A new app recently launched on the App Store a few weeks ago, targeting people with ADHD, arriving on time and rewarding them for doing so.
The service is designed to help users manage their travel plans when they are leaving for a trip and manage their travel plans by sending reminders 30, 10, or 5 minutes before departure. It also features live activities on iPhone and Apple Watch, showing the countdown.
To encourage timely departures, we have recently adopted a point reward system with four difficulty levels.
The easiest level, “Goldfish”, is where users award 3 points early, 2 points on time, and 0 late, while the other levels (“Coffee”, “Adult”, “Yoda”) gradually becomes less tolerant. Yoda, for example, deducts two points late.
As users accumulate points, they level up and unlock various virtual characters within the app. Rewards may seem simple, but they can provide users with a sense of progress and accomplishment.
Image credit: Erik Macinnis
It was recently created by indie developer Erik Macinnis and addressed the challenges faced by individuals with ADHD, particularly related to time management.
“I was always the 'late' part of a group of friends,” McInnis told TechCrunch. “For many of us, the toughest challenge of leaving on time is estimating blindness in time and inadequate time. Recently, we've addressed both of these issues by keeping our users aware of when they're leaving, and as it's gaming, we get points when they arrive on time.
Although there are other similar apps, such as Android apps, which Macinnis considers to be outdated. ADHD apps such as Structured and Ticktick are primarily for task management and do not specifically address blindness during commute hours.
While testing, I recently found it helpful, but I hope that we can provide time estimates for commuters in large cities who use public transport and bikes. Currently, the app only offers driving and walking options.
Despite this small limitation, we believe the app can succeed within the target demographics.
Individuals with ADHD often feel unmotivated, and experts often suggest using reward systems to support self-discipline. Another gaming app, Finch, is drawing attention to its point system. Self-care apps encourage users to engage in other healthy habits by rewarding them with points that can be used to complete daily chores at home or customize their virtual pets.
Macinnis recently revealed plans for the future. This includes a social feature that automatically notifies friends when they leave, five minutes away, and when they arrive. The Android version is also part of the long-term roadmap.
It's free these days, but also comes with a premium subscription ($3 a month or $10 a year), offering features such as customising difficulty and scheduling regular trips.