The Habit Loop
Transforming Habits: UX Research on Lifestyle Behavior Changes (coursework)
Project Overview
This project explored how individuals navigate lifestyle behavior changes, with a focus on consistency and motivation. Conducted through the University of Michigan’s School of Information, the study aimed to identify design opportunities that support habit formation in areas like exercise, sleep, and nutrition.
Problem
Many individuals struggle to maintain healthy lifestyle changes due to fluctuating motivation, lack of accountability, and difficulty building consistent routines. We sought to understand why consistency breaks down and what support systems can help reinforce behavior change.
Solution
We identified key motivators and blockers in the behavior change process through qualitative research. Our findings emphasized the importance of routine, accountability, and adaptive motivation strategies. We delivered journey and task maps to inform future design of behavior change tools or apps.
Tools
- Figma
- Canva
- Zoom
- Google Docs
Timeline
- Discovery & Research: 6 weeks
- Coding & Deliverables: 4 weeks
Team
- 1 UX Researcher
- 1 Designer
My Role
- Led user research, conducted interviews and mapping activities, synthesized insights into visual deliverables to guide future product direction
My Design Process
Recruitment
Prepared materials and recruited 5 participants with behavior change experience
Interviews
Conducted and recorded semi-structured interviews including a timeline mapping activity
Thematic Analysis
Performed two rounds of coding and affinity diagramming to extract key themes
Design Deliverables
Created journey and task maps to visualize pain points and motivators
Synthesis & Insights
Identified need for routine-building, motivational shifts, and accountability systems
Future Direction
Outlined potential app features to support behavior change maintenance
Research
Methods
- Recruited 5 undergraduate participants and conducted semi-structured interviews focused on lifestyle behavior change
- Led an interview mapping activity where participants visually mapped out their behavior change journey, highlighting motivation shifts, consistency lapses, and milestones
- Synthesized qualitative data through 2 rounds of thematic analysis and affinity diagramming to refine insights
- Translated research insights into two key deliverables: a task diagram and journey map to model behavioral patterns and user pain points
Key Insights
- Intrinsic motivation is critical for long-term consistency
- Accountability and routine are essential for sustaining habits
- Motivators must evolve during the maintenance phase
Research Artifacts
Participants created behavior change timelines during interviews to illustrate motivational and consistency patterns
Figma board showing thematic analysis
Visual breakdown of key stages in the behavior change process—motivation, consistency building, and long-term maintenance
User journey map highlighting emotional stages, motivation sources, and pain points throughout the habit formation cycle
Outcomes
- Adaptability is crucial in research; being open to changing objectives leads to richer, unexpected insights.
- Practical constraints require flexibility to optimize resources while still delivering meaningful results.
- Both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators are essential, with consistent routines and evolving motivation key to sustaining behavior change.