Concept Design & Design Awards Winner

Concept Design & Design Awards Winner

Moonu

Moonu

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TEAM

Xiaochen(Iris) Shi, Product Designer

Yi Cui, Product Designer

Yuan Wu, Product Designer

PROJECT TIMELINE

3-month concept project

Overview

Overview

Overview

Moonu is a passion project I worked on with two other designers — born out of countless late-night and weekend conversations about sleep struggles, procrastination spirals, and how chaotic bedtime can feel for people with ADHD. We wanted to design something warm, motivating, and supportive — not another productivity app that guilt-trips you with streaks.

Background

Background

Background

Research shows that people with ADHD often experience bedtime procrastination, driven by anxiety, hyperfocus, or difficulty winding down. Existing apps focused heavily on “discipline” and “tracking,” but very few approached the problem with compassion or emotional safety in mind.

So we asked ourselves:

What if we could turn bedtime into something supportive, structured, and even emotionally comforting?

That question became Moonu — a bedtime routine app that blends micro-interactions, gentle guidance, and emotional design to help users wind down without feeling judged or overwhelmed.

Research shows that people with ADHD often experience bedtime procrastination, driven by anxiety, hyperfocus, or difficulty winding down. Existing apps focused heavily on “discipline” and “tracking,” but very few approached the problem with compassion or emotional safety in mind.

So we asked ourselves:

What if we could turn bedtime into something supportive, structured, and even emotionally comforting?

That question became Moonu — a bedtime routine app that blends micro-interactions, gentle guidance, and emotional design to help users wind down without feeling judged or overwhelmed.

Our Process

Our Process

Our Process

My Contribution
While all three of us owned research and ideation equally, I took the lead on refining the prototype and visual design — ensuring the experience felt calming, predictable, and emotionally warm.
I created the final UI system, motion studies, and high-fidelity prototypes, including:

  • The “Moon Character” companion

  • Progressive bedtime task flow

  • Visual mood cues and color system

  • Cross-device bedtime reminders

My focus was on removing cognitive load — every interaction had to feel frictionless, forgiving, and sensory-friendly.

My Contribution
While all three of us owned research and ideation equally, I took the lead on refining the prototype and visual design — ensuring the experience felt calming, predictable, and emotionally warm.
I created the final UI system, motion studies, and high-fidelity prototypes, including:

  • The “Moon Character” companion

  • Progressive bedtime task flow

  • Visual mood cues and color system

  • Cross-device bedtime reminders

My focus was on removing cognitive load — every interaction had to feel frictionless, forgiving, and sensory-friendly.

This was a deeply collaborative project. The three of us:

  • Co-led user research — interviewing ADHD users, mapping their nighttime emotions, and identifying their biggest friction points

  • Co-created early concepts & flows — testing everything from energy-based routines to gentle prompts and reward loops.

This was a deeply collaborative project. The three of us:

  • Co-led user research — interviewing ADHD users, mapping their nighttime emotions, and identifying their biggest friction points

  • Co-created early concepts & flows — testing everything from energy-based routines to gentle prompts and reward loops.

Outcomes

Outcomes

Outcomes

Moonu became more than a side project — it resonated deeply. Our concept received recognition in multiple student and early-career design competitions. The positive feedback from ADHD communities validated our hypothesis that bedtime tools don’t need to be clinical — they can be delightful.

Moonu became more than a side project — it resonated deeply. Our concept received recognition in multiple student and early-career design competitions. The positive feedback from ADHD communities validated our hypothesis that bedtime tools don’t need to be clinical — they can be delightful.

© 2026  Xiaochen(Iris) Shi

© 2026  Xiaochen(Iris) Shi

© 2026  Xiaochen(Iris) Shi

© 2026  Xiaochen(Iris) Shi