FROM CHAOS TO FOCUS: DESIGNING AN EXPERIENTIAL SYSTEM FOR ATTENTION MANAGEMENT

Abstract

The increasing presence of smartphones and digital platforms has transformed the way people study and work, while also creating new challenges related to distraction, fragmented attention, and reduced focus.While focusing has always been a challenge for mankind, digital distraction has added to the difficultly Existing solutions such as productivity applications, timers, and website blockers often rely heavily on self control and remain confined to the digital environment, limiting their effectiveness for many users. This project explores the possibility of supporting focused work through a combination of physical and digital interventions that influence user behaviour rather than merely tracking it. The outcome of the project is Spine, a focus-support system designed to encourage sustained attention during study and work sessions. The system combines a chair mounted ergonomic support device with a companion mobile app. By introducing environmental cues, social accountability, session timers, and a deliberate separation between the user and their smartphone, the system aims to create a structured transition from distraction to focused engagement. The design draws upon principles of behavioral design, habit formation, ergonomics, and digital well being to develop a more immersive and intentional focus experience. The project was developed through secondary research, user surveys, concept exploration, prototyping, and iterative design evaluation. Findings indicated that distraction is influenced not only by digital notifications but also by environmental conditions, routines, and the absence of meaningful focus rituals. Rather than positioning focus as an issue of willpower alone, the project investigates how design can shape behaviors and environments that support concentration. The thesis demonstrates how an integrated product-service system can address contemporary challenges of attention management by combining physical interaction, behavioral triggers, and digital support into a cohesive user experience. The resulting concept offers a potential direction for designing focus-oriented experiences that respond to the realities of an increasingly distracted digital culture.