Zone

Zone turns overwhelming tasks into ADHD-friendly subtasks, then guides users through a calm, adaptive focus timer with instant rewards, skip controls, and realistic time blocks for momentum.

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Inspiration

In the recent past, there has been an influx of people who struggle with attention disorders, and in a world that values productivity, we wanted to build a equitable tool that helps mitigate disparities in the ability to succeed.

What it does

Zone helps users turn overwhelming tasks into realistic subtasks, then guides them through focused work sessions with:

  • AI-generated subtask breakdowns tuned for different energy levels
  • A calming focus timer interface (auto-start, pause/resume, quick +/- 5 min adjustment)
  • Instant optimistic actions (complete/skip) so UI feedback is immediate
  • Skip as a first-class action (removes a subtask entirely, no guilt loop)
  • Progress + lightweight reward feedback to reinforce momentum

How we built it

  • Frontend: Next.js (App Router), React, TypeScript, Tailwind/shadcn-style UI components
  • Backend/API: Next.js Route Handlers
  • Auth + DB: Supabase (Google OAuth + Postgres tables for tasks/subtasks)
  • AI: Google Gemini API for task decomposition and priority support
  • State/UX approach: Optimistic updates with rollback on failure to keep interactions fast and trustworthy

Challenges we ran into

  1. Latency vs. motivation:
    Waiting for API round-trips before showing progress made the app feel sluggish. We moved core actions to optimistic UI so users see results immediately.

  2. OAuth edge cases:
    Callback/middleware handling caused first-pass login friction. We tightened public-route handling and callback behavior so sign-in works reliably.

  3. Time estimate realism:
    AI initially over-allocated tiny setup steps (e.g., opening a file). We refined prompts so setup/admin/review actions have realistic short durations.

  4. Calm design balance:
    A standard countdown can feel alarm-like. We iterated toward softer visuals, clearer hierarchy, and less “threat” while keeping actionable controls.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

  • We designed for emotional friction, not just task CRUD.
  • We made “skip” an intentional, supported workflow rather than a failure state.
  • We shipped a focus flow that is fast, forgiving, and significantly calmer than typical timer UX.

What we learned

  • Perceived speed is a feature for ADHD-oriented products.
  • Tiny wording/visual choices heavily affect cognitive load.
  • AI decomposition is useful only when constrained by behaviorally realistic rules.

What's next for Zone

  • Personalized decomposition based on user patterns
  • More accessibility modes (reduced stimulation, audio cues, larger text presets)
  • Reflection analytics (what patterns helped focus most)
  • Better collaboration/sharing for student teams and accountability groups

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