Make me see my progress creatively
Daniele Catalanotto
Aug 12, 2022
A Service Design Principle to help people stick with a service when it's hard to do so.
This principle is based on an inspiring story shared by community-member Swareena Joshi.
I’m trying to lose weight. It’s a hard thing to do. And it’s incredibly frustrating as I don’t know how long this will take me to reach my goal.
What’s the point of trying to lose weight when you don’t know if it will work?
So, I’m trying a few things. Suddenly, I land on an app called Noom. And this app solves this issue. After asking me a few questions like what’s my actual weight, my end goal, how active I am, and what tall, the app shows me a graph with an approximate date where I’ll reach my goal!
Wow! If I follow the plan, I’ll get my goal, and I even know when! Now everything seems already much simpler!
As I’m on my weight loss journey, the app also shows my progress by showing me how much weight I have already lost. It then updates its prediction of the day I’ll reach my goal. It feels fantastic when the app shows you you’ll get your goal one week sooner than planned!
Showing people that they are making progress is motivating. Knowing there is an end line where you can celebrate the end of this struggle is even more motivating.
There are plenty of ways to show progress.
For digital tools, it’s often a progress bar showing you that the computer is working and that you need to be a little more patient.
Some eye doctors use a calendar where kids can stick their eye patch (1) of the day during the three months when they have to wear it.
The Apple Watch shows you a ring you have to close to reach your fitness goal of the day and how far you already are. Even better, it shows you how much you exceeded the goal.
There are dozens of creative ways to show people that they are making progress during a difficult journey.
So let me ask you this.
What’s one part of your service that is either pretty long or can be difficult for users or employees? How can you creatively show people that they are making progress to motivate them?
It could be a boring progress bar or something as creative as a calendar with stickers.
Footnotes
Daniele's personal notes
- This is the first draft of this Service Design Principle.
- Once adapted even more, this principle could be part of the book "Service Design Principles 201-300"
- As always, feel free to share comments, feedback or personal stories to improve this principle.
2 comments
Daniele Catalanotto
Oct 18, 2022
The second draft of this Service Design Principle
I’m trying to lose weight. It’s so fucking hard! What’s the point of trying to lose weight when you don’t know if all your efforts will bring any change?
I’m trying a few things. I stumble upon an app called Noom. When I open the app, it asks me a few questions. It asks me about my actual weight, my end goal, how active I am, how tall I am and how big my motivation is.
Based on all this, Noom shows me a graph with a date when I’ll reach my goal! Wow! If I follow the plan, I’ll reach my goal, and I even know when! Everything seems already much simpler!
Later, when losing weight, the app also shows me my progress. It then updates its prediction of the day I’ll reach my goal. Seeing that I’ll reach my goal one week sooner than planned feels fantastic!
You can motivate people by showing them the progress they are making. When you show that there is an end line where you can celebrate the end of this struggle, it’s even more motivating.
You can show people that they are making progress in many creative ways. That’s especially useful during a difficult journey. It can be a simple progress bar or ring (2) or something as creative as a calendar with stickers (2).
So let me ask you this.
What’s one part of your service that is either pretty long or can be difficult for users or employees? How can you creatively show people that they are making progress to motivate them?
Footnotes
(1) As for exemple the progress bar showing you that the computer is working and that you need to be a little more patient. Or the fitness rings of the Apple Watch that show you how close you are to your fitness goal of the day. Even better, it even shows you how much you exceeded the goal.
(2) Some eye doctors use a calendar where kids can stick their eye patch ( see the principle “Make me want more of it”) of the day during the three months when they have to wear it.
Daniele’s notes
- You just read the second draft of this Service Design Principle
- Title: I’m asking myself if the real title behind this principle isn’t rather: “Show me when my efforts will start to pay off”. It’s a bit of another angle to the principle but one that adds something more specific to this principle.
- Reduction: I’ve reduced the length of this principle by 32 % compared to the first draft.
Daniele Catalanotto
Oct 31, 2022
The third draft of this Service Design Principle
I'm trying to lose weight. I think, "Why should I do all these efforts when I don't know if they'll bring any change?". It's fucking hard!
I stumble upon the Noom app (1). Based on a few questions like my actual weight, my end goal, how active I am and how tall I am, the app predicts the date when I'll reach my goal! Wow! I have much more hope!
Weeks later, when losing weight, the app shows me my progress on a graph and updates its prediction calendar. I'll reach my weight goal one week sooner than planned! Fantastic!
So let me ask you.
How can you show people on a difficult journey that they are making progress to motivate them in your service (2)?
Footnotes
(1) Learn To Eat Mindfully. Psychology Is The Key To Lasting Change. Noom. Available at https://extra.swissinnovation.academy/3Cfb accessed 31 October 2022.
(2) As for example the progress bar showing you that the computer is working and that you need to be a little more patient. Or the fitness rings of the Apple Watch that show you how close you are to your fitness goal of the day. Even better, it even shows you how much you exceeded the goal. Some eye doctors use a calendar where kids can stick their eye patch ( see the principle “Make me want more of it”) of the day during the three months when they have to wear it.
Daniele’s notes
- This is the third draft of this principle.
- I’ve reduced the length of this principle by 52 % compared to the previous draft.