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Flow Diver
Flow Diver is an application developed with the idea of helping users establish and maintain a state of mind flow in their daily work while effectively tracking their working and resting time.
Why I developed FlowDiver?
Mind flow is a special mental state where users are fully immersed in the work they are performing. To enter this state, users first need to set clear work goals, create a suitable working environment, and allocate the necessary time to complete their tasks. During work, they may need to track their working and resting periods and be stimulated by white noise or soft music. After completing their tasks, they might want to evaluate their focus time. Flow Diver is designed to meet these needs, helping users achieve and maintain their optimal workflow.
Features
Time Tracking Modes
Everyone has different needs when it comes to tracking work time. Flow Diver offers three time tracking modes: stopwatch, pomodoro, and world clock.
Themes and Nature Sounds
Humans instinctively feel most at ease when connected with nature. However, most modern work environments are large office spaces. Flow Diver provides themes and nature sounds, allowing users to feel a touch of nature in their workspace.
To-Do List System Organized by Projects
The simple to-do list system is categorized by projects, including information on the time spent on each task. This helps users easily manage their work.
Work Time Statistics and Badge System
The time spent on each task and project is recorded, analyzed, and presented through meaningful statistics. A badge system is designed to motivate users to accumulate more focused hours with the app while completing their work.
In-Focus Mode
In-Focus Mode displays only the timer and the name of the task the user is focusing on, set against a carefully selected nature-themed background with corresponding nature sounds. Users can also switch to full-screen mode as a way to enhance their concentration on the task at hand. They can tap anywhere on the screen to pause this mode whenever needed.
Adding New Tasks
Users can create new tasks by simply entering the task name. They can also assign the task to a project if desired. Once created, users can either start focusing on the task immediately or save it for later.
Time Tracking Modes
Flow Diver offers three time tracking modes: Stopwatch - For users who want to track how far they've progressed in their focus journey. Pomodoro - For those practicing the Pomodoro technique. Clock - For users who just want to check the current time.
Themes and Nature Sounds
Users can select themes and nature sounds to personalize their experience. Most themes are inspired by nature, featuring carefully curated background images. The natural sounds are fine-tuned to create seamless, repetitive audio loops that provide ambient support without distracting users from their work. Users can mute the sounds if preferred. The app automatically saves their theme preferences.
To-Do List System
The to-do list is divided into three main sections: Ongoing Tasks, Not Started Tasks, and Completed Tasks. Each ongoing and completed task includes information on the time spent on it.
Celebrating Task Completion
I believe completing a task is a special moment worth celebrating. When users mark a task as completed, a notification with encouraging effects appears to acknowledge their achievement.
Project Organization
Projects are designed to group related tasks. Users can create, edit, delete projects, and manage tasks within them. For users who prefer not to categorize tasks, all tasks are automatically placed in a default project.
Login Screen
Since user data needs to be stored, I implemented a Google Login feature. It connects to a database to securely store usage data, such as tasks, projects, and focus sessions.
Dashboard
The dashboard displays meaningful statistics, including: total focus time on the app, focus time for today, number of consecutive days focused, count of ongoing tasks and projects, a graph showing focus time trends over days.
Badge System
To add a touch of fun, the app features a badge system. Users earn badges for reaching milestones, such as achieving a specific focus time or maintaining consecutive focus days. This system is designed to motivate users to increase their focus time and engage more deeply with their work.
My Role in the Project
As this was a side project, I was solely responsible for every aspect of Curiosity Deck's development. My roles included conceptualizing the app's functionality, designing the user experience (UX) and user interface (UI), implementing the app architecture, developing front-end and managing all testing and integrations. From start to finish, I handled the entire project independently, ensuring that each element aligned with the overall vision.
Big Update: Simplifying for Immediate User Needs
Why
Based on user feedback and suggestions I gathered, this update focuses on creating a simpler app that meets users' immediate needs while minimizing the time required to explore and learn how to use the application.
Addressing User Use Cases
Problem: Most users approached the app as a tool to immediately start focusing or tracking time. They wanted to allocate their energy and attention to their tasks, not the app itself. However, the previous flow required users to log in before accessing any functionality, which caused distractions and hindered their ability to meet their needs.
Solution: I redesigned the entire app experience, including touchpoints and backend technologies, to allow users to start using the main feature—time tracking and focus setup—almost instantly upon accessing the app. All features are now accessible without unnecessary obstacles, enabling a seamless user experience.
Removing Unnecessary To-Do List Features
Problem: Users did not need the to-do list or task categorization features (by project or tag) that I had developed. Most users were already familiar with and actively using popular task management tools such as Trello, Notion, Lark, and ClickUp, so they had no interest in switching to a new system.
Solution: I removed the to-do list and task management features to focus solely on the app’s core function: helping users dive into their flow state.
Improving the App’s Architecture
Problem: Aiming for a simpler app version, I needed to rethink the technical structure to eliminate unnecessary complexities while maintaining usability.
Solution: I removed the login functionality, cloud-based data storage, and analytical dashboards. Instead, user data—such as focus session durations, on-focus tasks, theme preferences, and background sound settings—is now stored locally in the user’s browser (via localStorage). This approach ensures near-instant access to user data in subsequent sessions, significantly reducing latency. However, this change means data cannot sync across multiple devices and is not stored long-term.
Conclusion
This update transforms the app into a more streamlined and focused tool that prioritizes immediate usability and reduces distractions. By aligning the app with user needs, I hope to provide a more effective and meaningful experience while maintaining simplicity and efficiency.
Thank you for taking the time to go through this case study.
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Let's explore the next content.
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