Momentum
Envisioning a better way to help people set and stick to their long-term goals.
Duration
Spring 2023-Present
Activities
UX Research, UX Design, Visual Design, Brand Identity Design
Course
Honors in the Discipline at Northeastern University
Mentor
Margarita Barrios Ponce
Background
Northeastern University’s Honors in the Discipline program offers a unique platform for students to dive deep into independent projects that resonate with their academic interests and passions. If successful, students are awarded an honors distinction upon graduation. After being accepted into this program in early 2023, I got straight to work under my advisor and mentor, Margarita Barrios Ponce.
A personal realization sparked the idea for my project. I had (once again) set too many overambitious goals for the new year. I was bound to crash and burn, though I knew deep down it wasn’t entirely my fault. This pattern highlighted a broader issue—not just a personal failing but a systemic one in approaching long-term goal setting and execution. There had to be a better way, and I was determined to find it. I knew it could make a big difference for many people if I could get this right.
1
The Problem
Conventional methods of long-term goal setting are inefficient and ineffective. Most people, like myself, use goal-setting as a quick way to make themselves feel better about their shortcomings and excited about the future. Alas, time and time again, we get distracted, bored, overwhelmed, or burnt out. This problem is more prominent for young people, as we are psychologically predisposed to favor short-term over long-term rewards. There needs to be a better collective understanding of how and why to set and execute goals.
“People often think that they just need to try harder, make more goals, or commit more fervently…without a plan, goals are only talking points.”
Jay Shetty
2
The Process
Research and exploration were cornerstones of this project. I knew this was a problem when I set out, but I didn’t know how to solve it or if I could. I laid out some general research questions:
How will short-term goals and habits (essential to long-term goal success) interact/integrate with this tool?
Do different goals require different solutions, or do they all follow a similar structure/process?
How will this tool supplement, replace, or integrate with current goal-setting tools and techniques?
How can I make goals more accessible, approachable, and fun?
Questions and answers
I read research papers, articles, and books to answer these questions, spoke to potential users and experts, conducted a qualitative survey, audited competitors, and drew upon my knowledge and first-hand experiences. Here are some of my key takeaways:
Although there are many varieties of long-term goals, they all follow a similar structure.
Regardless of the goal, people struggle with similar challenges, many stemming from an ineffective approach to goal-setting.
Many tools exist to help users with specific goals (Strava, for example, can help a runner train for a marathon). However, few can handle complex, multifaceted goals (for example, becoming a doctor).
Sketching and ideation
When I eventually began to explore design solutions, I started with pen on paper before moving into user flows, lo-fi and hi-fi wireframes, and visual design. I explored a variety of visual directions and teased out key flows. Along the way, I solicited feedback from experts and potential users, walking through my key flows and testing them with real-life goals.
3
The Solution
Momentum is a psychology-informed, AI-powered tool to help young people people set, plan, track, and execute their long-term goals more effectively. I named the tool Momentum because the more we work at something, the faster we progress. The word conveys the idea that small wins compound over time.
Set off on the right foot
We often set too many general goals without deadlines or a plan of action, leading to loss of interest, lack of progress, and general floundering.
Momentum walks you through an optimal goal-setting process, giving you advice at every step. To properly set a goal, you must explain your why, set a deadline, and define your metrics for success. But the tool doesn’t just help you set a goal successfully; it arms you with the knowledge to repeat the process again and again.
Forwards thinking, backward planning
Once you have a goal, there is rarely a clear next step. Woohoo! Now what? In practice, not knowing where to start often means not getting started at all.
After you set your goal, Momentum helps you break it down into time-bound milestones, specific tasks, and daily habits. Thus, you have taken your big, lofty goal and boiled it down to an action you can take today.
Consistent, mindful progress tracking
Life is messy, and we will inevitably face obstacles to our goals. You may sleep late one day, miss a deadline, or need to shift your priorities. Without a support system, it is natural to feel demoralized or demotivated by minor hiccups.
Momentum checks in on you every day. It simply asks if you did what you said you would do and why or why not. If you did not, Momentum will provide actionable suggestions to overcome your respective obstacle and/or adjust your goal accordingly. After consistent use, Momentum will train you to become more adaptable and self-aware.
A better metric for success
Sometimes, it can be hard to know if you are making progress. For complex, long-term goals, a lack of instant feedback can leave us unsure of where we stand and whether we are doing the right things.
Every day, you are given a Momentum score, which quantitatively represents how well you are doing relative to the intentions you set for yourself. The score is calculated using your habit and task completion, relative effort, and tracking consistency.
Have a low Momentum score? There might be a roadblock you need to address. Have a high Momentum score but are still not seeing progress? You might need to rethink your plan or increase the difficulty level.
Your personal coach and accountability partner
When tracking goals the old-fashioned way, we lose sight of the bigger picture. Putting the pieces together and identifying significant trends or patterns is difficult.
Leveraging AI, Momentum compiles the data you provide via check-ins and gives you a comprehensive breakdown of your progress, successes, and failures. Armed with your Momentum score, the tool can generate quantitative metrics from even the most qualitative goals.
4
Reflection
At the end of the semester, I presented this work to my peers, advisors, and University faculty for evaluation. The concept was a huge success, with many asking me when the app would be available for download. Given the response, I was encouraged to continue working on the app, which is now in development. Although we won’t know if the tool really works until it is out in the world, I am proud of the effort I put into it, and I believe, as always, it’s about the journey, not the destination.
Recording of the presentation of my work to Northeastern University faculty and peers at the end of the semester-long project.