Impact
Tracker App
Designer Jen Ball
Impact Tracker is an early-stage concept designed to make environmental cleanup feel engaging, measurable, and community-driven. This prototype explores how gamification, social accountability, and meaningful progress feedback can motivate people to keep taking action in the real world.
While the current version focuses on establishing a strong foundation for core features and visual language, several rounds of refinement, user testing, and iterations are needed to elevate both functionality and experience. This case study highlights the thinking and potential behind the initial direction.
The Challenge
Initial excitement drives brand ambassadors to take action, though many eventually fall off when progress feels invisible and they lose motivation.
💢 Hard to keep volunteers engaged long-term
💢 Individual efforts feel invisible
💢 Lack of social accountability or feedback loops
💢 Impact is tracked through Google Forms
How can we motivate and sustain taking action by making individual contributions feel meaningful, recognized, and connected with their community?
Target Users
What They Need
Product Goals
By understanding the pain points of our ambassadors and what keeps them engaged, we crafted focused product goals that support our user's experience.
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Make impact feel real, not invisible
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Motivate with rewards and achievements
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Streamline recording to be fast and fun
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Help users easily find and join cleanups
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Strengthen community and shared purpose
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Educate users to be better outdoor stewards
Impact Tracking
AI Weight Calculator
💢 Pain point: Users are often unsure of trash weight.
✅ Solution: Users describe what they collected, and AI provides a smart weight estimate they can quickly review and confirm.
Location's Cleanliness Status
Friend Tagging
Tagging friends encourages users to clean up together, increasing motivation, and accountability.
💢 Pain point: Users are unsure which nearby areas actually need cleanup.
✅ Solution: Post-cleanup cleanliness ratings help guide others to areas that still require work.
A home screen alert expands to show nearby spots that need attention, helping users choose their next cleanup.
Layered Engagement at a Glance
Today's Fact: Education
Educates the user with a daily fact that builds awareness about the impact of litter on our environment.
Alert Module: Guidance
Guides the user by highlighting nearby areas that need attention, helping users take quick action and support their community.
Next Badge: Motivation
Motivates users by showing progress toward their next achievement.
Featured Events: Inspiration
Highlights upcoming local and global cleanups to inspire participation.
The home screen provides quick education, guidance, motivation and inspiration to keep users involved.
🤩 Moments of Delight
Subtle and celebratory animations:
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Confetti to celebrate impact
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Progress indicator movement
Gamifying
Real-World Impact
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🏆 Achievement Badges
Badges earned in several categories:
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Weight milestones
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Event attendance
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Seasonal/community challenges
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Location diversity
📕 Facts / Stats Graphics
Modules to help inform and motivate:
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Personal progress stats make cleanup feel like a measurable achievement
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Daily emoji-supported facts
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Impact translated into real-world comparisons
Wireframes
