TLDR
Overview
LifeLevel turns the overwhelming to-do list into a supportive game for recent graduates learning to adult. Unlike traditional apps that treat all tasks the same, LifeLevel provides emotional encouragement, celebrates progress with XP and achievement titles, and keeps a permanent record of what you've accomplished — all with zero setup required. I built this in 1 week for the Figma x Contra Makeathon, conducting user research with 5 recent graduates and designing a system that gets users tracking their first task in under 10 seconds.
PROBELM
RESEARCH
Key insights about the adulting experience
Traditional to-do apps fall short on emotional support
I analyzed 40+ TikTok videos and Reddit threads. Videos showing customized Apple Notes setups were garnering millions of views — one series alone had 2.3M views. Users built elaborate workarounds just to make checking off tasks feel less depressing.
Existing solutions offer either simplicity without support (Apple Notes) or support with overwhelming setup (Habitica).
Apple Notes: tasks vanish after completion, leaving no record of progress. Habitica: requires 5-7 setup steps before adding your first task — a dealbreaker for overwhelmed users.
SOLUTION
Transform the to-do list into an accessible game that celebrates progress — with zero setup required
LEARNINGS
Key insights about the adulting experience
Simplicity enables emotional support
My first iteration had elaborate pill-shaped tasks with 20+ customization options. It created clutter. By simplifying to 15 core components, I focused on what mattered: emotional support through meaningful messages and titles.
Scrappy research delivers fast insights
With 1 week total, I analyzed 40+ social posts, then interviewed 5 graduates. Fast research doesn't mean shallow — it means being strategic about where you look.
Accessible entry unlocks engagement
Habitica proved people want celebration, but 60% abandoned during its 5-7 step onboarding. By offering 10-second task entry with optional gamification, I kept the benefits without the barrier. 5 out of 5 test users added their first task within 15 seconds.
