Designing for the Lock Screen Moment
Each widget state was intentionally designed around color, lighting, and composition to reflect the learner’s current streak status. Bright, optimistic palettes were used for success and completion states, while darker tones and focused lighting signaled urgency during streak-loss or revive moments. The mascot’s pose, scale, and framing were carefully adjusted to ensure instant readability at small sizes. These visual cues were meant to trigger recognition before cognition—so users could feel what state they were in before reading any text.
Impact on Retention and Growth
From a growth perspective, widgets play a meaningful role in improving retention and habit formation. Industry data shows that surface-level reminders like widgets can significantly increase daily opens and reduce churn, especially for streak-based products. For Airlearn, these widgets were designed to strengthen daily recall, encourage recovery after drop-offs, and subtly reinforce social sharing and k-factor through visible progress. The outcome was not just a set of creatives, but a scalable system that blends brand, behavior design, and growth mechanics into a single glanceable experience.
