Cognitive stimulation:
How tracking your mood contributes to a happy brain
Cognitive stimulation:
How tracking your mood contributes to a happy brain
Cognitive stimulation:
How tracking your mood contributes to a happy brain
Cognitive stimulation:
How tracking your mood contributes to a happy brain
Cognitive stimulation:
How tracking your mood contributes to a happy brain
Cognitive stimulation:
How tracking your mood contributes to a happy brain
Mood-tracking App Nura
Mood-tracking App Nura
Mood-tracking App Nura
Mood-tracking App Nura
Mood-tracking App Nura
Nura is a mood-tracking app that enables users to gather insights into their emotional patterns. By combining brain-based reflections, personalized statistics, and gentle behavioral nudges, Nura helps users build self-awareness, mental clarity, and direction in both life and career.
Nura is a mood-tracking app that enables users to gather insights into their emotional patterns. By combining brain-based reflections, personalized statistics, and gentle behavioral nudges, Nura helps users build self-awareness, mental clarity, and direction in both life and career.
Nura is a mood-tracking app that enables users to gather insights into their emotional patterns. By combining brain-based reflections, personalized statistics, and gentle behavioral nudges, Nura helps users build self-awareness, mental clarity, and direction in both life and career.
Nura is a mood-tracking app that enables users to gather insights into their emotional patterns. By combining brain-based reflections, personalized statistics, and gentle behavioral nudges, Nura helps users build self-awareness, mental clarity, and direction in both life and career.
Nura is a mood-tracking app that enables users to gather insights into their emotional patterns. By combining brain-based reflections, personalized statistics, and gentle behavioral nudges, Nura helps users build self-awareness, mental clarity, and direction in both life and career.
Project & Timeline
Project & Timeline
Project & Timeline
Project & Timeline
Project & Timeline
• Ethical Persuasive Design
• February - March 2025
• Ethical Persuasive Design
• February - March 2025
• Ethical Persuasive Design
• February - March 2025
• Ethical Persuasive Design
• February - March 2025
• Ethical Persuasive Design
• February - March 2025
Methods
Methods
Methods
Methods
Methods
PSD Model / Proto Persona /
Hook Model / Interface Design
DESIGN CHALLENGE
DESIGN CHALLENGE
How might we design a personalized, smart mood-tracking app that helps curious individuals understand their emotions, grow self-awareness, and connect brain-based insights to their personal and career journey?
How might we design a personalized, smart mood-tracking app that helps curious individuals understand their emotions, grow self-awareness, and connect brain-based insights to their personal and career journey?
How might we design a personalized, smart mood-tracking app that helps curious individuals understand their emotions, grow self-awareness, and connect brain-based insights to their personal and career journey?
How might we design a personalized, smart mood-tracking app that helps curious individuals understand their emotions, grow self-awareness, and connect brain-based insights to their personal and career journey?
How might we design a personalized, smart mood-tracking app that helps curious individuals understand their emotions, grow self-awareness, and connect brain-based insights to their personal and career journey?
Product Analysis
Started my workflow by analyzing competing mood-tracking app Pixi to better understand how it engages its target audience and applies persuasive strategies. To guide this analysis, I used the Kukkonen Persuasive Systems Design (PSD) model, focusing specifically on its seven postulates.
Pixi applies persuasive system design to gently guide users in tracking and reflecting on their mood. It supports user autonomy by allowing flexible inputs, custom tags, and optional daily logging. Visual feedback through mood graphs and a color-coded calendar encourages self-reflection. While Pixi supports mood tracking and reflection, it does not provide sufficiently rich or nuanced emotional analysis. For my design, I plan to incorporate deeper emotional insights by enabling users to capture more nuanced feelings. I will add personalized guidance with reflective prompts to help users better understand and manage emotions. Improving visual feedback to show emotional intensity and offering supportive resources will further enhance users’ self-reflection and emotional growth.
Started my workflow by analyzing competing mood-tracking app Pixi to better understand how it engages its target audience and applies persuasive strategies. To guide this analysis, I used the Kukkonen Persuasive Systems Design (PSD) model, focusing specifically on its seven postulates.
Pixi applies persuasive system design to gently guide users in tracking and reflecting on their mood. It supports user autonomy by allowing flexible inputs, custom tags, and optional daily logging. Visual feedback through mood graphs and a color-coded calendar encourages self-reflection. While Pixi supports mood tracking and reflection, it does not provide sufficiently rich or nuanced emotional analysis. For my design, I plan to incorporate deeper emotional insights by enabling users to capture more nuanced feelings. I will add personalized guidance with reflective prompts to help users better understand and manage emotions. Improving visual feedback to show emotional intensity and offering supportive resources will further enhance users’ self-reflection and emotional growth.
Started my workflow by analyzing competing mood-tracking app Pixi to better understand how it engages its target audience and applies persuasive strategies. To guide this analysis, I used the Kukkonen Persuasive Systems Design (PSD) model, focusing specifically on its seven postulates.
Pixi applies persuasive system design to gently guide users in tracking and reflecting on their mood. It supports user autonomy by allowing flexible inputs, custom tags, and optional daily logging. Visual feedback through mood graphs and a color-coded calendar encourages self-reflection. While Pixi supports mood tracking and reflection, it does not provide sufficiently rich or nuanced emotional analysis. For my design, I plan to incorporate deeper emotional insights by enabling users to capture more nuanced feelings. I will add personalized guidance with reflective prompts to help users better understand and manage emotions. Improving visual feedback to show emotional intensity and offering supportive resources will further enhance users’ self-reflection and emotional growth.
Started my workflow by analyzing competing mood-tracking app Pixi to better understand how it engages its target audience and applies persuasive strategies. To guide this analysis, I used the Kukkonen Persuasive Systems Design (PSD) model, focusing specifically on its seven postulates.
Pixi applies persuasive system design to gently guide users in tracking and reflecting on their mood. It supports user autonomy by allowing flexible inputs, custom tags, and optional daily logging. Visual feedback through mood graphs and a color-coded calendar encourages self-reflection. While Pixi supports mood tracking and reflection, it does not provide sufficiently rich or nuanced emotional analysis. For my design, I plan to incorporate deeper emotional insights by enabling users to capture more nuanced feelings. I will add personalized guidance with reflective prompts to help users better understand and manage emotions. Improving visual feedback to show emotional intensity and offering supportive resources will further enhance users’ self-reflection and emotional growth.
Started my workflow by analyzing competing mood-tracking app Pixi to better understand how it engages its target audience and applies persuasive strategies. To guide this analysis, I used the Kukkonen Persuasive Systems Design (PSD) model, focusing specifically on its seven postulates.
Pixi applies persuasive system design to gently guide users in tracking and reflecting on their mood. It supports user autonomy by allowing flexible inputs, custom tags, and optional daily logging. Visual feedback through mood graphs and a color-coded calendar encourages self-reflection. While Pixi supports mood tracking and reflection, it does not provide sufficiently rich or nuanced emotional analysis. For my design, I plan to incorporate deeper emotional insights by enabling users to capture more nuanced feelings. I will add personalized guidance with reflective prompts to help users better understand and manage emotions. Improving visual feedback to show emotional intensity and offering supportive resources will further enhance users’ self-reflection and emotional growth.
Proto Persona
I created a proto persona to provide a realistic representation of the user group. Senna is a 26-year-old psychology student in her final year at the University of Amsterdam. Driven by curiosity, she is intrinsically motivated to understand her own triggers and mood patterns to build greater empathy in her professional field. To gain these insights, she uses the Nura mood-tracker app. Senna is both a thoughtful planner and an active executor, she carefully weighs her options but also values quick, decisive action when necessary.
Senna values emotional depth, but also seeks intellectual stimulation. A persuasive approach that starts with emotional resonance and follows up with insightful data aligns perfectly with her Protagonist personality and high need for cognition. She responds best to emotions, gentle nudges, and small reflective steps rather than direct persuasion. Her curious, and thoughtful nature, means she prefers to explore insights over time, supported by light data and personal meaning.
I created a proto persona to provide a realistic representation of the user group. Senna is a 26-year-old psychology student in her final year at the University of Amsterdam. Driven by curiosity, she is intrinsically motivated to understand her own triggers and mood patterns to build greater empathy in her professional field. To gain these insights, she uses the Nura mood-tracker app. Senna is both a thoughtful planner and an active executor, she carefully weighs her options but also values quick, decisive action when necessary.
Senna values emotional depth, but also seeks intellectual stimulation. A persuasive approach that starts with emotional resonance and follows up with insightful data aligns perfectly with her Protagonist personality and high need for cognition. She responds best to emotions, gentle nudges, and small reflective steps rather than direct persuasion. Her curious, and thoughtful nature, means she prefers to explore insights over time, supported by light data and personal meaning.
I created a proto persona to provide a realistic representation of the user group. Senna is a 26-year-old psychology student in her final year at the University of Amsterdam. Driven by curiosity, she is intrinsically motivated to understand her own triggers and mood patterns to build greater empathy in her professional field. To gain these insights, she uses the Nura mood-tracker app. Senna is both a thoughtful planner and an active executor, she carefully weighs her options but also values quick, decisive action when necessary.
Senna values emotional depth, but also seeks intellectual stimulation. A persuasive approach that starts with emotional resonance and follows up with insightful data aligns perfectly with her Protagonist personality and high need for cognition. She responds best to emotions, gentle nudges, and small reflective steps rather than direct persuasion. Her curious, and thoughtful nature, means she prefers to explore insights over time, supported by light data and personal meaning.
I created a proto persona to provide a realistic representation of the user group. Senna is a 26-year-old psychology student in her final year at the University of Amsterdam. Driven by curiosity, she is intrinsically motivated to understand her own triggers and mood patterns to build greater empathy in her professional field. To gain these insights, she uses the Nura mood-tracker app. Senna is both a thoughtful planner and an active executor, she carefully weighs her options but also values quick, decisive action when necessary.
Senna values emotional depth, but also seeks intellectual stimulation. A persuasive approach that starts with emotional resonance and follows up with insightful data aligns perfectly with her Protagonist personality and high need for cognition. She responds best to emotions, gentle nudges, and small reflective steps rather than direct persuasion. Her curious, and thoughtful nature, means she prefers to explore insights over time, supported by light data and personal meaning.
I created a proto persona to provide a realistic representation of the user group. Senna is a 26-year-old psychology student in her final year at the University of Amsterdam. Driven by curiosity, she is intrinsically motivated to understand her own triggers and mood patterns to build greater empathy in her professional field. To gain these insights, she uses the Nura mood-tracker app. Senna is both a thoughtful planner and an active executor, she carefully weighs her options but also values quick, decisive action when necessary.
Senna values emotional depth, but also seeks intellectual stimulation. A persuasive approach that starts with emotional resonance and follows up with insightful data aligns perfectly with her Protagonist personality and high need for cognition. She responds best to emotions, gentle nudges, and small reflective steps rather than direct persuasion. Her curious, and thoughtful nature, means she prefers to explore insights over time, supported by light data and personal meaning.
Hook Model
In designing the app, I consider the four components of Nir Eyal's "Hook Model: Trigger, Action, Investment and Reward to create a cycle of habit-forming behavior that leads to long-term sustainable engagement and retention. The Hook Model ensures the app to feel natural and rewarding, ultimately making sure Senna comes back without constant external motivation.
In designing the app, I consider the four components of Nir Eyal's "Hook Model: Trigger, Action, Investment and Reward to create a cycle of habit-forming behavior that leads to long-term sustainable engagement and retention. The Hook Model ensures the app to feel natural and rewarding, ultimately making sure Senna comes back without constant external motivation.
In designing the app, I consider the four components of Nir Eyal's "Hook Model: Trigger, Action, Investment and Reward to create a cycle of habit-forming behavior that leads to long-term sustainable engagement and retention. The Hook Model ensures the app to feel natural and rewarding, ultimately making sure Senna comes back without constant external motivation.
In designing the app, I consider the four components of Nir Eyal's "Hook Model: Trigger, Action, Investment and Reward to create a cycle of habit-forming behavior that leads to long-term sustainable engagement and retention. The Hook Model ensures the app to feel natural and rewarding, ultimately making sure Senna comes back without constant external motivation.
In designing the app, I consider the four components of Nir Eyal's "Hook Model: Trigger, Action, Investment and Reward to create a cycle of habit-forming behavior that leads to long-term sustainable engagement and retention. The Hook Model ensures the app to feel natural and rewarding, ultimately making sure Senna comes back without constant external motivation.
Interface Design
After identifying Senna’s user needs and defining hook components for the design, I began creating initial conceptual sketches. Several experimental ideas emerged during this phase, including mood logging through voice input, emoji-based scales and Face ID detection for an alternative and easy way of logging your mood. I also experimented with a weekly “unwrap” feature that visually summarizes emotional patterns, supported by mood correlations and rhythm statistics. A calendar log to track entries and streaks, reinforcing user investment and personalized greetings to enhance the overall user experience.
After identifying Senna’s user needs and defining hook components for the design, I began creating initial conceptual sketches. Several experimental ideas emerged during this phase, including mood logging through voice input, emoji-based scales and Face ID detection for an alternative and easy way of logging your mood. I also experimented with a weekly “unwrap” feature that visually summarizes emotional patterns, supported by mood correlations and rhythm statistics. A calendar log to track entries and streaks, reinforcing user investment and personalized greetings to enhance the overall user experience.
After identifying Senna’s user needs and defining hook components for the design, I began creating initial conceptual sketches. Several experimental ideas emerged during this phase, including mood logging through voice input, emoji-based scales and Face ID detection for an alternative and easy way of logging your mood. I also experimented with a weekly “unwrap” feature that visually summarizes emotional patterns, supported by mood correlations and rhythm statistics. A calendar log to track entries and streaks, reinforcing user investment and personalized greetings to enhance the overall user experience.
After identifying Senna’s user needs and defining hook components for the design, I began creating initial conceptual sketches. Several experimental ideas emerged during this phase, including mood logging through voice input, emoji-based scales and Face ID detection for an alternative and easy way of logging your mood. I also experimented with a weekly “unwrap” feature that visually summarizes emotional patterns, supported by mood correlations and rhythm statistics. A calendar log to track entries and streaks, reinforcing user investment and personalized greetings to enhance the overall user experience.
After identifying Senna’s user needs and defining hook components for the design, I began creating initial conceptual sketches. Several experimental ideas emerged during this phase, including mood logging through voice input, emoji-based scales and Face ID detection for an alternative and easy way of logging your mood. I also experimented with a weekly “unwrap” feature that visually summarizes emotional patterns, supported by mood correlations and rhythm statistics. A calendar log to track entries and streaks, reinforcing user investment and personalized greetings to enhance the overall user experience.
In the final design, I included daily mood logging with emotional tags, personal notes, and contextual labels like “Uni” and “Surfing.” A visible streak tracker on the home screen encourages consistent use, while the “weekly wrapped” feature offers variable rewards such as emotional summaries, comparisons, and unlockable breathing exercises. To support Senna’s goal of developing empathy and self-awareness, I integrated expert-led “Thrive Talks” for added educational value. Visually, the app combines calming neutrals for everyday use with rich purples and golds to highlight reflective moments. Clean layout, intuitive navigation and friendly design elements are designed to support emotional depth, habit-building, and personal growth in a way that resonates with Senna’s personality and goals.
In the final design, I included daily mood logging with emotional tags, personal notes, and contextual labels like “Uni” and “Surfing.” A visible streak tracker on the home screen encourages consistent use, while the “weekly wrapped” feature offers variable rewards such as emotional summaries, comparisons, and unlockable breathing exercises. To support Senna’s goal of developing empathy and self-awareness, I integrated expert-led “Thrive Talks” for added educational value. Visually, the app combines calming neutrals for everyday use with rich purples and golds to highlight reflective moments. Clean layout, intuitive navigation and friendly design elements are designed to support emotional depth, habit-building, and personal growth in a way that resonates with Senna’s personality and goals.
In the final design, I included daily mood logging with emotional tags, personal notes, and contextual labels like “Uni” and “Surfing.” A visible streak tracker on the home screen encourages consistent use, while the “weekly wrapped” feature offers variable rewards such as emotional summaries, comparisons, and unlockable breathing exercises. To support Senna’s goal of developing empathy and self-awareness, I integrated expert-led “Thrive Talks” for added educational value. Visually, the app combines calming neutrals for everyday use with rich purples and golds to highlight reflective moments. Clean layout, intuitive navigation and friendly design elements are designed to support emotional depth, habit-building, and personal growth in a way that resonates with Senna’s personality and goals.
In the final design, I included daily mood logging with emotional tags, personal notes, and contextual labels like “Uni” and “Surfing.” A visible streak tracker on the home screen encourages consistent use, while the “weekly wrapped” feature offers variable rewards such as emotional summaries, comparisons, and unlockable breathing exercises. To support Senna’s goal of developing empathy and self-awareness, I integrated expert-led “Thrive Talks” for added educational value. Visually, the app combines calming neutrals for everyday use with rich purples and golds to highlight reflective moments. Clean layout, intuitive navigation and friendly design elements are designed to support emotional depth, habit-building, and personal growth in a way that resonates with Senna’s personality and goals.
In the final design, I included daily mood logging with emotional tags, personal notes, and contextual labels like “Uni” and “Surfing.” A visible streak tracker on the home screen encourages consistent use, while the “weekly wrapped” feature offers variable rewards such as emotional summaries, comparisons, and unlockable breathing exercises. To support Senna’s goal of developing empathy and self-awareness, I integrated expert-led “Thrive Talks” for added educational value. Visually, the app combines calming neutrals for everyday use with rich purples and golds to highlight reflective moments. Clean layout, intuitive navigation and friendly design elements are designed to support emotional depth, habit-building, and personal growth in a way that resonates with Senna’s personality and goals.
Reflection & Learnings
Creating the Nura app taught me the importance of levelling user autonomy with gentle guidance to encourage positive habits. I found that designing for emotional tracking requires quite a lot depth to truly support users’ self-reflection. Incorporating enough valuable content and clear visual feedback helped me understand how to keep users engaged without feeling intrusive. Applying Nir Eyal’s Hook Model and Kukkonen’s PSD Model provided me with essential tools to effectively integrate the psychological aspects into the app’s design and I found that to be very insightfull.
With more time, I would have liked to work on extensive A/B testing of the app with users and perfect the resulting insights. Since the persona (Senna) values gaining awareness into her emotional patterns, I prioritized providing her with all the tools for that in this version of the Nura app. That's why I also would've loved to explore how logging your mood could work even more easily using elements like Face ID.
