Awareness Design
The app's core mechanic revolves around simulating financial decisions. To foster awareness, the design could incorporate 🌿 elements that prompt users to pause and reflect on their choices. Consider visual cues or brief text prompts that appear before significant in-game purchases, encouraging users to think about the real-world implications of their actions.
- Awareness Element: A short, optional "financial literacy tip" displayed before each level.
- Conscious Structure: Levels are short and repeatable, allowing for focused sessions.
- Mindful Layout: The UI is clean and uncluttered to minimize distractions.
- Present-Moment Flow: Simple gameplay focuses attention on the task at hand.
- Thoughtful Details: Subdued color palette to reduce visual stimulation.
Conscious Spaces
Creating conscious spaces within the app involves minimizing distractions and promoting focused attention. The inclusion of a "zen mode" with calming background music and simplified visuals could provide a respite from the more frenetic gameplay. This feature would allow users to engage with the app in a more relaxed and mindful state. Research suggests that calm and repetitive games can help reduce anxiety. Harvard Health discusses the general benefits of gaming, but this approach aims at more specific anxiety reduction.
Zen Mode
A feature designed to promote relaxation and focused attention through simplified visuals and calming background music.
Mindful Features
Mindful features are elements that encourage users to be present and engaged with the game, and also to take breaks. Implement a 'pause and reflect' feature that pops up after a set time, suggesting the user takes a screen break and does some stretches. Integrating a timer that subtly encourages breaks would be a valuable addition.
- Mindful Feature: Timer to suggest regular breaks.
- Conscious Space: Clear guidance on when to pause and reflect.
- Awareness Focus: Help users remain aware of how long they have been playing.
Present Moments
To cultivate present moments, the app could incorporate subtle haptic feedback to provide tactile reinforcement of in-game actions. This would ground the user in the physical world and enhance their sense of presence. Furthermore, incorporating a feature that allows users to track their progress and reflect on their accomplishments can foster a sense of gratitude and mindfulness.
"Mindfulness is about paying attention to the present moment, without judgment." - Jon Kabat-Zinn
Thoughtful Paths
The app can offer thoughtful paths by enabling players to view their progress in clear, easily digestible charts and graphs. By having metrics in-game that enable players to see their long-term progress and how their decisions have improved their fictional finances, they may draw parallels to their real life.
Progress Tracking
Implement visual aids to help players visualize their in-game progress.