Smart Device
App
B2C
IoT
Behavior Design
HabitNest – From Lost Items to Daily Habits
People often forget to return daily essentials, like wallets, phones, or jewelry. Not because they lose them but because they never build the habit. Most existing solutions focus on tracking lost items, not preventing the loss.
I reframed the problem as a behavior gap, not a location gap. SmartBox uses timely reminders, visual feedback, and physical cues to help users form daily return habits.
People often forget to return daily essentials, like wallets, phones, or jewelry. Not because they lose them but because they never build the habit. Most existing solutions focus on tracking lost items, not preventing the loss.
I reframed the problem as a behavior gap, not a location gap. SmartBox uses timely reminders, visual feedback, and physical cues to help users form daily return habits.
DURATION
DURATION
5 weeks - Sep
5 weeks - Sep
2023
2023
TOOLS
TOOLS
Figma
Figma
Rhinoceros 3D
Rhinoceros 3D
PhotoShop
PhotoShop
TEAM
TEAM
Solo
Solo
Summary
Summary
Problem
People often forget to put their daily essentials - like wallets, phones, and jewelry.
People often forget to put their daily essentials - like wallets, phones, and jewelry.
People often forget to put their daily essentials - like wallets, phones, and jewelry.
Solution
Habit Builder
Habit Builder
Habit Builder
Builds long-term habits through timely reminders and daily routines.
Builds long-term habits through timely reminders and daily routines.
Prevent Problems
Prevent Problems
Prevent Problems
Prevents problems before they start, shifting from reactive fixes to proactive behavior support.
Prevents problems before they start, shifting from reactive fixes to proactive behavior support.
Problem Finding - 5 Whys
Problem Finding - 5 Whys
But Why Not Airtag?
But Why Not Airtag?
Conducted cross-functional interviews and testing sessions with stakeholders.
Conducted cross-functional interviews and testing sessions with stakeholders.
Primary interview
5 Whys from interview
Why do people often lose their things?
Why do people often lose their things?
Why do people often lose their things?
They don’t put them back where they belong.
They don’t put them back where they belong.
They don’t put them back where they belong.
Why don’t they put them back?
Why don’t they put them back?
Why don’t they put them back?
They just drop them somewhere when they get home.
They just drop them somewhere when they get home.
They just drop them somewhere when they get home.
Why do they drop them randomly?
Why do they drop them randomly?
Why do they drop them randomly?
They’re tired or distracted and don’t think about it.
They’re tired or distracted and don’t think about it.
They’re tired or distracted and don’t think about it.
Why don’t they think about it?
Why don’t they think about it?
Why don’t they think about it?
There’s no habit—no routine to follow.
There’s no habit—no routine to follow.
There’s no habit—no routine to follow.
Why don’t they have a habit?
Why don’t they have a habit?
Why don’t they have a habit?
- Nothing helps them build one.
- Nothing helps them build one.
- Nothing helps them build one.
Secondary Research
Secondary Research
Design Principles Grounded in the Habit Loop Theory
Design Principles Grounded in the Habit Loop Theory
Drawing from validated behavioral theories, such as the IDC theory and The Power of Habit, this research reinforces strategies that drive consistent user behavior through the habit loop of cue, routine, and reward.
"Cue"
"Cue"
"Cue"
→
→
Trigger the habit at a meaningful, predictable time.
Trigger the habit at a meaningful, predictable time.
Trigger the habit at a meaningful, predictable time.
→
→
Reminders trigger when users arrive home, not randomly.
Reminders trigger when users arrive home, not randomly.
Reminders trigger when users arrive home, not randomly.
"Routine"
"Routine"
"Routine"
→
→
Make the habit as effortless and repeatable as possible.
Make the habit as effortless and repeatable as possible.
→
→
Same place, same motion, Effortless interaction.
Same place, same motion, Effortless interaction.
"Reward"
"Reward"
"Reward"
→
→
Let users see their progress and feel their success
Let users see their progress and feel their success
Let users see their progress and feel their success
→
→
Streaks and leaderboards show users their progress.
Streaks and leaderboards show users their progress.
Streaks and leaderboards show users their progress.
Problem
Isn’t about finding losts.
It’s about helping people never lose items in the first place.
Isn’t about finding losts.
It’s about helping people never lose items in the first place.
Cue: Reminders
Cue: Reminders
Setting the Right Reminder, at the Right Time
Setting the Right Reminder, at the Right Time
SmartBox supports two reminder modes to align with different user lifestyles:
SmartBox supports two reminder modes to align with different user lifestyles:
Context-based Reminder
trigger when specific conditions are met—like arriving home.
trigger when specific conditions are met—like arriving home.
trigger when specific conditions are met—like arriving home.
Time-based Reminder
send alerts at scheduled times, such as 10:00 PM daily.
send alerts at scheduled times, such as 10:00 PM daily.
send alerts at scheduled times, such as 10:00 PM daily.
Routine: Effortless interaction
Routine: Effortless interaction
Making the Right Move, Feel Natural
Making the Right Move, Feel Natural
Real-time feedback on item status: compartments light up to confirm placement.
Drop it = Replaced = Build habit
Clearly defined compartments, each with built-in feedback.
Glowing slots indicate what’s still missing.
Visual cues guide users to complete their routine.
Simple gesture into a complete behavioral loop
Clearly defined compartments, each with built-in feedback.
Glowing slots indicate what’s still missing.
Visual cues guide users to complete their routine.
Simple gesture into a complete behavioral loop
Same Action, Same Spot, Every Time
The app reflects the user’s routine in real time.
A consistent layout mirrors the physical tray, reducing decision friction.
The app reflects the user’s routine in real time.
A consistent layout mirrors the physical tray, reducing decision friction.
Reward: Streak counter, Leaderboard
The longer the streak, the more motivated users are to preserve what they’ve built.
The longer the streak, the more motivated users are to preserve what they’ve built.
Real-time feedback on item status: compartments light up to confirm placement.
Real-time feedback on item status: compartments light up to confirm placement.
Streaks and rankings serve as intrinsic rewards
Turning habit-building into a shared challenge, not just a solo task.
Daily streaks visualize growth, making progress feel tangible.
Leaderboards add a social layer that fuels personal achievement.
Motivation shifts from external reminders to internal satisfaction.
Personalized encouragement reinforces self-image and commitment.
Turning habit-building into a shared challenge, not just a solo task.
Daily streaks visualize growth, making progress feel tangible.
Leaderboards add a social layer that fuels personal achievement.
Motivation shifts from external reminders to internal satisfaction.
Personalized encouragement reinforces self-image and commitment.
Turning habit-building into a shared challenge, not just a solo task.
Daily streaks visualize growth, making progress feel tangible.
Leaderboards add a social layer that fuels personal achievement.
Motivation shifts from external reminders to internal satisfaction.
Personalized encouragement reinforces self-image and commitment.
Outcome
Outcome
“I’d actually use this. It’s like having a tiny assistant in my daily life.”
- Usability tester
“I’d actually use this. It’s like having a tiny assistant in my daily life.”
- Usability tester
“I’d actually use this. It’s like having a tiny assistant in my daily life.”
- Usability tester
Iteration
Making Key Actions Clear, Encouraging, and Easy to Follow
Making Key Actions Clear, Encouraging, and Easy to Follow
We refined visual hierarchy and interaction clarity to lower the learning curve, highlight progress, and make habits feel easier and more rewarding to maintain.
We refined visual hierarchy and interaction clarity to lower the learning curve, highlight progress, and make habits feel easier and more rewarding to maintain.
Home Page
From plain numbers to emotional rewards: Previously just a flat number, the streak display was redesigned with illustration and a motivational quote to make users feel rewarded, not just tracked.
The more apparent distinction between product and paired devices: The old grid layout blurred the line between habit trackers and paired devices. I switched to a list view, so it’s clear these are just connected devices.
Icons redesigned to match the product identity: Navigation icons were updated to feel more consistent with HabitNest’s warm and soft brand tone.
Nest Detail Page
Replaced abstract icons with clear text buttons: The original icons weren’t intuitive. Switching to a clearly labeled “History Data” button reduced confusion and made the feature more accessible.
Better layout for faster information scanning: We aligned related information side by side, improving how quickly users can scan and understand routine settings.
Final Hi-Fidelity
UI is fitting into an ecosystem, the SwitchBot
UI is fitting into an ecosystem, the SwitchBot
By following SwitchBot’s design patterns, the app feels immediately familiar to existing users—reducing friction while preserving brand identity.
By following SwitchBot’s design patterns, the app feels immediately familiar to existing users—reducing friction while preserving brand identity.
Why SwitchBot?
Why SwitchBot?
Well-known brand in the smart home ecosystem
Well-known brand in the smart home ecosystem
building SmartBox as an extension of the SwitchBot ecosystem, users don’t need to learn a new platform or manage yet another app. Instead, SmartBox becomes a seamless part of their existing smart routines.
building SmartBox as an extension of the SwitchBot ecosystem, users don’t need to learn a new platform or manage yet another app. Instead, SmartBox becomes a seamless part of their existing smart routines.
All devices, one app
All devices, one app
SwitchBot’s ecosystem lets users manage all their smart devices in a single app—SmartBox fits right in without needing a separate platform.
SwitchBot’s ecosystem lets users manage all their smart devices in a single app—SmartBox fits right in without needing a separate platform.
Smart rules already built in
Smart rules already built in
The SwitchBot app supports “if this, then that” logic (like “if door opens, then turn on light”). SmartBox simply builds on this familiar behavior flow.
The SwitchBot app supports “if this, then that” logic (like “if door opens, then turn on light”). SmartBox simply builds on this familiar behavior flow.
Designed to feel native
Designed to feel native
By aligning with SwitchBot’s existing UI patterns, SmartBox feels familiar from the first tap—no need to relearn how things work.
By aligning with SwitchBot’s existing UI patterns, SmartBox feels familiar from the first tap—no need to relearn how things work.
Fits naturally into daily routines
Fits naturally into daily routines
SwitchBot products are designed around everyday actions—SmartBox continues that focus by helping users build better daily habits.
SwitchBot products are designed around everyday actions—SmartBox continues that focus by helping users build better daily habits.
Takeaways
Takeaways
Finding the real problem is harder
Early on, I assumed the challenge was “how to help people find lost items.”
But through behavioral analysis and 5 Whys, I realized the real issue was why people forget to put things away in the first place.
Solving the right problem made the entire product more focused, meaningful, and user-centered.
Early on, I assumed the challenge was “how to help people find lost items.”
But through behavioral analysis and 5 Whys, I realized the real issue was why people forget to put things away in the first place.
Solving the right problem made the entire product more focused, meaningful, and user-centered.
Theory guides, but testing proves
Understanding concepts like habit formation, timing, and cognitive load helped me shape the foundation of the product.
But what truly brought the design to life was testing it, watching users interact with the wireframes revealed what worked, what didn’t, and how to make behavior feel intuitive.
This project taught me that translating theory into effective design doesn’t happen on paper, it happens in front of users.
Understanding concepts like habit formation, timing, and cognitive load helped me shape the foundation of the product.
But what truly brought the design to life was testing it, watching users interact with the wireframes revealed what worked, what didn’t, and how to make behavior feel intuitive.
This project taught me that translating theory into effective design doesn’t happen on paper, it happens in front of users.