iOS Journal App
Adding two new features to the iOS Journal app: search functionality and journaling templates.
Project Type
Add-A-Feature
Role
Solo Project: Research, UX/UI Design, Testing
Time Frame
Approximately 75 Hours
Introduction
Background
In December 2023, Apple introduced a Journal app for iPhones in the iOS 17.2 release as part of a holistic push to support mental and emotional health.
In thousands of studies, journaling has been found to have significant benefits for mental health, and is often recommended because it is cheap, accessible, and effective. Apple’s Journal is a deliberately simple app that allows users to draft, save, and bookmark entries.
It offers prompts based on the user’s recent phone activity, such workouts, pictures, locations, and music/podcast listening, as well as a variety of generic reflection prompts (“What is the one thing you most appreciate about yourself?”). Users may write as much or as little as they like in the entry, or they may simply save pictures or voice notes. Items from other apps may be shared to the Journal for reflection or records. The app is encrypted by default and can be password protected. Users may, via their Settings, decide which information is shared with the Journal app for prompt suggestions. They can also set reminders to draft an entry.
The Problem
There are two problems I’m interested in exploring:
First, there is no search feature within the Journal, only sorting by entry type (Activity, Music/Podcast, etc). If users would like to find an older entry, they must dig through their entire Journal, rather than simply search for a keyword.
Secondly, while the iOS Journal app offers prompts based on the user’s phone activity, it does not offer templates like several other journaling apps. Much of the benefit of journaling comes from consistency, and users may find it difficult to focus their writing without a standardized series of items to reflect on.
Because this app is relatively new, it may be difficult to find current users for testing.
Project Goals
Identify and understand the needs and expectations of likely users, and determine where those needs are not currently being met.
Determine how to best integrate features into the existing journal app using iOS design standards.
Develop and test a prototype to determine the effectiveness and usability of the added features.
This project needed to be completed within a 75-hour timeframe. The final design must be faithful to iOS design standards.
In order to assure that the features I'm explore would be beneficial to current and future users, I considered these basic research questions:
What is the best way to build a consistent journaling practice?
What are the typical features of a journaling app?
What are the use cases for iOS Journal app (or other journaling app)?
What would encourage iPhone users to begin a journaling practice?
What is the best implementation of new features?
Research Strategies
Secondary Research to determine what insights existing research has found on journaling best practices.
Competitive Analysis to examine what other features other journaling apps offer their customers, and how they implement those features.
Interviews & Surveys to understand how people feel about their journaling habits and experiences.
Key Findings
Competitive Analysis
Before I began interviewing subjects, I wanted to know whether the features I'm researching are common in other journaling apps; therefore, I selected four popular examples to examine. Both Search and Templates features are available on all.
Interviews
"I like the idea of keeping a proper journal, or old-fashioned diary. But these feel like the luxuries of people more organized and time-affluent than me, in less overwhelming times."
Five adults were interviewed over the course of a week. All of them have had experience with personal journaling or record-keeping.
All participants felt it was important to keep a record of their experiences, thoughts, and observations. Most currently have a system to do this.
Subjects were SPLIT on whether they preferred technology to record their experiences/thoughts/observations. Two used apps, two used physical journals/planners, and one used both.
Some felt there used to be a stigma on journaling – that it was only for girls/women or those who were “troubled” – but none felt this attitude is pervasive today.
All believed that journaling helped them to understand themselves better, whether through organizing their thoughts and feelings, or providing an overall record of their experiences, or even helping them to notice more details in their daily lives.
Most are interested in using an app to journal because of the convenience and security, but about half have not found an app they really like.
All subjects have (or have had) daily or near-daily journaling practices. Most report spending between 5-10 minutes a day, in the morning or evening. Some make notes throughout the day. Most reported feeling pleased with this time investment, saying that it’s sustainable and beneficial.
Nearly all subjects said they have used prompts, templates, or journaling techniques (i.e. gratitude journaling) when they don’t have anything to write/record.
Most felt daily records were the easiest, most accessible types of journal entries. All expressed interest in reflective prompts, but several felt these entries were more daunting/time consuming/difficult than others.
The single biggest challenge to building a journaling practice is time. Some participants worried about security.
All reported that they find revisiting their old entries helpful. Reasons provided include that old entries help them remember specific things, or get an overall sense of their progress (personally/professionally/emotionally).
Several subjects mentioned the Apple Journal app unprompted. One subject has made a couple entries, but doesn’t use it regularly. Another said that Apple releasing it helps to reduce the stigma on journaling. Yet another mentioned noticing it on her phone, but she hasn’t opened it.
Analyzing Research Data
As I pulled important quotes and facts from interviews, surveys, and other research, I created an Affinity Mapping to visualize the data. While it addressed many different aspects of journaling practice and app use, this section focused on motivation:
A Tale of Two Journal-Keepers: User Personas
Using the information and opinions expressed throughout my interviews and associated research, I developed two distinct user personas: Hannah, "The Introspective Writer," and Carlos, "The Optimizer."
Now that we've met our users, it's time to consider the finer details of our potential features.
The POVs and HMWs
I’d like to explore ways to help busy users easily find past journal entries because it can be overwhelming and time-consuming to wade through a large backlog of past entries.
How might we effectively integrate search functionality into the Journal app?
I’d like to explore ways to help new Journal app users develop a consistent and beneficial journaling practice because forming new habits can be challenging.
How might we make it easier for new users to create entries and customize features to meet their individual needs and goals?
How To Search?
Search is a standard feature for many iOS apps, so I took some time looking at how it was integrated into other apps on the operating system. It appears primarily in two ways: as a bar near the top of a page, or accessed via a link in the bottom navigation. What might this look like in the Journal app?
Ultimately I decided to go with the first option, placing the search bar on the main screen, because it is the simplest and most elegant solution.
Constructing Templates
Throughout my interviews, some of the most common blocks people had were lack of time and inspiration. Therefore, moving forward with templates is supported by research. Additionally, my secondary research highlighted the emotional benefits of maintaining journalling as a habit, which may be encouraged by the inclusion of templates.
And How Would They Work?
Branding
My goal for this project is to implement Apple's existing branding, therefore, I used publicly available resources whenever possible.
Knowing the general fashion in which these features would be implemented, it was time to start wireframing.
For the Search function:
For the Template feature:
Will This Work?
Before continuing, I want to assure that, overall, these features were easy to find and use. I conducted preliminary user testing, asking participants to locate the new features and perform a simple task.
All participants located the Search Function. Average time was 9 seconds.
All participants located the Template feature. Average time was 19 seconds.
All participants were able to successfully navigate the Template Menu to delete an item. Average time was 10 seconds for a 3-step process. (6/2/2)
General feedback was positive and remarked on the ease of completing tasks.
The Next Iteration
Finding that the features were generally usable, I continued to high-fidelity wireframes.
Search for Photos with "Art"
Create a New Template
Use an Existing Template
In order to test the latest iteration of the design, I put together a Figma prototype with the ability to:
Search for past photo entries with the keyword “art.”
Locate the journal templates, create a new template (including a cover image) and save the template.
Locate a stock template, complete it, and save it.
Delete a saved template entry.
User Testing
Testing consisted of nine adults who are familiar with Apple’s iOS and occurred on the Lyssna platform. It consisted of four Prototype Tests with associated follow-up questions. (Note: Most participants have not used the Journal app, given its recent release, and were unfamiliar with its existing navigation.)
GOAL: Assure that users are able to complete basic tasks on the prototype.
All tasks were had a >75% completion rate.
GOAL: Determine the overall efficiency of prototypes: for example, whether or not users are able to complete tasks with ease, within a reasonable timeframe, and without excessive errors.
Most tasks were completed in less than a minute.
Most tasks had a misclick rate of less than 20%.
Task 2 had an abnormally high misclick rate of 55%. Many of the misclicks involved changing the template’s cover photo.
GOAL: Assess user satisfaction with the overall process of performing the tasks.
Nearly all users ranked the ease of tasks as “moderate” (3), “easy” (4), or “very easy” (5)
Several participants noted that it was difficult to figure out how to add or change a template's cover photo. Having it hidden in the entry menu seemed to cause confusion.
Suggested Changes Based on Testing
Make selecting a cover photo for user-created templates easier: put a placeholder image in the “create template” screen.
Clarify language with “bookmarked” entries (existing term for important journal entries): classify saved templates as “favorites.”
Plus button for all entries and “...” (ellipse edit menu), both of which users noted were confusing, are existing design features in the app and cannot be changed.
Continue refining design.
Feature Detail
Using the Search Feature
Creating a New Template
Completing and Saving a Template
Reflection
This was the first time that I’ve worked on an existing application, and I found it to be easier in some ways, and more difficult in others. Because I did this project on an iOS app, there were plenty of resources and assets available, including the Apple Design Resources in Figma and the Human Interface Guidelines on Apple’s developer site. These saved time in design and prototyping, but I also had to be extremely attentive to detail, because I wanted the added features to align as perfectly as possible with Apple’s high standards. This project aligns well to the reality of working in the field, especially within a large organization.
As an aside, I significantly improved my use of Auto Layout in Figma, as well as Components and Variables, and some Advanced Prototyping features during this project.
After I completed this project, Apple announced forthcoming updates to this app, and it will include a Search feature, as well as a significant redesign of some other features. I'm excited to see the changes!
