DOMO | Devpost

Choose one of three DOMOlings to keep you company!
Set a goal for you focus session, and your DOMOling will help keep you on track.
Reflect on your work and revisit past goals to see how far you've come!
Domo, a steady and grounding companion.
Strawb, chill and sleepy, perfect for long study sessions.
Ceviche, who has short bursts of energy, perfect for sprints.
Getting distracted during focus sessions hurts your DOMOlings!
Completing focus sessions helps you buy fun accessories for your DOMOlings!

Inspiration

We wanted to make studying feel fun instead of boring, inspired by the idea of raising a virtual pet and being able to care for and customize it as you go. We also valued mechanisms in study tools that allow users to keep track of their work and make progress feel meaningful and fulfilling.

By caring for an animal and customizing it over time, studying feels less boring and more rewarding. That’s where our name comes from: DOMO (pronounced “doh-moh”). It plays on the phrase “do more,” but in a gentler way, encouraging progress without pressure!

What it does

DOMO allows you to set a focus goal and a timer. Once started, the app will keep you locked in to focus on your goals. After completing a successful study session, you earn in-game currency and write a quick reflection about what you accomplished, still need to do, and just help you keep track of your tangible progress. The app will also reward you with currency once the timer ends, which you can use to buy accessories for your pet once. This serves as a way to help keep you motivated to follow through with study sessions by giving you rewards.

How we built it

We built DOMO as a mobile app using React Native and Xcode to develop and test the iOS version.

The app is structured around multiple screens, including onboarding, home, focus timer, shop, and reflection logs
We used component-based design to keep UI elements reusable and organized
Shared state is managed through context to track the pet’s status, in-app currency, and study session progress
Navigation between screens is handled through a stack-based flow to create a smooth and intentional user experience

Challenges we ran into

This was also our first time building an iOS app, so there was a learning curve in figuring out mobile workflows, navigation, and debugging issues we hadn’t run into before. A lot of the process involved trial and error, Googling, and learning on the fly.

Finally, like most hackathons, we had to balance big ideas with limited time. We had many features we wanted to add, but learning how to scope realistically and focus on what mattered most was a challenge in itself.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Amber: Designing and rendering all the characters, accessories, and almost all the assets in the app during the short time frame!

Joey: Learning how to build an IOS app for the first time + closet feature! 😎

Max: Building an iOS app for the first time!

Manuel: Sourcing sound effects and finding creative ways to enrich user experience.

What we learned

Building DOMO taught us that productivity tools aren’t just about timers or tracking data — motivation is emotional. When focus is paired with encouragement, rewards, and reflection, it feels less stressful and more sustainable, especially for students.

This was also the first time both Max and Joey built an iOS app. We learned how to break a larger idea into achievable pieces, debug unfamiliar mobile workflows, and make intentional design decisions under time pressure. Along the way, we explored how to effectively use AI as a development tool. From brainstorming features to troubleshooting issues, we learned how AI can speed up development while still requiring thoughtful human judgment and iteration!

What's next for DOMO

We want DOMO to grow into a long-term study companion that supports focus while staying fun and low-pressure!

We hope to implement the following:

Accessibility to everyone, including Android users 🙈
Screen time locks or app usage monitoring during study sessions
Adjustable studying intensity so users can control how fast their pet gets hungry or progresses
Built-in background music, ambient sounds, and custom sound effects
More accessories and backgrounds in the shop
Pet evolutions tied to long-term consistency
More interactions with the pet, such as petting or playing

Our goal is to make studying feel more rewarding and personal, rather than stressful or rigid!