Building Healthy Habits

COMPANY: Venture ROLE: UX Designer EXPERTISE: UX/UI Design YEAR: 2024 TIMELINE: 2 months (research to final designs)

Venture is a mobile app designed to combat phone addiction by encouraging users to engage in real-world activities, strengthen existing relationships, and form new connections. Unlike traditional screen time apps that keep users on their devices, Venture gets people off their phones and into meaningful experiences.

The Challenge: How might we help people break free from phone addiction while building genuine connections and discovering new experiences in their local community?

In spring 2024, I set out to address a problem that had become personal: social media addiction. The irony hit me during one of my own doom-scrolling sessions when I saw an ad for yet another app promising to help with phone addiction. While the concept seemed promising, I realised it still required users to remain on their phones – essentially fighting fire with fire.

This sparked a different question: What if the solution wasn't another digital tool, but rather a bridge to the physical world?

Through personal reflection and conversations with friends and family, I discovered that phone addiction often stems from deeper needs – the need for connection, novelty, and meaningful experiences. I wanted to create something that would address these root causes by:

Strengthening existing relationships

Facilitating new connections

Encouraging exploration of local activities

Providing experiences where people could be fully present