Designing a Reflective Self-Tracking Tool for Integrated Data Collection, Visualization, and Mindful Reflection.

Abstract

This study developed and evaluated a prototype that promotes mindfulness and encourages reflection during the planning process, drawing on principles of slow technology and constructive data physicalization. To achieve this, we employed a mixed-methods approach, using pre-studies and interim low-fidelity user tests to inform our design principles. The pre-study survey focused on gathering information about current planning practices and tools students use, as well as factors that influence self-awareness during planning. From this, previous experiences and learning were found to influence self-awareness, therefore the most preferred planning technique, to-do lists, was chosen to be incorporated to ensure the prototype used familiar techniques. Additionally, we found that it is important to consider how a prototype can affect the emotional state and mood of users as well as reduce stress and promote relaxation. Literature has shown that using metaphors in design can enhance user engagement and comprehension, fostering deeper connections between users and interactive systems. Therefore, the second pre-study focused on exploring potential metaphors to incorporate into the prototype. Through interviews with students, we found that a metaphor that represents planning processes and offers practical visualization is the most effective. A popular analogy for prioritization and time management is the `rock, pebbles, and sand' metaphor, which illustrates how to fit the most important tasks (represented by rocks) into your life first, followed by medium-priority tasks (pebbles) and then the less significant tasks (sand). This metaphor was favored for its clarity and practical application and was thus incorporated into the prototype. The low-fidelity user tests showed that a design featuring a zen garden was the most preferred because of its minimal use of technology and organic shape. Therefore, this design was further developed into a high-fidelity prototype. Interaction with the high-fidelity prototype revealed a paradox of slowness. While the slower pace of interaction encouraged reflection-in-action and mindful planning, it also led to frustration when users expected more immediate feedback, particularly when crossing off completed to-dos. This highlights a tension in designing slow technology: while slowness can foster deeper engagement, it can also become a source of annoyance if it hinders workflow and does not meet expectations. Additionally, the prototype's physical elements were found to be a key part of helping users reflect. It was found that seeing to-dos laid out in a physical way in the zen garden helped to avoid overplanning, as the spatial limitations made it easy to see whether the planning was doable. The material properties of the stones allowed for a more intuitive experience of the to-dos because sentiments were matched with a property, e.g. a dreaded to-do with a heavy stone. Overall, this research revealed how slow technology and constructive physicalization applied in a prototype can support mindful and reflective moments during the planning process. Future work should explore the long-term use of prototypes to better understand how their use influences reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action in daily life. Additionally, future studies with larger and more diverse samples could provide deeper insights into how users with different attitudes toward reflection engage with technologies that contain slow technology and constructive physicalization principles over time.