comfortable setting, with the sense that they deserve to be idle.

Visual Metaphor

When we are idle, we are watching the clouds and doodling.

Prototyping

The app consists of 4 sections: Guilty Chat, Idle Rituals, Protect Idle & Idling.

Feel Guilty Chat

Feel Guilty Chat is a section where users can receive reassurance that they deserve to be idle by chatting with the app character Wiggly. App uses personal data (if you allow it) like calendar plans/meetings or wake app time to prove that you worked hard and can be idle.

What can you do to dive into an idle mood? You can try some of the rituals from this section to relax, meditate, and prepare your mental state for idle time.

Idle Ritual

Idling

Finally, it's time to be idle. Memorise the moment by taking pictures or writing down your thoughts. If you are feeling bored, check out Anti-boredom tasks.

Let's disconnect from the world and protect our idle time from notifications, sudden calls, and intrusive thoughts! You can also hide the clock preview to enjoy your idle time with no pressure.