Zenith

Prototype: link

Our Project

Describe your project (max 150 words) Write your answer here.

To stay human means to retain our creativity, emotions, and individuality in a world increasingly shaped by technology. For individuals with ADHD, this is even more critical, as technology can be both a support system and a source of distraction.

That’s why we created Zenith, an AI companion designed to work with ADHD brains, not against them. Zenith helps individuals with ADHD improve productivity, manage distractions, and personalize coping strategies using AI.

Zenith learns from user preferences and behaviors, offering tailored recommendations to enhance focus and organization. Features include ambient sound customization, AI-driven focus suggestions, and gamification that rewards engagement. Users travel the solars, starting from Mercury and progressing through planets as they maintain focus habits.

By combining intentional design with AI, Zenith works with ADHD thinking instead of against it, allowing users to take back control of their focus and empowering them to achieve their goals.

Research Process & Findings

Describe your research process and findings. If you conducted any surveys or interviews, please include the survey form and/or interview questions here, If you conducted secondary research by pulling from online sources, please include a link to your sources. (max 500 words) Write your answer here.

Our research aimed to understand the specific challenges individuals with ADHD face in maintaining focus, managing distractions, and staying organized. We conducted both primary and secondary research to ensure a well-rounded understanding of user needs.

We distributed a survey targeting young adults with ADHD to gather insights into their struggles with ADHD and preferences for what current coping methods they use or what features they would like to see. The survey focused on the following four points; common pain points related to focus and productivity, effectiveness of current coping strategies, willingness to use AI-driven assistance, and preferences for app features, such as ambient music, visual cues, and task organization.

We found that 93% of participants expressed willingness to use AI-powered recommendations to help manage ADHD and 85% expressed that they would be interested in gamification or reward-based systems that would help them stay engaged. Additionally, one of our questions asked about what important themes participants wanted AI to consider when suggesting camping mechanisms and over 75% stated that they wanted their current emotional state to be taken into account. Many participants were also eager to see how AI would give them a personalized experience. One of our questions asked about their preferred features in an ADHD support tool, which helped inform us on what other potential features we could think about.

We looked at a few apps which have similar functions of task management and planning, however we couldn’t find many that had 1:1 features that we could compare. However, the features we could compare, we noticed that many task-based tools lack long-term motivation mechanisms and rely heavily on text-based task lists, which all contribute to making it overwhelming, difficult to navigate, and users ultimately cannot remain committed to it.

Another component of our research were different medical and scientific published articles about understanding the basics of ADHD, the effect coping methods on performance, and how ADHD presents in different demographics. From these papers, we found that with there being differences in how ADHD was presented, their needs and coping mechanisms were very different. In addition to managing their productivity and emotions, having healthy coping mechanisms can also allow them to make more flexible and better decisions. We also utilized Reddit channels like r/ADHD to gather common and suggested methods to focus on tasks and be productive, aiming to introduce some of these ideas as initial tasks for people to try when they first use Zenith. While many posts suggested using other task management tools, Reddit users mentioned that they found it hard to make a habit out of using them.

Based on these insights, we designed Zenith with AI-driven customization and gamification to help build the incentive to repeatedly use the app and make a habit out of utilizing familiar coping methods. Through the survey responses, we decided to include sensory tools like ambient noise to help users stay engaged and focused. To create more engaging visuals, we also decided to theme our app and create a mascot.

Design Decisions

Describe your most important design decisions. What research findings and/or user testing results led you to make these decisions? (max 500 words) Write your answer here.

Our design decisions for Zenith were shaped by extensive user research, including surveys and secondary sources. We focused on personalization, accessibility, and engagement to create a solution that addresses the challenges that people with ADHD face.

Many of our participants were open to using AI-powered solutions to help curate their experience and emphasized a preference for customized suggestions over generic focus techniques, reinforcing the need for a flexible, adaptive approach rather than a one-size-fits-all system. Our secondary research further confirmed that ADHD symptoms vary widely among individuals, making it essential for any productivity tool to adjust to unique cognitive patterns and daily routines. By integrating AI, Zenith evolves alongside its users, learning from their behaviors and preferences to deliver personalized focus strategies, ensuring long-term effectiveness.

We implemented a reward system based on survey suggestions called the Planet Collection, a progression system where users ‘level up’ from Mercury to Venus, then to Earth and beyond as they engage with the app. This feature gives users the opportunity to collect badges over time while also helping them build habits by using Zenith on a consistent basis. By making productivity interactive and rewarding, Zenith transforms habit-building into an engaging experience.

We added multiple sensory-based tools for users to initially start out with while the AI learns their preferences, such as ambient noise and drawing activities. These would help the user remain engaged through their preferred tool and reduce their overall cognitive workload.

To ensure ease of use, we designed a simple interface that prioritizes clear task organization and minimal distractions. This allows users to navigate the app effortlessly without feeling overwhelmed, making focus management more intuitive and accessible. Focusing on intentional, distraction-free design, Zenith ensures that users can engage with the app without added stress, making productivity feel natural, rewarding, and achievable.

Once the prototype was completed, we conducted usability testing with college students who have ADHD to gather direct feedback on Zenith’s design and functionality. Our goal was to evaluate how well the app resonated with users, whether it effectively addressed their focus challenges, and what improvements could be made.

Through testing, we found that gamification was a significant motivator, with many users expressing that the Planet Collection system made habit-building feel more rewarding rather than like a chore. When asked if they would use Zenith regularly, participants rated their likelihood an average of 8.5 out of 10, reinforcing that the app has strong engagement potential.

Additionally, users highlighted the importance of seamless integration with their existing tools and routines. Based on this feedback, future development will focus on expanding Zenith’s ecosystem—including integrations with productivity apps like Google Calendar, health and wellness apps for tracking focus trends, and even location-based reminders to enhance contextual support.

Each design decision was directly shaped by user feedback and research findings. By continuously refining Zenith based on user insights, we aim to create an ADHD-friendly companion that evolves alongside its users, ensuring long-term engagement and meaningful impact in their daily lives.