An entirely custom schedule
Besides a predefined schedule option we already had in the app, there was a need to come up with an ability to bring to the users a more beneficial way of providing a custom task schedule while creating a custom goal. This feature would allow people to create a totally custom-built schedule which could enhance the experience of creating custom goals.
The following questions helped me to broaden the whole picture of the upcoming feature:
Why is this feature important?
How will benefit our users from this feature?
How does this feature expand the product value?
Overview
Overview
Why is this feature important?
The importance of this feature was based on providing a completely new way of creating a custom schedule for tasks. There are billions of people who have billions (or even more) of ideas, thoughts, and most importantly, needs for customizing and adapting their personal schedule. This feature was important because it could provide flexibility that people needed in order to adjust to their personal needs.
How will benefit our users from this feature?
The product already had an option to create a custom goal with a predefined task schedule; however, there wasn’t any possibility to customize tasks’ schedule for personal needs.
Main benefits of a custom task schedule:
- Selecting a custom day when a task starts
- Selecting custom intervals for a task schedule
- Setting specific time for selected days on
the schedule
How does this feature expand the product value?
By having a custom task schedule the product could experience an increase in DAU, user engagement, retention, and the overall product value. Users might stick to the product because it could provide them a beneficial flexibility on the experience they might have while using the app. Most importantly, the users could play around with the schedule and adjust it
to they way they really needed without any
system restrictions.
How does this feature expand the product value?
By having a custom task schedule the product could experience an increase in DAU, user engagement, retention, and the overall product value. Users might stick to the product because it could provide them a beneficial flexibility on the experience they might have while using the app. Most importantly, the users could play around with the schedule and adjust it to they way they really needed without any system restrictions.
How does this feature expand the product value?
By having a custom task schedule the product could experience an increase in DAU, user engagement, retention, and the overall product value. Users might stick to the product because it could provide them a beneficial flexibility on the experience they might have while using the app. Most importantly, the users could play around with the schedule and adjust it to they way they really needed without any system restrictions.
How does this feature expand the product value?
By having a custom task schedule the product could experience an increase in DAU, user engagement, retention, and the overall product value. Users might stick to the product because it could provide them a beneficial flexibility on the experience they might have while using the app. Most importantly, the users could play around with the schedule and adjust it to they way they really needed without any system restrictions.
How does this feature expand the product value?
By having a custom task schedule the product could experience an increase in DAU, user engagement, retention, and the overall product value. Users might stick to the product because it could provide them a beneficial flexibility on the experience they might have while using the app. Most importantly, the users could play around with the schedule and adjust it
to they way they really needed without any system restrictions.
Conducting a task analysis
Since a custom task schedule was a new feature to be implemented to the already predefined schedule option, I used a Hierarchial Task Analysis that could help me to generate ideas of the steps that a user must take in order to complete a goal.
My process of a Hierarchial Task Analysis was broken down into the following steps:
Since a custom task schedule was a new feature to be implemented to the already predefined schedule option, I used a Hierarchial Task Analysis that could help me to generate ideas of the steps that a user must take in order to complete a goal.
My process of a Hierarchial Task Analysis was broken down into the following steps:
Since a custom task schedule was a new feature to be implemented to the already predefined schedule option, I used a Hierarchial Task Analysis that could help me to generate ideas of the steps that a user must take in order to complete a goal.
My process of a Hierarchial Task Analysis was broken down into the following steps:
- Identify the task to be analyzed
- Break this goal (high-level task) down
into subtasks - Draw a layered task diagram of each subtask
- Write a narrative that focuses on “whys”
- Validate my analysis
- Identify the task to be analyzed
- Break this goal (high-level task) down
into subtasks - Draw a layered task diagram of each subtask
- Write a narrative that focuses on “whys”
- Validate my analysis
- Identify the task to be analyzed
- Break this goal (high-level task) down into subtasks
- Draw a layered task diagram of each subtask
- Write a narrative that focuses on “whys”
- Validate my analysis
Goal example
Name: Getting healthier
Duration: 30 days
Tasks:
- Start on 1st day: Drink at least 8 cups of water per day every day
- Start on 5th day: Go for a walk (every day)
- Start on 10th day: Do every morning stretching
- Start on 20th day: Try regular meditation
- Start on 30th day: Start running
Goal:
1. Create a custom schedule
Subgoals:
- Tap Custom… on the schedule when creating a task
- Select specific days when a task starts, repeats, and ends
- Set specific time
- Tap Done on the Specific time screen
- Tap Done on the Custom schedule screen
A task analysis diagram
Design
Generally, the user has to take only two main steps in order to create a custom schedule:
- Select the dates
- Select timing for those days
The challenge I faced while working on this feature was to provide the user a full customization in creating a custom task for personal needs. I got to be sure I could cover all possible user scenarios:
- Starting day for a task
- Custom intervals
- Custom time
User flow + specs
Design mockups
In addition, I needed to be sure that the cognitive load was set to a minimum for each step required to take, so I tried to come up with a flow that could have as minimum as possible steps in it.
I added a hint text under the schedule for supporting the system’s output. Plus, the hints could be used as the system’s feeback that could be operated as an interpretation of a successfull action by the user.
If the user had a custom schedule with random days but the same time,he/she could just tap on the toggle Same time to all days, and the time schedule would
adjust automatically.
In addition, I needed to be sure that the cognitive load was set to a minimum for each step required to take, so I tried to come up with a flow that could have as minimum as possible steps in it.
I added a hint text under the schedule for supporting the system’s output. Plus, the hints could be used as the system’s feeback that could be operated as an interpretation of a successfull action by the user.
If the user had a custom schedule with random days but the same time,he/she could just tap on the toggle Same time to all days, and the time schedule would adjust automatically.
In addition, I needed to be sure that the cognitive load was set to a minimum for each step required to take, so I tried to come up with a flow that could have as minimum as possible steps in it.
I added a hint text under the schedule for supporting the system’s output. Plus, the hints could be used as the system’s feeback that could be operated as an interpretation of a successfull action by the user.
If the user had a custom schedule with random days but the same time,he/she could just tap on the toggle Same time to all days, and the time schedule would adjust automatically.
In addition, I needed to be sure that the cognitive load was set to a minimum for each step required to take, so I tried to come up with a flow that could have as minimum as possible steps in it.
I added a hint text under the schedule for supporting the system’s output. Plus, the hints could be used as the system’s feeback that could be operated as an interpretation of a successfull action by the user.
If the user had a custom schedule with random days but the same time,he/she could just tap on the toggle Same time to all days, and the time schedule would adjust automatically.
In addition, I needed to be sure that the cognitive load was set to a minimum for each step required to take, so I tried to come up with a flow that could have as minimum as possible steps in it.
I added a hint text under the schedule for supporting the system’s output. Plus, the hints could be used as the system’s feeback that could be operated as an interpretation of a successfull action by the user.
If the user had a custom schedule with random days but the same time,he/she could just tap on the toggle Same time to all days, and the time schedule would adjust automatically.
?? What I have learned
Conducting a task analysis helped me to develop a diagram with the steps that users were required to take in order to create a custom task schedule. As a result, our internal testing with a stakeholder showed us that we were on the right track with this design decision. The feedback was positive; however, I would do a usability testing in order to test this feature on our real user base.