Flower: A Visualization Tool for Reflecting on Smartphone Use

Abstract

This thesis explores the design considerations for creating a tool that encourages meaningful reflection on smartphone use. To investigate this, an app called Flower was developed, allowing users to categorize each app session and then view visualizations of their usage. Two visualization styles were tested; a conventional bar chart and a more novel "flower field" where each flower represented an app session. Over an eight-day user study with twelve university students, findings indicated that the act of self-categorization prompted greater reflection and that users felt the visualized data better represented their experiences. While most participants preferred the flower field for its aesthetics and exploratory nature, some valued the bar chart for its clarity and ease of interpretation.

The study suggests that encouraging users to reflect on their smartphone use in context, rather than labeling all screen time as negative can motivate users to explore their data, and draw more meaningful insights about their phone use. Novel visualizations can increase user interest, though care must be taken to balance abstractness with clarity. Limitations of the study include minor technical issues and a small, homogeneous participant group. Future research could explore more personalized visualizations, longer-term use, and broader participant samples.

This work contributes to understanding how creative, user-driven tools can foster reflection and more nuanced perceptions of digital well-being.