Shello

Initial Ideas around Shello
App Mockups
Logo Design v.1
Logo Design v.2
Homepage work in progress
Final Homepage
Final Extreme Challenge Page
Final Level/Progress Page

Inspiration

In today's digital age, many students find themselves tucked inside their shells, with no motivation or encouragement to meet or interact with new people. Moreover, many find it challenging to converse with others they haven’t met, stuck in a loop of social disconnection. Our solution aimed to help solve students' confidence by providing a tool that promotes pushing social boundaries in a positive and uplifting way.

What it does

Shello is a mobile app that encourages users to push their boundaries through daily social challenges. These challenges are designed to be achievable but meaningful - like starting a conversation with a stranger, complimenting someone, or requesting to study with someone you’ve never met. By completing tasks, users progress through social levels, track their growth, and build confidence. The app rewards consistency with streaks, visual progress, and subtle encouragement - all without relying on public leaderboards or external validation. This keeps the focus on personal development, not competition.

How we built it

We built Shello using Flutter to ensure it runs smoothly on both Android and iOS devices. For state management, we used Provider, and handled time calculations and formatting with the timezone and intl packages. Local notifications were implemented with flutter_local_notifications, allowing the app to send daily challenge reminders. Our design focuses on a playful but clean user experience, using Material 3 principles, a custom color palette, and intuitive navigation.

Challenges we ran into

Configuring local notifications across different time zones was a major technical hurdle. Ensuring scheduled notifications triggered accurately regardless of device settings took a lot of testing. We also faced challenges with managing app state across sessions, keeping user progress persistent without a backend. Finding the right balance between encouraging personal growth without introducing social pressure was another design challenge we had to be careful about.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Successfully implementing reliable daily notifications.
Building a fun, smooth, and polished user interface.
Creating an app that promotes personal growth in a positive, low-pressure way.
Keeping the entire experience fully functional without a heavy backend.

What we learned

How to properly use Flutter’s Provider for efficient state management.
How to work with timezone-sensitive scheduling and notifications in Flutter.
How important UI/UX design is when building an app focused on mental health and personal development.
How to collaborate effectively under time pressure during a hackathon.

What's next for Shello

Adding user customization, allowing users to choose challenge categories based on their goals.
Introducing a simple journal feature to reflect on completed challenges.
Implementing cloud sync for users who want to save progress across devices.
Adding light gamification elements like unlocking new avatars or environments as users level up.