Looking back, I was a bit hard on myself during this project, especially when I reflected on the overall results from the activity, feeling like the whole prompt idea wasn’t working out. You could say that I was wrestling with perfectionism. But like with any project, including journaling, focusing more on the process and allowing my ideas to flow naturally helps create a more meaningful outcome.
I really enjoyed the ideation process. It felt like having a conversation with myself, figuring out where my ideas were going and making sense of them along the way. It might sound a little weird, but I enjoyed pushing myself to explore as many new ideas as I could. I was even surprised by the ideas I ended up with, like JotBox and MoJo. Eventually, I noticed that my main concepts kept coming back to "prompts" as a central solution. It was interesting to see how my thinking evolved and how different ideas started to connect with one another.
Even though there were some challenges, I learned a lot about my creative process and how to manage perfectionism. Moving forward, I plan to trust the process more, knowing that with time and refinement, things will come together -- similar to the journaling experience I aim to create, helping others let go of perfectionism and to enjoy the journey.
Reflection
Ironically, this project taught me how to let go of perfectionism and be more creative.
Kelly Dang, UX Research & Design
Description plugged into Canva AI:
“An inviting, mini ticket dispenser that prints Jots - tickets with random prompts, challenges, or inspirational reminders to keep your journaling practice exciting and stress-free. It’s a mini device that can be placed at your desk. it prints one ticket at a time through the slot below a small screen. the box has two buttons (one button the shape of a star, it’s an instant prompt button and the other is a simple circle to like cancel), a small screen with options you can scroll through using the knobs. fairly rectangular and not too imposing. with a screen that has text saying "welcome to the jotbox" horizontally scrolling across the screen.”
* created with Canva AI, edited in Adobe Photoshop
Final Design
Redesign the journaling experience to encourage mindfulness with prompts that help users focus on the process rather than perfection.
Prompts are not the be-all, end-all.
Depending on the person, prompts might not always be the best fit for journaling. I could look into other ways to encourage low-pressure journaling, like adding tips or quotes to the JotBox.
I also realized that most of the people I interviewed felt comfortable with journaling and didn’t face any challenges, so they weren’t exactly my target audience. It might have been helpful to ask them how they deal with perfectionism when journaling, or if they even experience it. Exploring the relationship between prompts and perfectionism could provide valuable insights.
Khoa
Occasional journaler,
Does not use prompts
Would use
Would not use
Maybe
Would use
Would not use
Maybe
Would use
Would not use
Maybe
Sam
Frequent journaler,
Does not use prompts
Me
Occasional journaler,
Used prompts daily for a year then stopped
Judy
Had a diary at 7 years old,
Thinks prompts would be helpful
Would use
Would not use
Maybe
evaluation
Prompts don’t always align with what people want to journal about, as they often focus on daily events or personal reflection.
Restrictive/too structured prompts.
These prompts were meant to be creative invitations but felt more like restrictions or tasks to the participants.
In-the-moment, reflective prompts (prompts that connected to their current experience).
Participants preferred more open-ended, flexible prompts.
Least
engaging
Most
engaging
Questions
I prepared some introductory questions to understand my participants and their journaling experience, especially in relation to prompts.
Participants
A total of 4 people participated in the card-sorting.
Since prompts are central to JotBox, I needed to understand their role in the journaling experience and identify which types were most effective to refine the concept further.
protocol
I focused on testing prompts because they're the core interaction of JotBox.
Activity
I wrote 8 prompts on separate slips of paper and asked my participants to sort them into the categories: would use, maybe, and would not use.
“Mindfulness”
“Creative”
“Low pressure”
“Challenge”
Before
Now
Mini & personal – for quick inspiration.
Fewer features – focusing on instant, reflective prompts.
Large & for a public space.
Offers multiple types of Jots (tips, challenges, prompts).
In my original design, JotBox was the size of a vending machine or postal mailbox, meant to be encountered outdoors. However, people’s interpretation of it being small and personal really intrigued me. This feedback inspired me to move toward a more intimate design, since journaling is a personal activity.
refinement
Many people thought JotBox was a small, personal device.
22 more iterations with Canva AI
I used Canva AI again to create a more refined version of JotBox. This time, I adjusted the sizing and made a few changes to its features for a more personal use.
Encourages mindfulness
JotBox gives random prompts that help focus on the present moment,
making journaling more about enjoying the process, and not being perfect.
Fosters creativity
The element of surprise from the unexpected prompts helps spark new ideas and encourage creativity.
Reduces pressure
JotBox removes the pressure of perfection, making journaling feel more like a fun exploration rather than a task to get right.
JotBox fits perfectly with my love for collecting things for my journal. I showed the three concepts to 7 people, and 6 of them preferred JotBox, mentioning how it adds a fun, spontaneous touch to the journaling experience.
direction
I moved forward with JotBox.
JotBox
Storyboard
I guess I'll journal when I get home, but is there anything from today worth journaling about?
Huh? What’s this? Welcome to JotBox?
It prints tips and prompts for journaling? Sounds interesting!
I’ll get myself a journaling prompt.
Let’s see, my Jot says, “What’s one thing you’re grateful for?”
Cool! I’ll scrapbook this Jot ticket and answer the prompt once I get home!
Concept 2
ideation
How might we encourage journaling enthusiasts to overcome perfectionism by staying mindful & creative in their practice?
Ideation concepts
This process helped me explore different approaches and solutions, refining the direction of the design.
Concept 3
Concept 1
Ideation sketches
I visualized several concepts and selected three to move forward with in my design.
Concept 2
*mockups created with Canva AI.
MoJo
JotBox
Waypoint
A notebook designed to guide your journaling journey with tips, prompts, and mindfulness exercises on every page, helping you stay intentional and present.
Your personal inspiration kit, fill it with quotes, trinkets, and reminders to spark your creativity and keep your journaling flowing. Open it anytime for a mindful nudge to keep writing.
A public dispenser that prints Jots - tickets with random prompts, challenges, or inspirational reminders to keep your journaling practice exciting and stress-free.
The concepts
Concept 2
Concept 1
Concept 3
A personal dispenser that gives mindful prompts — no pressure, no rules, just jot.
oct 2024 - dec 2024
JotBox
JotBox
A dispenser that prints Jots - tickets with mindful prompts to keep your journaling practice exciting and stress-free.
Concept
RESEARCH
Journaling hobbyists make it enjoyable by staying present, letting go of perfectionism, and writing when it feels right.
Interviews
Instagram reels
I spent 20 minutes scrolling through Instagram reels about journaling and looking at what people share.
I recorded and transcribed a conversation with two people who journal, without asking specific questions, just to learn about their experience.
Aesthetic/Decor
Content + its quality
Time/Frequency
Reflection/Memory
Daily/Frequent documentation
Stress relieving/Well-being
Research Analysis
The research was grouped to highlight key aspects of the journaling experience, which will inspire the design.
This is something I struggle with in my journaling hobby — wanting it to look nice but finding it hard to make time for it. Because of that, I stopped journaling as often, even though I had things to write about. Every 3-4 weeks, I might write again.
Opportunity
Journaling enthusiasts often feel overwhelmed by the pressure to be perfect.
How might we help journaling enthusiasts manage perfectionism?
💡
My notebooks & journaling materials