When parents bring their newborn home, tracking their baby’s activities such as diapers, feedings and sleep can keep them anchored in a very new (and sleep-deprived) time of life. Being a recent parent, Esther (the CEO of Nara) saw that the landscape of baby tracking apps was grim – overly complex, UI-heavy, and a pain to use. So she reached out to Everyday to help create a simple app to support parents in creating a comforting and predictable routine for their little one.
We started the design process with a qualitative research project to learn how parents track their baby’s activities and what motivates them to track. Then, after interviewing new parents, we distilled our insights into themes that guided the design.
Tracking needs are changing over time, but they are focused on today. What a parent tracks early on (feedings & diapers) might take a backseat to other activities later in their tracking journey (sleep).
Tracking their baby’s data can be a grounding activity. The act of being engaged gives them peace of mind.
They are going back to the data consistently to find patterns and make informed decisions for their baby.
“He’s taught me how to be an observer. I use the data to reflect on how I can do tomorrow differently?”
“He’s taught me how to be an observer. I use the data to reflect on how I can do tomorrow differently?”
With the new parent as our target audience, designing a simple and easy-to-use app was essential. We used a ‘layered card’ concept, which allows the parent to quickly and easily enter and retrieve multiple types of data without leaving the activity tab.
The app’s activity tab focuses on “today” and what the parent or caregiver needs to know at the moment. The most recent data entry is always visible, allowing parents to quickly see how long it’s been since their baby slept or when they last had a diaper change.
Knowing that tracking priorities change as the baby grows, the categories of data can be turned on or off and rearranged to allow parents the flexibility to adjust the app to their needs. In addition, as childcare can be a shared activity, we designed the app for multiple users so all caregivers can stay connected, whether they use an Apple or Android device.
We created a mobile-friendly UI design system that embodied the brand’s spirit – playful and distinctive. The design system features a vibrant color palette, lively illustrations, and clean typography; all focused on creating an experience that is easy to scan. The UI uses a card metaphor with easy-to-tap buttons and large inputs that quickly expand. In addition, the flexible design system makes it easy to add new features.
Since its release in early 2019, the Baby Tracker by Nara app has experienced a high retention rate and an impressive average daily engagement of 20 minutes. In addition, it has a 5-star rating on both the Apple App and Google Play stores. We continue to work closely with the Nara team to design new features based on ongoing customer feedback and research.
Esther ParkEveryday Industries is my ride or die for digital design and research, and I’ll work with them on any and every company I’m involved with.”
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