Executive Summary

CHITTI is an AI-powered mobile application designed to help users build sustainable healthy habits through conversational check-ins and a unique two-step mastery system. Unlike traditional habit trackers that feel like tedious logging tasks, CHITTI acts as a supportive companion that makes habit-building feel natural, engaging, and achievable.

The Challenge

 Problem Statement:

Young adults (18-35) struggle to build and maintain healthy habits because they start strong but lose consistency over time, feel guilty when missing days, and can't get back on track without external support. Existing habit tracking apps feel like a chore to use and don't provide the motivation needed to restart after setbacks.

Key Problems Identified:

1. Consistency Crisis: Users start enthusiastically but lose momentum within 2-3 weeks

2. Guilt & Shame: Missing days leads to discouragement and complete abandonment

3. Restart Difficulty: Users struggle to get back on track after breaking streaks

4. Motivation Gap: Existing apps feel like tedious logging tasks, not motivational tools

5. One-Size-Fits-All: Apps don't adapt to individual needs or provide personalized support

Research & Discovery

Research Goals:

• Understand why people fail to build lasting habits

• Identify pain points in existing habit-tracking solutions

• Discover what motivates users to stay consistent

• Learn how users feel when they break habit streaks

Research Methods:

User Survey (9 participants)

• Demographics: 67% female, 33% male; Ages 18-54

• Mix of working professionals, students, and job seekers

• Located primarily in South India

Key Research Questions:

1.  How often do you try to build habits?

2.  What's your biggest challenge?

3.  Do you use habit apps? Why or why not?

4.  How do you feel when you miss a day?

Key Insights:

Finding #1: Consistency is the #1 Struggle

56% of users reported starting strong but losing consistency over time as their biggest challenge.

•  I tried to stop consuming sugar but failed when people distract me. I feel guilty and just give up completely." — Survey Participant

Finding #2: Apps Don't Motivate

67% of users don't use habit apps because:

•  Don't think apps help with motivation

•  Feels like a chore to log everything

•  Tried them but couldn't stay consistent

Finding #3: Guilt Prevents Restart

•  55% of users struggle to get back on track after missing days and feel guilty or discouraged when breaking streaks.

Finding #4: Need for Accountability + Support

Users want a mix of support and challenge. They need:

•  Gentle accountability when struggling

•  Celebration when succeeding

•  Understanding when failing

Finding #5: Flexible Approach Needed

Users are split on working style:

•  33% prefer one habit at a time

•  33% prefer multiple habits

•  33% say it depends

User Journey

Design Solution

The PRAC + TICE System:

CHITTI introduces a unique two-step habit mastery approach:

• PRAC (Foundation) → Build the base habit at an easier level  

• TICE (Mastery) → Level up to full habit strength  

• PRACTICE = Complete! → Habit mastered! 🎉

Example:

•  PRAC: Drink 4 glasses/day for 14 days

•  TICE: Drink 8 glasses/day for 14 days

•  Total: 28 days to habit mastery

Why This Works:

•  Starts easier (reduces overwhelm)

•  Clear milestone at 50% (PRAC complete)

•  Builds confidence before leveling up

•  Total 4 weeks aligns with habit formation research
  
  

Core Features

Must-Have Features (MVP):

1. CHITTI Daily Check-in — Conversational check-ins via chat interface

2. PRAC + TICE Habit System — Two-step progressive habit building

3. Habit Dashboard — Overview of all active habits with progress

4. CHITTI Character/Personality — Supportive + challenging AI companion

5. Restart Support — Special flow when users miss multiple days

6. Habit Creation/Management — Add, edit, and customize habits

7. Onboarding — Introduction to CHITTI and system setup

8. Progress Tracking — Streaks, charts, milestones

9. Achievements/Celebrations — PRAC and TICE completion celebrations

10. Reminders/Notifications — Daily check-in reminders

11. Motivational Content — Tips, encouragement, why habits matter

Design Process

Ideation & User Flows

Complete User Flow:

1. User downloads app

2. Onboarding with CHITTI (welcome, explanation, choose approach)

3. Select habits from templates

4. Set PRAC + TICE goals for each habit

5. Choose daily check-in time

6. Setup complete → Dashboard

7. Daily check-ins via chat

8. Progress tracking

9. PRAC achievement celebration

10. PRAC phase begins

11. TICE achievement → Habit mastered!
    
    

Key Flow: Daily Check-in

• CHITTI greets user

• Asks about yesterday's habit

• User responds (Yes/No/Partially)

• CHITTI celebrates success OR provides support for failure

• Progress updates

• Returns to dashboard
  
  

Key Flow: Restart After Missing Days

• User opens app after 3+ days

• CHITTI welcomes back (no judgment)

• Asks how the missed days went

• Provides encouragement

• Shows progress is saved (not reset)

• Resumes normal check-ins

Wireframes

Low-Fidelity:

Key Decisions:

• Chat-style interface for check-ins (like WhatsApp) → More natural and conversational

• Bottom navigation with 4 tabs → Quick access to key areas

• Progress bars with streaks → Visual motivation

• Two-step habit cards → Clear PRAC/TICE distinction

Visual Design

Design System:

Color Palette:

• Primary: #4ECDC4 (Teal) — Calm, health, wellness

• Secondary: #FF6B6B (Coral) — Energy, warmth, encouragement

• Background: #FFFFFF (White) — Clean, spacious

• Cards: #F7FAFC (Light gray) — Subtle containers

• Text Dark: #2D3748 — High readability

• Text Light: #718096 — Secondary information

Typography:

• Font: Inter (clean, modern, accessible)

• Heading: 24-36px Bold

• Body: 16px Regular

• Small: 12px Regular
  
  

• CHITTI Character:

Designed as a soft, round, friendly blob character (not robotic) with:

• Gradient colors (teal to coral)

•  Multiple expressions (happy, celebrating, concerned, encouraging)

• Warm, approachable personality

• Gender-neutral design

Design Decisions

Why Chat-Style Interface?

Traditional habit apps use forms and buttons.
CHITTI uses conversational chat because:

• ✅ Feels more natural and human

• ✅ Reduces cognitive load (no complex forms)

• ✅ Creates emotional connection

• ✅ Familiar pattern (everyone knows how to chat)

• ✅ Allows for personality and tone

Why Two-Step System (PRAC + TICE)?
Most apps treat habits as binary (complete or fail).
CHITTI's two-step approach:

• ✅ Reduces overwhelm (start easier)

• ✅ Provides clear milestone (50% = PRAC done)

• ✅ Builds confidence before leveling up

• ✅ Aligns with habit formation science (21-30 days)

• ✅ Makes completion feel achievable

Why Restart Support?

Research showed 55% struggle to restart after missing days. CHITTI addresses this by:

• ✅ Gentle welcome back (no shame)

• ✅ Acknowledging the gap (not ignoring it)

• ✅ Preserving progress (doesn't reset to zero)

• ✅ Encouraging fresh start

• ✅ Making return feel safe
  
  

User Testing Insights

Potential testing scenarios:

1. Can users complete onboarding intuitively?

2. Is the PRAC/TICE concept clear?

3. Does the chat interface feel natural?

4. Do users understand restart flow?

5. Is CHITTI's personality appropriate?

Results & Impact

  Design Outcomes

• ✅ User-Centered Solution: Directly addresses top 3 pain points (consistency, motivation, restart difficulty)

• ✅ Innovative Approach: Two-step system differentiates from existing habit apps

• ✅ Accessible Design: Chat interface reduces barriers, conversational tone feels supportive

• ✅ Scalable System: Feature set supports both single-habit and multi-habit users
  
  

  What I Learned

• Research is Critical: The survey revealed insights I hadn't anticipated (guilt as a major barrier, apps feeling like chores). Designing without this would have created a generic tracker.

• Empathy Drives Design: Creating personas from real users (including myself as a participant) made every design decision personal and meaningful.

• Simplicity Wins: Initially considered complex gamification features, but research showed users want effortless tracking and emotional support — not more complexity.

• Iteration Matters: Chat-style interface wasn't in the first wireframes. User feedback about "natural conversations" led to this key innovation.
  
  
  
  

Next Steps

If building this app, next iterations would include:

1. AI-Powered Conversations: Real adaptive responses based on user patterns

2. Habit Suggestions: CHITTI recommends habits based on user goals

3. Community Features: Connect with others working on similar habits

4. Advanced Analytics: Deeper insights into habit patterns

5. Integration: Connect with health apps, calendars, etc.

6. Habit Templates: Pre-built PRAC/TICE plans for common habits

Reflection

This project challenged me to design for emotional needs, not just functional ones. The biggest insight: users don't need more tracking tools — they need a companion who understands their struggles and helps them try again.

CHITTI isn't just a habit tracker; it's a support system for people who've tried and failed before, and want to believe they can succeed this time.