The Cognitive Challenges We Address

Our design framework addresses six primary cognitive challenges faced by ADHD students.

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Planning & Initiation

Difficulty breaking tasks into steps and beginning work. We provide clear, actionable micro-tasks.

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Working Memory

Limited capacity for holding information across screens. We keep everything visible and accessible.

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Attention Control

Challenges directing focus and managing time perception. We minimize distractions and provide time cues.

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Interest-Based Motivation

Difficulty initiating non-stimulating tasks without frequent rewards. We gamify progress with immediate feedback.

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Emotional Overwhelm

Executive dysfunction linked to emotional dysregulation. We create calm, predictable interfaces.

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Time Perception

Inaccurate sense of time passage and task duration. We make time visible and provide progress indicators.

Our Design Principles

Every design decision is guided by these core principles.

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Recognition Over Recall

"Show the information; don't make users remember it."

Persistent progress bars and visible metadata reduce working memory demands. Everything you need is always on screen.

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Micro-Wins & Immediate Feedback

"Dopamine response within one second."

The interface provides dopamine-like responses instantly through animations and progress indicators. Every action gets acknowledged.

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Single-Task Focus Design

"One thing at a time."

Full-width assignment cards with hidden alternatives eliminate decision paralysis and attention fragmentation. Focus on what's next.

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Ruthless Minimalism

"Every element must justify its cognitive cost."

We constantly audit our UI. If an element doesn't serve a clear function, it doesn't belong. Less is more for ADHD brains.

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Sensory Budget Framework

"Users have finite sensory processing capacity."

Design audits whether elements earn their cognitive cost. Every color, animation, and interaction is justified against this budget.

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Predictability

"Consistency creates psychological safety."

Consistent, calm interfaces through dark mode, accessible typography, and familiar patterns. No surprises, no anxiety.

How We Implement These Principles

Concrete strategies that bring our philosophy to life.

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Externalizing Working Memory

Persistent context means users never have to remember where they were. All information stays visible and accessible.

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Color-Coded Priority

Preattentive processing lets users instantly recognize urgency through color. Red = missing, orange = upcoming, blue = future.

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Checkbox-Based Decomposition

Large tasks broken into micro-tasks with checkboxes. Each check provides dopamine. Momentum builds naturally.

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Three-Level Progress Visualization

XP counters, streaks, and progress bars at task, course, and overall levels. Progress is always visible at every scale.

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Reduced Visual Stimulation

Dark mode with carefully chosen contrast levels. Scientifically designed typography for readability. Calm, not chaotic.

Design in Action

Every screen in Strux Labs is designed with these principles in mind. From the Quest dashboard to individual assignment views, every element earns its place.

We use dark backgrounds (#0a0a0a) to reduce eye strain. Cards use subtle glassmorphic effects for depth without distraction. Progress is always visible through XP counters, streaks, and completion percentages.

The result? An interface that feels calm and capable, even when there's a lot of work to do.

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The Sensory Budget

Before adding any element, we ask:

  • Does this reduce cognitive load?
  • Does this provide immediate value?
  • Does this respect the user's attention?
  • Can we achieve this with less?

If an element can't pass this audit, it doesn't ship.

Experience the Difference

See how thoughtful design transforms homework management.

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