one tap to remove all distractions.
Timeline
October – November 2024 (4 weeks)
Role
Sole Product Designer
Tools
Figma, Adobe Creative Cloud, Maya
Team
Giancarlo Novelli
Danny Chmaytelli
Context
When Distraction Hijacks Flow
In a world where college students struggle to focus amidst the constant pull of screens, distractions have become a significant barrier to productivity and well-being.
Solution
Making Room for Focus
Bloom offers a physical card to block distracting apps, helping you win back your time.
Timeline
I joined with just four weeks until launch. Daunting, but I built myself a clear timeline and sprinted to the finish.
Research
What College Students Taught Me
I combined qualitative and quantitative research to shape the concept.
Through interviews with 5 college students, I uncovered a strong preference for a tangible card, while affordability emerged as a major pain point. Students were also excited by ideas like connecting with peers and using gamification to build habits.
To broaden insights, I ran a survey with 30+ UCLA students, which validated the card’s effectiveness and highlighted opportunities to improve both the existing website and the upcoming app.
Design
Branding/Identity
Because Bloom is designed to reduce distractions, I chose a palette of meditative, calming tones paired with clean, minimal typography. The colors convey a sense of ease and focus, while the modern aesthetic highlights the advanced technology behind the app without overwhelming the user.
Final colors (making sure not to use pure black or white to not overwhelm the user) + logo explorations
Design
Lo-Fi Prototyping
I worked on wireframing and defining the app’s information architecture — deciding which pages were needed and how users would move between them.
Design
Tap Card Mockups
Using Maya, I sculpted 3D mockups of the NFC tap card for distraction-unblocking, later translated into the final metal card design.
Design
Introducing Bloom
Effortless control over blocking and unblocking distractions.
Tap In, Tap Out
Personalize focus blocks with editable times, dates, and icons.
Stay on Track, Your Way
Emergency exits, breaks, streaks, and screen time; all designed to help users stay mindful and in control.
Designed for Balance
User Testing
Real Students, Real Feedback
Bloom launched after just one month in November 2024, but launch doesn’t equal perfection. Through interviews and surveys, I gathered feedback on usability and interaction, which led to a few important updates and underscored the need for continuous iteration.
User Testing
Bringing Feedback to Life
Based on feedback, I added a tutorial for first-time users and created a sleek black version of the app.
Launch
Bloom’s Impact
Reflection
Final Thoughts
A few Instagram graphics I designed (Also designed App Store visuals, Bloom’s mail, and more).
Joining Bloom with only a month until launch was daunting: I was balancing school, another design job, and the pressure of contributing to something that mattered. That nervous energy quickly transformed into motivation, and Bloom quickly became one of the most meaningful parts of my design journey.
I learned to prioritize effectively, focus on high-impact tasks, gained confidence in tackling ambitious projects despite the tight timeline and complexity, and saw firsthand how much can be achieved through fast, collaborative iteration.
Working with Giancarlo (CEO) and Danny (CTO) pushed me to grow not only as a designer but also as a teammate, and I’m proud of what we created together. Bloom reminded me why I love design: the chance to pour myself into building something purposeful and user-centered.