Build
A focus app that rewards going offline with a world that grows the more you disconnect
iOS Native
Opus 4.7
Timeline
8 Weeks (Mar 23 - May 15 2026)
Role
Product Designer
Design Engineer
Game Designer
Interaction Designer
Brand Designer
Tools
Overview
Build is a screen time app for young adults that turns focus into a building game. The less time you spend on distracting apps, the more you build a virtual world. Build solo or invite friends to work toward a shared goal together. Currently in development and heading to the App Store in July 2026.
Design Challenge
How might we make reducing screen time feel as rewarding as the apps designed to trigger your dopamine loop?
Problem Space
No screen time app gave me a reason to put my phone down
Personal frustration
I kept opening Instagram or TikTok without deciding to. It felt like reflex, not choice. The screen time tools I tried either hard-locked me out or nudged so gently I ignored them. Neither worked.
As someone who plays a lot of games, I wondered: What if putting your phone down felt like progress worth protecting? Games make you care about what you'd lose. That's what screen time apps were missing, not more friction, but something worth building toward.
That question became Build.
Solution
A cozy game mechanic that makes focus feel rewarding
The concept
Build is a screen time app for young adults built around a cozy game mechanic. The less time you spend on distracting apps, the more your world expands.
The core loop is simple
Block the apps you find distracting
Set a build duration and pick your build
Stay focused to build and expand your world
Key Features
A simple loop with real stakes
Build mechanic
The loop is simple: choose the apps you want to block, pick a duration and a build, and stay focused until it's done. Your world only grows when you do
Accountability
Full reset consequence
Opening a blocked app mid-build triggers a confirmation prompt. Continuing resets the build with no partial saves. The confirm button has a 3-second delay to discourage impulsive choices.
Live Progress
Dynamic Island integration
Active builds display live progress in the Dynamic Island with an animated countdown to build completion.
Focus as a Team
Collaborative builds
Build with up to 4 friends and cut the required focus time in half. Complete it together to earn the reward, but if anyone opens a blocked app, the whole build is cancelled.
Research & Competitive Analysis
What already existed, and what was missing
Research approach
My research was mostly self-observation, supplemented by a close look at what already existed.
Willpower isn't the missing ingredient
Existing tools treat the problem as a lack of discipline. The real gap is motivation: there's nothing compelling waiting on the other side.
Gamification without depth wears thin
Apps like Forest rely on a single visual metaphor with no progression or social layer. The reward feels hollow once the novelty fades.
Focus has never been social
Some apps let you build with focus time, but none make it collaborative. No shared progress, no collective stakes.
Ideation & Testing
AI was central to how I designed and built Build, from concept through ideation and iteration
Concept
Before any screens existed, I used AI to define the core mechanic and scope the MVP through conversational logic sessions. The full reset with no partial saves emerged from this process. Before it triggers, a warning screen requires active confirmation, breaking muscle-memory tap-through and forcing intent.
I also used AI to simulate flows and surface logic gaps before any design work began.
Ideation
With the core mechanic defined, I used AI to open up the feature space. Social features, reward structures, the collaborative build model, the Dynamic Island integration… all of these went through a brainstorming phase where I was generating options, poking holes in them, and narrowing down.
Iteration
Iteration was a constant back and forth between AI and real users. I used AI to shorten onboarding, then tested with users to surface remaining friction.
On the visual side, I used AI to expand an initial direction into a full design system, refining it to feel cozy rather than clinical.
For the prototype, I used Claude and Cursor to build end to end, including a Dynamic Island integration using Live Activities with a limited update budget. I designed around key moments only: start, midpoint, and completion.
All Screens
Outcomes & Impact
Build is launching on the App Store in July 2026
The functional prototype validates the core loop: app blocking works, builds run in real-time, and the reset mechanic creates the intended moment of friction. The Dynamic Island integration is live in prototype. The collaborative build flow is designed and scoped for the first release.
What I've learned from using it myself: the world-building mechanic changes the emotional register of screen time entirely. It's not about guilt. It's about what you're building. That shift from restriction to reward is the thing I set out to design for, and it works on me.
Reflection & Next Steps
What I'm proud of
The behavioral design is coherent from end to end. Every decision (the reset mechanic, the onboarding sequencing, the delayed confirm button, the post-session summary) flows from the same underlying philosophy: focus should be a choice you make, not a cage you're locked in.
Paths for further development
More usability testing
There's always room to improve. Next round focuses on uncovering new opportunities, especially around the collaborative build experience.
World expansion
More themes, customization options, and buildable items across different tiers, giving users more to work toward over time.
Ethical monetization
Premium cosmetics like skins and building themes, keeping the core experience free while giving engaged users a way to support the app.