Digital Detox feature for the HMD Skyline mobile phone. This innovative function lets users regain focus by blocking notifications or limiting access to selected apps entirely. A digital detox can come in many forms including powering off your smartphone for a few hours.
Helping people build healthier digital habits
As part of HMD Global’s commitment to digital wellbeing, I was responsible for designing a new Digital Detox experience for an Android smartphone. The goal was to help users better understand and manage their relationship with technology through intuitive tools that encouraged healthier screen-time habits – without adding unnecessary complexity.
Unlike many wellbeing apps that simply present statistics, this project focused on creating meaningful interactions that empowered users to make informed choices about how they use their devices. Which app and contact they want to interact and when.
Details
Time Frame: Sep 24-Mar 25
Role: Research, Concept & UX Design, UI Design, Art Direction (3D)
Product Link: HMD Skyline | A repair-it-yourself phone for creators
* Research, concept & design from scratch. Mainly solo achievement. Uncomplicated business alignment. CD input only for visual side. Involvement 0 > 1
The Challenge
Smartphones are designed to capture our attention, yet users increasingly want more control over their digital lives. The challenge was to design a feature that encouraged positive behavioural change while remaining simple, helpful, and seamlessly integrated into the Android experience.
The solution also needed to work within strict platform guidelines, technical constraints, and HMD’s visual identity.
Research & Discovery
The project was heavily informed by my own research and research conducted as part of the HMD Better Phone Project. Working alongside product teams and specialists in digital wellbeing and mental health, we explored how smartphones and social media influence behaviour, particularly among younger users.
These insights helped define user needs, identify pain points, and shape the product strategy from the earliest concept stages.
My Role
As Product Designer, I was involved throughout the entire design process, including:
- UX research and concept development
- Product strategy and feature definition
- User journeys and interaction design
- Wireframing and high-fidelity UI
- Visual and logo design, and iconography
- Cross-functional collaboration with creative director, product managers, developers, and international teams in Finland, China, Taiwan, and Spain
I also led the art direction for the feature visual, ensuring it reflected HMD’s brand while creating a calm, approachable experience that supported the product’s wellbeing goals.
Design Approach
The experience was designed around clarity, easy access, and positive reinforcement. Every interaction was carefully considered to reduce cognitive load and encourage healthy habits without feeling intrusive or judgemental.
The interface used clean layouts, thoughtful typography, subtle colour palettes, and clear visual hierarchy to make complex information easy to understand. Components were designed to work on the HMD Skyline Android device while remaining consistent with HMD’s wider design system.
The Outcome
The Digital Detox feature became part of HMD’s wider digital wellbeing offering, shipping as a native Android experience. The project successfully balanced user needs, business objectives, technical constraints, and brand requirements to deliver a thoughtful product focused on improving everyday digital wellbeing.
This project demonstrated the importance of combining user research, product thinking, UX strategy, and visual design to create experiences that not only function well but also have a positive impact on people’s daily lives.