Vape Quit Coach
Behavior change through architecture, not willpower
Ownership
Solo Designer & Developer
Team
Solo / small team
Key Result
4.8★ App Store Rating
Overview
An iOS app for quitting vaping that treats addiction as a design problem rather than a moral failure. Most health apps use motivation and guilt—I built the opposite.
The Challenge
Quitting apps typically rely on shame, streaks, and willpower. But willpower is a finite resource, and shame drives people away from the tools meant to help them. The challenge: design an experience that makes not vaping feel easier than vaping, without moralizing.
Constraints
- •Behavior change support had to avoid shame mechanics and relapse punishment loops.
- •The app needed to be effective in high-stress, low-attention moments.
- •Solo development required disciplined scope and clear UX priorities.
Decision Log
Problem
Streak systems create brittle motivation and anxiety.
Decision
Shifted progress framing from perfect streaks to identity and trend signals.
Tradeoff
Less instantly gamified feedback.
Impact
More resilient long-term engagement after setbacks.
Problem
Craving moments are noisy and emotionally charged.
Decision
Used calm, low-stimulus intervention screens with short actions.
Tradeoff
Less visual spectacle during key moments.
Impact
Lower cognitive load when users need support most.
Approach
1. Behavioral Architecture
Instead of counting days sober (which creates anxiety), the app focuses on understanding triggers and building replacement habits. The interface makes logging feel like self-discovery, not confession.
2. Progress as Identity
Traditional apps celebrate streaks—but one slip resets everything, creating shame spirals. I designed a system where progress accumulates even through setbacks. You're building a new identity, not maintaining a perfect record.
3. Liminal Design
The moments when cravings hit are liminal—between states. The UI for these moments is deliberately calm, almost meditative. No bright colors, no urgency. Just presence.
Outcome
4.8 star rating on the App Store. Users consistently mention that it 'feels different' from other quit apps—less judgmental, more like a tool than a taskmaster.
4.8★
App Store Rating
100%
Solo Built
Learnings
- →Shame-based design is lazy design. The interface should make the right choice feel obvious, not heroic.
- →Health apps need a different vocabulary than productivity software. You can't 'optimize' addiction recovery.
- →Every pixel was a decision I owned. Solo projects teach you what you actually believe.
Anti-Patterns Avoided
- ×Punitive streak resets and public shame nudges.
- ×Engagement loops optimized for app opens rather than quit outcomes.
- ×Clinical fear-based copy during relapse-adjacent moments.
Next Iterations
- →Adaptive intervention timing based on user-identified trigger windows.
- →Deeper longitudinal insights that preserve privacy and dignity.
Need This Type Of Outcome?
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