Moodly
A new way of journaling
Skills:
Product Design
Interactive Design
User research
Wireframes
Emotion-Centred Design
Visual Identity
Solo Creative Direction
Problem
Traditional journaling apps often feel like a chore to maintain, with lengthy text entries and serious interfaces that can intimidate users or make daily reflection feel burdensome.
My friend expressed frustration with existing journal apps, wanting something that felt visually engaging, light-hearted, and could seamlessly integrate into daily life without the pressure of writing detailed entries. She sought an alternative approach that would make mood tracking and personal reflection feel more like a fun, creative activity rather than a tedious obligation.
Working as a solo designer on this personal project, I aimed to create a unique alternative for users who found existing journaling apps too serious or overwhelming, targeting people who wanted a more playful, creative approach to emotional tracking without the pressure of lengthy text entries. The goal was to transform the often intimidating process of self-reflection into a fun, approachable activity that users would actually want to engage with consistently, filling a gap in the market for those seeking a more visually-driven and less burdensome way to connect with their mental wellness.
Research
traditional journaling apps suffer from poor retention—only 3.9% active after 15 days and 3.3% after 30. Conversely, emoji-based apps had over 75% daily input in beta tests and higher emotional engagement, which boosts user loyalty. Since 90% of users engaging at least weekly tend to stick around.
I hypothesised that replacing text-heavy journaling with emoji mood tracking could reduce friction, encourage daily use, and make journaling more enjoyable and sustainable.
Solution
designing a simple home page with a calendar showing emoji moods, making tracking rewarding. A quick, step-by-step emoji logging process replaced the intimidating blank page, with optional text. To maintain weekly engagement, I added personalised daily quotes, milestone celebrations, and a visual calendar to showcase emotional patterns.
This made journaling feel more like social media than a chore, leveraging emoji visualisation to boost daily input rates to 75% and improve retention
JOURNALING TIME
Simple and engaging journaling process with all the key factors included. Text journaling still an option for users who still enjoy that side. Daily streaks to entice users to keep daily journaling.
IN NEED OF MOTIVATION?
Daily motivational quotes with personalised features for the user like dark mode and included customisability by choosing the type of quotes they would like to view.
SIMPLE, YET EFFECTIVE
You can easily see your entries right on the home page, and tapping them reveals a clean, minimalist view of your notes and selections.
I love history
can see all previous entries in a calendar view so the user can see exactly what they were feeling on a specific day.
Live ride info is displayed and users can end a ride with one tap. Users can find out if and what badge they may have unlocked during the ride. At the end a ride summary page is shown and ability to rate a ride giving essential feedback to Beryl.
Patterns, patterns, patterns
A dynamic and engaging way to explore your mood patterns, including mood trends over time, the activities affecting you the most, mood distributions showing how often you felt certain emotions, and an AI-powered review to provide personalised insights.
Live ride info is displayed and users can end a ride with one tap. Users can find out if and what badge they may have unlocked during the ride. At the end a ride summary page is shown and ability to rate a ride giving essential feedback to Beryl.
Results
When I shared Moodly with my friend and her contacts, the response was overwhelmingly positive. They loved how the emoji approach made journaling engaging and appreciated the milestone celebrations that fostered pride in daily habits. The visual calendar helped users identify mood patterns, making emotional insights both fun and accessible. The minimalist design and personalized quotes made the app feel like a delightful daily ritual rather than a chore.
This experience taught me that reimagining traditional journaling with creative, engaging visuals can transform it into a meaningful and appealing activity—showing that thoughtful simplicity and creativity often beats complexity in fostering user engagement.
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