PerkTrail
Turning digital addiction into healthier online and offline habits
PerkTrail proposes a model for responsible digital design that aligns behavioral psychology with wellbeing-focused interaction.
Project Type: Interdisciplinary design research for digital behaviour
Role: Research, Concept & Visual Design
Collaborators: Abhra Sengupta (Digital Design), Ruby Read (Painting), David Altmeyer (Fashion Design), Yibeijia Li (Ceramics)
Year: 2024
Context
For the Being Digital project at the Royal College of Art, I collaborated with an interdisciplinary team to explore how addictive algorithms manipulate the brain’s dopamine loop. We wanted to rethink the psychology of reward and instant gratification—using the same mechanisms that fuel online addiction to instead encourage mindful, real-world engagement.
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The Problem​
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​Online platforms thrive on short bursts of dopamine that keep users scrolling for gratification. Over time, this loop shortens our attention span and increases dependency on digital stimulation.
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Our question was: Can we redesign digital incentives to promote healthier offline behaviors instead?​​​​​​​
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The Solution​
Our solution, PerkTrail, is a wellbeing app that partners with brands and local communities to reward users for developing mindful hobbies.
Unlike typical fitness or productivity apps, PerkTrail celebrates all forms of enriching offline activity—painting, reading, yoga, running, cooking, and more.
Users can discover nearby resources to begin new hobbies and earn points, discounts, or rewards as they reach milestones—mirroring the incentive systems of social media, but redirecting them toward real-world fulfilment.
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How It Works
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Discover: The app suggests local workshops, clubs, and stores for different hobbies
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Track & Earn: Users collect digital and physical stickers to mark milestones, track their hobbies and offline time.
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Redeem: Points unlock rewards from partnered brands—turning habit-building into an engaging cycle of positive reinforcement with incentive and rewards.
​Visual Identity​
The logo and interface embody simplicity and momentum—a walking icon symbolizing movement from screen to action.Our visual language combines energetic reds with grounded neutrals, bridging the tension between digital stimulation and mindful calm.
My Contribution
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I led the research and analysis stages, synthesizing literature on dopamine-driven behaviors and incentive psychology and conducting interviews with users.
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I designed the reward-tracking sticker system and conducted competitor mapping to shape the project’s strategic direction.