Defining Lotic's core audience: what a day left no room for
RESEARCH LEAD & PROGRAM MANAGER | LOTIC | FALL 2022
Every study Lotic ran after this one recruited against the audience it defined. Seven months later the company pulled four studies into a single synthesis, and its six recommendations became the headings everything else got filed under
Lotic was building Talk2Me, a voice-based self-reflection app, with college students as the first audience. Nobody had interviewed one.
I was the company's first design researcher. Product, content, and the science team each had their own picture of the student, and it showed up as disagreement about what the app should ask people to do and how it should talk to them.
Approach
Five phases. Each one narrowed what the next had to answer.
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DID
Analyzed an existing survey of ~270 in the test market and ~1,000 general population, plus desk research from across the teams.
WHY FIRST
To spend interview time only on what a survey can't answer.
RESULT
Scoped the qualitative work to daily life, motivation, trust, and language.
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DID
Semi-structured remote interviews with students nationwide.
WHY SECOND
Range first, so the campus round could go deep instead of broad.
RESULT
First patterns on trust and time, which set the campus protocol.
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DID
In-person interviews in the test market, plus a qualitative survey with 150 responses.
WHY THIRD
Privacy, timing, and energy don't come up until you're in the room.
RESULT
Set the limit on what the product could ask of someone in a day.
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DID
Put every data point on one board and ran synthesis as working sessions across teams. Trained team members on interviewing, synthesis, and pattern recognition.
WHY FOURTH
So the teams who would act on it had already seen the raw data.
RESULT
Nothing in the read-outs was a surprise, and other people could run sessions without me.
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DID
Wrote a single read-out, organized around what product, content, and strategy each had to decide.
WHY LAST
Three teams, three sets of decisions.
RESULT
Each team could act on their part without reading past the rest.
Who we found
Students had no unclaimed time in a day and nowhere private inside it. A product built on speaking out loud had to fit into that.
A third-year student on a heavy course load with a part-time job and family responsibilities. Started college during COVID. Plans every day to get through it, drops social and solo time first, ends most days exhausted and behind.
“There's never enough time to decompress from the day.”
“I don't have enough privacy.”
Journey map, night · the step the product would live inMorning
Classes, commute, coffee. Running on too little sleep before the day starts.
Afternoon
Coursework, a shift, errands, a second work session. Motivation gone by evening.
Night
Friends if there's room. Guilt about what didn't get done. The only step with no protected time and no private space.
From insight to recommendation
Orient to a goal
“When I'm overwhelmed and feel like things are spiraling out of control, that's when I notice self-hate thoughts coming up.”
Students set ambitious goals, then measure themselves by the distance still to go.
So what
Progress had to be visible, and goals built with the person rather than handed over.
Offer a human touch
“What happens if I hate my career, or I burn out, or if I'm not good enough, or I mess up?”
Fear of failure drives them and stops them starting.
So what
Anything that punished a missed day would work against the product's goal.
Meet them where they are
“I know there are some resources available for mental health, physical health, and financial aid, but they're hard to find and not widely accessible.”
Support exists but isn't reachable or specific to them.
So what
A single prescribed path would read as one more thing not built for them.
Create a digital safe space
Trust builds slowly and on evidence. Students lean on the people who have been in their lives longest.
So what
Recording your voice on day one asks for trust the product hasn't earned. Prompt depth had to increase over time.
Build common language
The wellbeing vocabulary didn't land. Terms like languishing weren't understood without explanation.
So what
The science team's language was a barrier at the front door, which made vocabulary a design problem.
Don't make it another task
“I have so much schoolwork that I usually can't finish before bed, and it gets in the way of taking care of myself.”
Days were full to the edge.
So what
Chore language would lower adoption regardless of how good the activity was.
Product took progress tracking, a feedback loop for prompts that didn't land, a plain-language FAQ on data use, a framework letting people shape their own experience, and calendar integration timed to the semester. Content took emotional vocabulary, strength-based terms in place of clinical ones, and cutting task language.
Three questions went to leadership unresolved. What Lotic is to a person, safe space or agent of change. What responsible use means for a product like this. Whether user is the right word for someone recording their own life.
Where it landed
The beta was scoped to US college students in one city, recruited against the definition this study produced.
The persona and journey map became the working material for an executive visioning session in March 2023 and a design sprint the month after, where the job was to narrow several Talk2Me concepts down to one that could ship. Four of the six recommendations became design decisions in the concept that went to testing.
From “Create a digital safe space”
A sharing space where people choose a category and a prompt before anything records.
When it was tested
12 of 15
said the topics raised no discomfort. Participants described the experience as private and trustworthy.
From “Build common language”
Prompt copy written in plain language instead of wellbeing terminology.
When it was tested
15 of 15
agreed the prompts used inclusive language. Not one found them too restrictive.
From “Meet them where they are”
Category selection ahead of prompt selection, so people pick their own entry point.
When it was tested
Categories were named more often than any other element when participants were asked what they found most valuable.
From “Don't make it another task”
Short voice-led sessions that fit around whatever else someone was doing.
When it was tested
“I've never seen anything like an audio journal. It was refreshing and easy. I can do it while doing other things, don't have to stop to write if I'm too busy.”
The test did not settle the value proposition. People still could not say what the app was for, and that became the question the next round of research was built around.
Across the year I consolidated four studies into one reference for the company. Product and content worked from it directly, and it gave the design team enough settled ground to bring in an agency and move faster on development.
Talk2Me never launched. Lotic ran out of funding and the team was furloughed.
Reflection
I start by reading whatever data already exists. Here that meant the 37 interviews only went after things a survey can't reach, and the quant was part of the story from the beginning instead of something bolted on at the end to prove a point.
I write one deliverable and structure it so each group can find their own job to be done without reading past what isn't theirs. Findings people have to dig for don't get used. That started here and it's still how I write them.
The artifacts
Persona and journey map as product, content, and design received them. Seven design moves and the behavioral principle behind each sit inside the persona.
Jude is a 3rd year college student, inundated with a heavy course load, homework, a part-time job, and helping their parents out at home. They were initially inspired to pursue their degree from seeing the success of their older siblings and cousins in the field, as well as taking a liking to the courses in high school. Success is not an option, so they ensure their assignments are done on time and in a manner to receive high marks. Because of how much is on their plate, they strategically plan their days to prioritize assignments and be able to check everything off on their to-do list. Their busy days often cause them to sacrifice social time or free time for themselves, despite it also being a priority. However, they started school during COVID-19, so making friends has been a difficult process for them to begin with. But, by the end of the day, they're exhausted and with their bad sleep schedule they're stuck in a redundant cycle of busy exhaustion. Once they graduate, they are excited to establish financial freedom and security in a remote job so they can travel, start a family, and give back to their family who has been so supportive of their goals.
Already doing this on their own
Values
- Family & friends
- Hard work
- Respect & kindness
- Honesty & integrity
- Connection & relationships
- Being a good person
- Strong & clear communication
- Education & sharing knowledge
Priorities
- Academic success
- Self-improvement
- Relationships
- Fulfilling career
- Work/life balance
- Financial stability, independence, & growth
Goals
- Financial security
- Graduate
- Secure a job
- Personal growth
- Independence
- Provide for family
- Start a family
- Be successful & help others find success
Motivations
- Family, partners, & friends
- Cost of education
- Gaining experience & improving
- The future & their goals
- Planners / calendars
Wellness
Mentally, physically, and digitally: journaling, meditation and breath work, exercise, therapy, talking to trusted peers, finding distractions, time management and organization.
Technology
Instagram, TikTok, Spotify, YouTube, Twitter, Snapchat, Discord.
Mostly consumes content passively while occasionally posting. Uses mindless scrolling as a way to relax and destress. Prefers short-form content that doesn't require much attention span, and enjoys variety in short time periods. Hates subscription models and will abandon if pushed.
Avoids toxic environments. Prioritizes usability, function and purpose, simplicity, personalization, and relevance.
Data privacy
Understands that all of their information is probably out there and that they have little control over it being sold, which has caused a too-little, too-late mentality despite acknowledging the importance of data privacy.
Would like transparency into how their data will be used, in plain, simple language, and wants the ability to control if and how it is used.
Accepts data collection for the sole purpose of a more personalized experience, but sets a boundary with sensitive information.
What we heard
“I write everything down in my planner to declutter my brain & I cross things off as I go, it helps me visualize my progress.”
How it can show up
Progress trackers
Goal gradient theory
As people get closer to a reward, they speed up their behavior to get to their goal faster.
What we heard
“I break up my day & set aside time for each assignment I have to do because it prevents me from getting overwhelmed.”
How it can show up
Less text per page
Chunking theory
Taking individual pieces of information and grouping them into larger units to improve how much information you can remember.
What we heard
“I always go to my parents for advice & guidance because they have more experience, wisdom, & maturity that I trust even though we may think differently.”
How it can show up
Persona of the platform
Authority bias
Our tendency to be more influenced by the opinion of an authority figure, unrelated to its actual content.
What we heard
“I trust my friends because they know me the best, have similar experiences to me, & have never judged me or done me wrong.”
How it can show up
Tone of voice
Similarity bias
Our tendency to prefer people that look and think like us. We have an affinity towards all things familiar to us.
What we heard
“It's intimidating, but I'm excited to be thrown into the real world & finding out what I'm going to do after I graduate.”
How it can show up
Intrinsic motivators in gamification
Motivating uncertainty effect
We tend to be more motivated by unknown rewards when we focus on the journey and not on actually winning the reward.
What we heard
“I'm overwhelmed & intimidated for plans going wrong & not knowing what the right course of action is since it's so open ended & I could do anything, right?”
How it can show up
Reframe choices to make decisions less binary under uncertainty
Ambiguity aversion
We tend to avoid ambiguous options or those missing information. We dislike uncertainty, so we select options with known favorable outcomes.
What we heard
“I'm nervous to fail or feel like I'm not accomplishing enough, or being in a head space that inhibits me from functioning effectively.”
How it can show up
Progress indicators
Pessimism bias
The tendency to overestimate the likelihood of negative events while underestimating the likelihood of positive events. Simply, to expect the worst.
What we heard
“I know there are some resources available for mental health, physical health, & financial aid, but they're hard to find & not widely accessible.”
It makes us think
They are in a financially deficient period facing scarcity in key dimensions of wellbeing and need greater access to support and guidance.
What we heard
“I have so much schoolwork, that I usually can't finish before bed, & it gets in the way of taking care of myself.”
It makes us think
Students have too much on their plate and need to set boundaries so they don't sacrifice their basic needs.
What we heard
“What happens if I hate my career, or I burn out, or if I'm not good enough, or I mess up?”
It makes us think
They struggle with the weight of the unknown in the next chapter of their lives and need assurance that they will succeed.
What we heard
“We learn so much every day that I'll have to use for the rest of my life, if I mess up in the real world it will have serious implications.”
It makes us think
Students struggle with imposter syndrome and lack confidence in their abilities to succeed.
What we heard
“When I'm overwhelmed & feel like things are spiraling out of control, that's when I notice self-hate thought coming up.”
It makes us think
They are their own worst critics and need support in developing positive thought patterns, as well as more positive affirmation.
Scroll sideways · waking to sleep
Wake up early to get a jump on the day and have a productive morning before school.
First thing they do is check notifications, scroll through social media, and chat with friends or loved ones.
If time permits they eat breakfast, at home or on the go. If they skip it, coffee is always a must.
Practice physical or spiritual wellbeing through exercise or prayer.
Prepare for the day by thinking through what needs to get done, making lunch to bring to school, and other tasks beforehand.
Commute to school from home, whether by car, public transit, or foot.
Spends the morning in back-to-back classes until lunch.
Eats lunch after the first block of classes, before the rest of the day's engagements.
Begins working on assignments that are due.
Goes to their job, usually on campus, for a shift.
Goes to extracurriculars, whether clubs or practices.
After errands and chores, takes some time to relax and decompress, whether a nap or watching TV.
If they didn't have time in the morning, they practice physical or spiritual wellbeing through exercise or prayer.
Completes as much work as possible before burning out.
Cooks dinner at home, often eating with friends, roommates, or their partner.
Hangs out with friends or roommates, or talks with a long distance partner. On weekends there are more opportunities to go out to events or bars.
Takes time for themselves for self-care, whether physical self-care, journaling, hobbies, or watching TV.
Heads to bed, usually at a late hour. Mindless scrolling, podcasts, or white noise helps them fall asleep.
“I'm not a morning person, so waking up is always a struggle, especially if I didn't get enough sleep, which happens a lot.”
“This is the only time I can not do anything and just be on my phone.”
“I don't always have enough time to eat in the morning and if I do eat it's always on the go.”
“I don't always have privacy to meditate.”
“I enjoy exercising but I only workout if I'm doing it to feel good.”
“I'm always rushing to class and typically a few minutes late. It's hard when everything is so far apart from each other.”
“I feel like every day feels the same, I'm just ready to be done.”
“Class can be really overwhelming and it's really easy for my mind to wander or get bored.”
“Meal plans are way too expensive, and it's not even good or has that many options for my dietary needs.”
“We have so many assignments and I feel like I can't keep up. It's frustrating when I don't understand something. So then I feel stupid and question myself.”
“It's really frustrating when things outside of my control throw off my schedule and get in the way of me completing assignments.”
“My hours at work can be really odd and that can get in the way of other priorities, like socializing.”
“It can be frustrating when the time commitment gets overwhelming with everything else on my plate.”
“I get stressed out because I know there's so many other things I should be doing and I shouldn't be procrastinating.”
“I'm already exhausted when I get home, so my motivation to do work is so low.”
“I'm so stressed and overwhelmed by all of the work I need to do. I go until I can't anymore, even if that means not finishing.”
“Most of the time I only see my friends in passing or text with them during the week, because I'm so busy with school and work.”
“Living with other people isn't always the easiest, especially when they're messy or we get into disagreements.”
“There's never enough time to decompress from the day.”
“I don't have enough privacy.”
“I've gotten into really bad sleeping patterns. I know I should go to bed earlier but there's just not enough time in the day.”
“It's hard to fall asleep when I'm thinking about everything that needs to get done.”
“I really like meditating as a way to set intentions for the day.”
“Working out is a great way to destress.”
“I look forward to my weekly therapy appointments.”
“I like my classes and being able to have engaging conversations.”
“I always look forward to seeing my friends in my classes.”
“Lunch is really my first break to relax and think about something other than school.”
“I always look forward to seeing my friends and hearing about their days.”
“I call home to talk to my family and catch up.”
“Studying with friends really helps me stay motivated and accountable.”
“Seeing my friends gives me energy and motivation, because studying alone won't cut it.”
“Most of the time I get to work on my homework.”
“I look forward to finishing class and decompressing for a while before having to get back to homework.”
“It's so nice coming home and seeing my family.”
“Dinner is probably my favorite meal of the day. I love cooking, so having a good meal is always something I look forward to.”
“Seeing my friends is a priority. We don't have to do anything extravagant, but just making a concerted effort to spend time with them.”
“Going out with my friends on the weekend is how I like to decompress and blow off steam. It's a good escape.”
“I like to journal at night to reflect on what's happened, what or how I can improve on, track my habits, and think about what I need to do tomorrow.”
“I look forward to any alone time, even if it's only a few minutes.”
“The highlight of my day is finally going to bed.”
“I'm so tired, I don't have the energy to do anything I want or need to do.”
“I wish I had more time to exercise, but when time is limited trade-offs need to be made.”
“Commuting is such a force but I can't miss class.”
“We're taking in so much info that we'll need to use for the rest of our lives, it's scary.”
“I want to be productive so I have time to do what I actually want to do.”
“I know it's okay to relax, but I'm still thinking about the work I have to do.”
“I'm so overwhelmed, there's not enough time in the day. Maybe tomorrow will be better.”
“I look forward to feeling accomplishment for my day and seeing what I need to do tomorrow.”
The shaded step is where the product would have to live. It is also the only one with no protected time and no private space.