Show HN: Routinetap, my weekend project to track daily habits(routinetap.com)
routinetap.com
Show HN: Routinetap, my weekend project to track daily habits
http://routinetap.com
16 comments
The funny thing is that I applied for Y Combinator funding three years ago centered around a Blackberry app version of a similar idea. I figured you could tie in ads or shopping recommendations based on actual behavior (rather than desired behavior). Unfortunately, I didn't get funding and the idea was too half baked at the time anyway. I ended up shelving it for over two years.
I resurrected the idea about 6 months ago when I learned Android development. I even built a very crude prototype. As you pointed out, however, data entry is a real problem. However, if you're willing to stick with it, these types of applications can be very powerful and useful for behavior modification because you get feedback on what you actually do. For example, if you're trying to lose weight or change a bad habit (or start a good habit) the power of actual statistical data is amazing. It's like there is another person watching everything you do that you have to be totally honest with. Just being aware of your routines at this level of precision changes you.
I resurrected the idea about 6 months ago when I learned Android development. I even built a very crude prototype. As you pointed out, however, data entry is a real problem. However, if you're willing to stick with it, these types of applications can be very powerful and useful for behavior modification because you get feedback on what you actually do. For example, if you're trying to lose weight or change a bad habit (or start a good habit) the power of actual statistical data is amazing. It's like there is another person watching everything you do that you have to be totally honest with. Just being aware of your routines at this level of precision changes you.
Indeed, I grabbed this app to record things I'm already recording. But I think a mobile app will be a big win. I have found that, if I record data points (mostly my weight) in a spreadsheet, I have trouble remembering to record every day. But if I do it on a whiteboard on the wall, it's easy. So salience and ease of use are key here.
I'm working on an app to help people track their progress towards better eating habits (http://everyday.io), and yeah, being able to use it from wherever you are is an important feature for me. So besides the web interface, I also have an "email interface" (daily reminders, email-ins) and I'm working on the mobile interface (Android app, iOS app pending damn Apple approval). It's already hard enough to change daily habits, so it's important to make it as easy as possible to track.
I second this, a mobile app would be awesome.
Of course, you already know that, I'm just expressing my opinion on it to add another data point to your feedback.
Of course, you already know that, I'm just expressing my opinion on it to add another data point to your feedback.
Is there a way to remind me everyday to fill out my questionare? A daily email will probably work.
Not yet, I have thought about this but I wasn't sure if I would be nagging people. Maybe a opt-in would be the best choice.
I may be wrong, but I believe Benjamin Franklin had a system similar to this. Except with "daily habits", it was "virtues".
I like the idea, and think it would be even better if you made things simpler for the user. The point of this kind of app would be to get daily input, but the user is their own worst enemy by not entering it every day. So, a nag would make it much better.
Also, your use of Twitter Bootstrap is nice, but I saw that on the Sign Up form you had the "@" prepended before e-mail. I think that is meant for when there is a form to enter a twitter handle.
See here for what I mean: http://cl.ly/2Z3Q1N112x2a3W0C0K3x
I like the idea, and think it would be even better if you made things simpler for the user. The point of this kind of app would be to get daily input, but the user is their own worst enemy by not entering it every day. So, a nag would make it much better.
Also, your use of Twitter Bootstrap is nice, but I saw that on the Sign Up form you had the "@" prepended before e-mail. I think that is meant for when there is a form to enter a twitter handle.
See here for what I mean: http://cl.ly/2Z3Q1N112x2a3W0C0K3x
You are correct. He had a chart with the days of the week (columns) and virtues (rows). He would then note how many faults he had committed each day. He tried to perfect each virtue for some time before adding another, and would perform cycles of this system that lasted several weeks each.
He later stopped doing it, claiming lack of time but he still saw much value in performing this task. You may find this in more detail in his book, which is reproduced here (I have pointed for the specific chapter): http://www.benjaminfranklinbiography.net/#IX
He later stopped doing it, claiming lack of time but he still saw much value in performing this task. You may find this in more detail in his book, which is reproduced here (I have pointed for the specific chapter): http://www.benjaminfranklinbiography.net/#IX
When people say weekend project, do they typically mean this took 20 hours or so? About how long did this take you, mping? (Just wondering, because I feel I'm very slow with personal projects - mostly because I usually work in 2 hour blocks or so)
Not even remotely close to 20 hours. I used this proj to learn rails and mongodb, I had a previous project that went nowhere to learn rails, I had a previous css scheme (before twitter's bootstrap came along), I used KnockoutJS intensively (only to learn I didn't need it that bad) and I had to learn how to deploy to a server (linode, dns, setting up nginx, etc).
A good estimate would be like 100 hours or more; I'm guessing if I handled the screents to a Rails expert, he would do it in ~20 hours.
If I were to repeat it, I'd probably give backbone.js a try (and spend another 100+ hours...)
A good estimate would be like 100 hours or more; I'm guessing if I handled the screents to a Rails expert, he would do it in ~20 hours.
If I were to repeat it, I'd probably give backbone.js a try (and spend another 100+ hours...)
OK, thanks - makes me feel a little better. I was originially thinking "Where do people get 100 hours in a weekend? Wives/children/pets must be on vacation...". But I realize it's probably more like weekends, plural. I've got a side project going to learn Django and Python - you're work inspired me to throw Bootstrap in there too.
Anyway, nice job!
Anyway, nice job!
Nice idea but the UI is weird. I have to setup questionnaires, click save on them and on each day. It should sync in the background. Can't input data for past days even if they're empty, only current day. The shuffling around animation between calendar days is weird. Also feels slow.
UX is very important for this type of app. You're using it every day, it needs to load and save data quickly.
Obviously it's the early prototype but I'd expect a simple app like this to be as snappy as backbone.js todo example, it's not much more complex.
UX is very important for this type of app. You're using it every day, it needs to load and save data quickly.
Obviously it's the early prototype but I'd expect a simple app like this to be as snappy as backbone.js todo example, it's not much more complex.
I like the idea of this, but I can't help feeling there is always too much for a user to do with app's like this.
I'm a busy person, I dont want to be filling in forms all the time keep this information upto date. I know this is hard problem to solve. I mean - show else would this work?
Makes me think of this post a few weeks ago
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3188635 (Dont give your users shit work).
I'm a busy person, I dont want to be filling in forms all the time keep this information upto date. I know this is hard problem to solve. I mean - show else would this work?
Makes me think of this post a few weeks ago
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3188635 (Dont give your users shit work).
Your copy needs a bit of work.
> "Do you ever wondered why don't you reach your personal goals, although you try?"
I'm not sure where you're going with that question, but it's all over the place.
> "Do you want to know how much do you sleep on average?"
This makes somewhat better sense as: "Do you want to know how much you sleep, on average?"
Although it's not a very gripping question. It could definitely lose "on average".
> "Do you ever wondered why don't you reach your personal goals, although you try?"
I'm not sure where you're going with that question, but it's all over the place.
> "Do you want to know how much do you sleep on average?"
This makes somewhat better sense as: "Do you want to know how much you sleep, on average?"
Although it's not a very gripping question. It could definitely lose "on average".
thanks, you're right.
I've been looking for something like this for a while. Almost coded it myself but now I don't have to. Thanks!
I was actually just starting to work on something that did the exact same thing. I felt guilty for taking time to build a system that was supposed to save me time. Thanks! Signed up, will surely use this.
Any plans for social features? I want to share my goals with the universe!
Any plans for social features? I want to share my goals with the universe!
Plans are refine the thing, go social and/or go mobile, to minimize the friction.
Blarg. Who the hell wants to enter all these stats about their life, carefully submitting numbers about their day, etc. bla bla bla. so in human. in the end you're like a slave to the careful entering of stats about yourself, managing your facts like some accountant.
I have four questions, I only see one at a time.
On http://routinetap.com/answers_list I expect to see all four of my questions.
I want to spend as little time on this app as possible.
On http://routinetap.com/answers_list I expect to see all four of my questions.
I want to spend as little time on this app as possible.
It seems I have to refine the lingo. You may have created 4 questionnaires instead.
I'll have to set up a how-to real soon!
This is my first submission to hn, so be gentle with me.
The app still has alot of work to do (eg: send email on registration), but I figure that I shouldn't wait anymore.
You did the right thing in submitting this now. In reading the feedback, just remember that you can't please all of the people all of the time. Focus on the feedback that really resonates with you.
Other people will create apps for those whose use cases don't fit your app.
I know it's hard to understand your target market. I've been looking for something like this for a while, so I'm excited and more than willing to give you further feedback. Feel free to email me at my gmail account -> username is tryitnowhn
Other people will create apps for those whose use cases don't fit your app.
I know it's hard to understand your target market. I've been looking for something like this for a while, so I'm excited and more than willing to give you further feedback. Feel free to email me at my gmail account -> username is tryitnowhn
The interface could use some work. I don't want to have to press back every time I add a new question. It was unclear to me whether I should be creating multiple "questionaires" or adding new questions to one questionnaire. Is questionnaire the right word for this? Those are just my 30-second reactions.
I'll think of something to clear up the confusion. I sure need to write a guide. You shouldn't have to press back, only left click on the questions and they would be added dynamically.
As a weekend project, seems like you're off to a good start here. The UI is nice, as I happen to like simple, clean, minimal interfaces. (This is bootstrap, I assume.)
I'm not keen on the flow of creating & editing questionnaires, though; would prefer having the whole process be done within the same screen instead of jumping to a new page. This is especially the case when mobile.
It's unclear if not being able to have multiple questionnaires active simultaneously is by design or a bug, but in my mind it's essential. There are a few things I could stand to be reminded of needing to do routinely during the day (i.e. take a 5-minute stretch break from coding every hour), some other tasks where I'd like to track how long I'm doing them over time (how much sleep, how long the workout was, etc.) plus a ton of possibilities I'm not even thinking of but would likely find really useful.
You might want to consider adding some scoring, rewards and achievements to the mix as well; it might make the journey of reaching your goals a little more fun.
I'd like a checkbox-based multiple choice questionnaire in addition to the radio button-based one you currently have. You'd have to complete all of the tasks for the questionnaire to be considered complete. Partially completed questionnaires provide lower scores than fully completed ones.
Also, the ability to add this as a channel to if-this-then-that (http://http://ifttt.com/) could turn out to be really powerful. Since this is yet another calendar in my life I would like to find a way to fit it into the one that rules them all. Not sure what that means, really, other than I have multiple calendars that I've taken the time to sync together, so this should as well, somehow. ;) Perhaps there's a way to take a recurring event that I've created on my calendar that Routinetap could trap and automatically turn into a questionnaire.
Lastly, Maybe I want to tell my social circle that I've reached some milestone or completed a goal; ifttt could provide that without you having to do much work at all (i.e. send an SMS or email to me when the milestone or goal is reached; on ifttt I could set up a trigger that blasts my achievement to my social networks, or something else entirely). If you're not familiar with ifttt, you should check it out. It's awesome.
Again, a very nice start. I think you're wise to get this out there as a MVP; I can envision this turning into a very useful product/service.
Feel free to ping me here on HN for more discussion. ♒ Cheers.
I'm not keen on the flow of creating & editing questionnaires, though; would prefer having the whole process be done within the same screen instead of jumping to a new page. This is especially the case when mobile.
It's unclear if not being able to have multiple questionnaires active simultaneously is by design or a bug, but in my mind it's essential. There are a few things I could stand to be reminded of needing to do routinely during the day (i.e. take a 5-minute stretch break from coding every hour), some other tasks where I'd like to track how long I'm doing them over time (how much sleep, how long the workout was, etc.) plus a ton of possibilities I'm not even thinking of but would likely find really useful.
You might want to consider adding some scoring, rewards and achievements to the mix as well; it might make the journey of reaching your goals a little more fun.
I'd like a checkbox-based multiple choice questionnaire in addition to the radio button-based one you currently have. You'd have to complete all of the tasks for the questionnaire to be considered complete. Partially completed questionnaires provide lower scores than fully completed ones.
Also, the ability to add this as a channel to if-this-then-that (http://http://ifttt.com/) could turn out to be really powerful. Since this is yet another calendar in my life I would like to find a way to fit it into the one that rules them all. Not sure what that means, really, other than I have multiple calendars that I've taken the time to sync together, so this should as well, somehow. ;) Perhaps there's a way to take a recurring event that I've created on my calendar that Routinetap could trap and automatically turn into a questionnaire.
Lastly, Maybe I want to tell my social circle that I've reached some milestone or completed a goal; ifttt could provide that without you having to do much work at all (i.e. send an SMS or email to me when the milestone or goal is reached; on ifttt I could set up a trigger that blasts my achievement to my social networks, or something else entirely). If you're not familiar with ifttt, you should check it out. It's awesome.
Again, a very nice start. I think you're wise to get this out there as a MVP; I can envision this turning into a very useful product/service.
Feel free to ping me here on HN for more discussion. ♒ Cheers.
thanks for your input. you (and the others as well) gave me alot of food for thought; It seems my current major headache is the flow of the questionnaire creation; also multiple active questionnaires seem indeed essential. The scoring aspeect also seems interesting.
I find it strange nobody argued about the chart, but I'm guessing there's no sufficient input to discuss it.
As a first-timer let me say that this community is indeed excellent.
I find it strange nobody argued about the chart, but I'm guessing there's no sufficient input to discuss it.
As a first-timer let me say that this community is indeed excellent.
Hmmmmmm, is that twitter bootstrap I see? :) Very nice.
If you're looking for a more game like version of this, Health Month has managed to keep my interest for a little bit now.
reminds me of Daytum (http://daytum.com/)
Great idea, great project. :-)