Let’s Explore Neat Prototypes That Propose Objects to Increase Self-Efficacy: 5-in-5, Part 1
We’re getting meta with an app prototype that addresses the psychology of high and low self-efficacy.
We’ve all been there; you have a new and challenging task that you have to complete. It could be a complicated work project, trying out a new recipe, or building an Ikea shelf. If you have high self-efficacy, you might be willing to face this challenge with enthusiasm, accepting that you might fail a few times in order to reach that sweet victory. Adversely, if you have low self-efficacy, the prospect of a new challenge will terrify you; brainstorms become a full-on bombogenesis, locking you into analysis paralysis, or, reminders of past failures will keep you from even considering starting this journey.
For my first prototype, I’ve designed a rudimentary app that uses data generated by the individual to provide proof that they can be successful. I am targeting anxious, type-A personalities that are driven by perfectionism who have difficulty starting tasks, and doubt their ability to do a good job. The goal is to show them, through an analysis of past accomplishments, that there are commonalities with previously successful tasks, and therefore, their chances of success are higher than they think.
While registering for the app, you would initially provide examples of previous challenges that you successfully completed. This serves as a truth set for comparison and highlights your previous achievements. If a new challenge seems particularly daunting or difficult, you can initiate a new analysis by filling out the form on the New Analysis page. The algorithm then compares the quantitative (what kind of task, how difficult) and the qualitative (what part is new, have you done something similar), compares it to your truth set, and generates the probability of success.
Your analysis results will quantify the tasks involved in this challenge and find similarities or direct connections to other tasks you’ve successfully completed. For tasks that are new and scary, it will generate a list of resources you can read in order to get a better grasp of how they can be approached. The language throughout is highly encouraging; while currently rough, the polished imagery and typography would evoke strength. The completion screen contains a qualitative field that asks you to describe what you found the most satisfying about this challenge. This data in this field will be sent to a repository that generates quotes of encouragement; every time you push the “get encouragement” button, it will pull a quote from the repository, and essentially, you will be encouraging yourself.
To summarize, this prototype explores the concept of using your own data to help and encourage yourself to start and successfully complete tasks.
The inspiration for this comes from personal experience: I was seeing a psychiatrist while recovering from a mental breakdown and explained my fear of taking on a new role at work. Because of my fragile mental state, I was convinced I would fail. He asked how many times I had failed during my decade-long tenure and I answered, “Twice. I missed two deadlines.” He broke character and laughed, “2 times in 10 years! Oh boy. Let’s say they were massive and we mark those entire years as failures; that’s only a 20% failure rate. That means you have an 80% success rate. That’s really good! You’re gonna be ok.” It snapped me out of that negative mindset because I’d never thought of it that way. And if it helped me navigate that shaky transition, it could possibly be the breakthrough that others need.
