Manifesly
Goal manifestation app turning intentions into actionable daily rituals
Role
UX/UI Designer
Timeline
3 months
Year
2025 – ongoing
Team
Team of 4
Overview
The Challenge
Goal-setting apps focus on tracking but fail at the emotional and psychological aspects of achievement. Users set goals but lose motivation without meaningful daily connection.
My role: UX/UI Designer — crafted the emotional design language and ritual-based interaction patterns.
Strategy & Research
Systems Thinking
Designed a behavioral loop system: Set intention → Daily ritual → Reflection → Reinforcement. Each touchpoint was designed to strengthen psychological commitment.
Key Insights
- Emotional connection to goals predicts follow-through more than logic
- Daily micro-rituals build identity-level change
- Celebration moments need to feel genuine, not gamified
Product Decisions
- Journaling-first onboarding to establish emotional connection
- Ambient mood system that adapts UI tone to user's emotional state
- Gentle notification system based on behavioral patterns, not fixed schedules
Design Evolution
From Wireframe to Prototype
Each project evolves through deliberate stages — structure first, then fidelity, then interaction.
Interactive Prototype
Interaction Decisions
Why prototyping was applied
Prototypes were used to test the emotional resonance of daily ritual animations — validating that ceremony-like interactions genuinely increased user engagement.
Cognitive function it serves
Breathing-synced animations during reflection moments activate parasympathetic response, creating calm focus.
How it reduces friction
Fluid gesture-based journaling eliminates the friction of text input, letting emotional expression flow naturally.
UX Engineering
Technical Awareness
Technical Considerations
- Designed adaptive UI system that responds to time-of-day and usage patterns
- Created motion specifications with spring curves for natural feel
- Built prototype with haptic feedback integration for ritual moments
State Management
Architected emotional state model that tracks mood patterns and adapts UI elements — colors, copy, and interaction intensity.
Performance
Animations optimized for battery efficiency — critical for a daily-use wellness app. All animations respect reduced-motion preferences.
Results
Impact & Reflection
78% 30-day retention (vs. 23% industry average)
4.9/5 user satisfaction for daily ritual experience
65% of users report increased goal clarity
Featured in App Store Wellness category
“Manifesly taught me that the best UX sometimes isn't efficient — it's intentionally slow. Rituals need space to breathe.”
Lessons Learned
- Emotional design requires genuine empathy, not manipulation
- Behavioral psychology and UX design are natural partners
- Accessibility of wellness tools is an equity issue