Users have expressed that Google Tasks feels too basic, lacking the advanced features offered by its competitors. With little attention from Google over the past six years apart from a visual update to the Material 3 design system in August 2024. the app has fallen behind in terms of functionality.
The challenge is to revamp Google Tasks in a way that preserves its beloved simplicity while introducing features that boost productivity, help users manage more complex tasks, and improve organization. This redesign aims to maintain the app's clean, minimalistic nature while empowering users to focus, stay organized, and accomplish intricate tasks more effectively.
Additionally, I have used insights from users with ADHD who struggle with focus and productivity issues day in and day out to guide the redesign process.
PRODUCT DESIGN
TASK MANAGEMENT
2024
Through desk research and user interviews, I discovered that users with ADHD struggle with prioritization in apps due to a lack of visual feedback. This makes it difficult to identify urgent tasks, often leading to missed deadlines, procrastination, and challenges with focus and time management.
To address this, I introduced priority tags that visually differentiate tasks based on urgency and importance. This helps users quickly spot what needs immediate attention, stay organized, and manage their time more effectively. By providing a clear visual hierarchy, the solution enhances focus, boosts productivity, and reduces the stress of managing tasks.
I identified that users often face cognitive overload when managing extensive task lists, as they struggle to differentiate between tasks that need action, are in progress, or are completed. This lack of clarity in task categorization hinders task prioritization and disrupts workflow efficiency.
To address this, I implemented a Kanban view, enabling users to toggle seamlessly between list and board layouts. The Kanban view introduces a visually intuitive task segmentation between To Do, In Progress, and Completed enhancing information hierarchy, reducing cognitive load, and improving overall task navigation and focus.
Users often find it challenging to efficiently organize and prioritize tasks when faced with a long list. The lack of a flexible system for categorization leads to confusion, reducing overall productivity.
To enhance better customization, I introduced a new feature that allows users to create custom labels and assign color codes to them. This customization empowers users to sort tasks based on their unique needs, providing a clearer visual structure and making it easier to prioritize, track progress, and stay organized.
User interviews revealed that 2 out of 5 participants experienced burnout and took frequent, unstructured breaks while completing tasks, highlighting a lack of support for maintaining focus and managing time effectively within Google Tasks.
This insight led me to incorporate a Pomodoro timer integration, allowing users to break tasks into timed sessions with regular breaks. This structured approach promotes focus, reduces burnout, and makes task completion more efficient and rewarding.
Young Jury
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