Overview
ToDoWith is a task management app designed for overwhelmed adults who struggle to start and sustain home routines. I designed the app to reduce decision fatigue by combining simple task tracking with accountability support. This created a calmer way to build momentum on chores and household responsibilities. Over three months part-time, I developed the concept, research, prototype, usability testing, and iterations as a solo designer.
Problem
Early brainstorming revealed overlapping challenges around motivation, guilt, decision fatigue, and household management. I narrowed the scope to one clear problem: helping overwhelmed adults start and sustain home routines through simple progress tracking and human-powered accountability.
Research
I explored the problem through competitor analysis and two rounds of remote interviews. I found that while existing apps support tracking, gamification, or habit-building, they often overlook the emotional friction that makes it hard to begin and continue household tasks. The strongest insight was that users needed support most at the start and middle of a task, and that accountability helps reduce the mental load of following through.
Key Insights
Users stalled most at the start and middle of tasks.
Guilt made unfinished chores feel heavier.
Accountability made progress feel more visible and manageable.
Define
Based on the research, I defined the MVP around core needs: simple task tracking and partner accountability. This kept the product focused on helping overwhelmed adults start small, maintain momentum, and share progress with support from another person.
Design
I focused the design on reducing activation energy and making progress feel visible. That led me to prioritize simple task entry, clear status states, and lightweight accountability over more complex productivity features.
The main design goal was to help users start small and keep moving. I kept the interface calm and simple so the product felt supportive rather than overwhelming.
Testing
I tested the hi-fi prototype with five users across 3 core tasks: creating a task, then marking it as completed, adding a task partner, and updating task status. The test showed that the app’s accountability concept was compelling, but it also revealed a key usability issue: users often expected the checkmark to change task status, which created confusion in the edit flow.
Iteration
Based on testing, I tightened the edit screen layout and made the status controls more prominent so they would compete less with the checkmark. I also clarified the relationship between quick status changes and full task edits by simplifying the form, moving status higher in the hierarchy, and making the task row itself easier to enter. These changes were aimed at reducing cognitive load and making the app’s “movement over completion” model easier to understand.
Conclusion
ToDoWith evolved from broad decision-fatigue research into a focused accountability solution through two rounds of interviews and rapid iteration. In just three months of part-time work, I turned early usability findings into a refined prototype by prioritizing the right problems, simplifying the flow, and tightening the design. This project showed my ability to move quickly from research to execution and to create products that balance user needs with practical product goals.
View Prototype Here
