Habit-Tracking App
Redesigning task
creation to feel
effortless
Users found creating a task to be complex.
Initial configuration is the core activation moment, and this is even more true for a habit tracking app like Grit.
Yet, user feedback analysis revealed that creating a habit felt complex and time-consuming for many users, even though the system technically allowed quick creation. Meaning that the issue wasn't actual complexity. It was perceived complexity.
UX/UI Analysis
Users were confronted with a list of 13 settings options all before a single action was done. While core users appreciated the level of customization, new users felt overwhelmed by the number of options. The app's UI was satisfying and was not considered a priority.
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Form anxiety Too many visible options created pressure before action.
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Decision fatigue It's hard for the user to tell which action is useful and which isn't.
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Lost in progression The lack of interaction makes it hard to say what changes have been made.
Users don't want to configure a tool.
They want the tool to adapt to their needs.
Four decisions that shape the experience
Limit the number of steps before achieving the task to increase satisfaction.
Creating a simple task should be simple.
Show more only when needed.
The system should anticipate user's next actions based on their actions.
Limit manual actions through a smart text field that recognizes and pre-configures key settings.
New flow:
Constraints & design implications
- Minimum redesign The current UI should be preserved. Changes are additive. No screen gets rebuilt from scratch.
- Apple Intelligence alignment The recognition field must fit within Apple Intelligence's current system conventions: visual language, interaction patterns, and on-device processing expectations.
Instant creation
Creation is reduced to a single text input. The previous flow required 7+ steps before a habit was saved. Drop-off data showed most users abandoned during configuration, not because they didn't want the feature, they just didn't want the work.
- Users type the habit name and press enter.
- They can save. The new habit is created.
Smart recognition
The system pre-fills common values based on the name. Pre-filling avoids the blank-form anxiety without removing control. Users override only when needed, which happens less often than expected.
- An icon is automatically suggested based on the habit's name.
- By default, the "Habit type" is set on "good" (green color). If the negative form ("Stop", "Do not"…) is used in the name, the habit transforms into a "bad" one (red).
- Similarly, a habit is "daily" by default. If another frequency is mentioned in the name, it will automatically update the setting.
Make the experience lively and dynamic
The changes are immediately visible in the preview. A live preview closes the feedback loop between input and output. Without it, users have to mentally simulate the result, which increases abandonment. Seeing it in real time also confirms the system understood their intent.
- Users see the impact of their settings right away.
- In this way, they directly identify how the system works.
Interconnected options
Advanced options are displayed based on their relevance in the user's context. Showing everything at once overwhelms casual users; hiding everything frustrates power users. Context-sensitive revealing serves both without compromising either.
- By default, the frequency is set to "Daily." If the user changes this setting, they are offered to set a start date.
- If the user adds a start date, then we offer them to set an "End date", etc.
Reveal complexity progressively
All advanced options are moved into a secondary screen. Early testing showed that removing options entirely triggered pushback from power users. Moving them behind "Show more options" preserves full control while keeping the entry point clean. Nothing removed, everything deferred.
- Not used options are hidden by default in a "More options" section.
- When enabled, they are automatically displayed so that the user can have a clear overview of their actions.
- Nothing is removed. Everything is just delayed.
One field to rule them all
With a single action, users can set up their core settings in a smooth, progressive and natural way.
By minimizing friction, the new design allows users to focus on what matters most: improving their habits.
- Single text input for instant habit creation
- Smart recognition auto-fills type, icon and frequency
- Live preview reflects every setting change in real time
- Advanced options revealed progressively, nothing removed
Results
New users completing their first habit creation rose from 32% to 40%, driven by reduced friction in the redesigned task flow.
Median time to create a habit dropped from 49s to 36s, as the new flow eliminated redundant steps and surfaced key options earlier.
Projected increase in long-term value, modelled from improved retention and task completion rates post-launch.
What I'd improve next
The redesign improved first task completion and habit retention, but the recognition system still relies on rule-based matching. Here's where I'd invest next.
Complexity isn't necessarily a problem.
As long as it is appropriate for the context.
