For the “Being Digital” brief at the Royal College of Art, I collaborated with an interdisciplinary team interdisciplinary team explored the psychological effects of addictive algorithms and their manipulation of the brain’s dopamine loop. Their project aimed to transform the mechanisms used by social media platforms to create addiction—instant gratification and reward—into tools that foster positive offline habits. The team developed a concept for an app that encourages mindful engagement with both digital and real-life activities by partnering with brands across diverse hobbies such as reading, painting, running, or gardening. Users could discover nearby resources to start new hobbies and earn rewards or discounts upon reaching milestones, mirroring the incentive systems that make online platforms so compelling.

Anusha contributed to the project through research, competitor analysis, and sticker reward design, helping shape the link between digital tracking and tangible motivation. The project highlighted how digital design can promote wellbeing rather than exploit attention. By rethinking reward mechanisms, the team proposed a model of “healthy addiction” that uses digital engagement as a bridge to real-world fulfillment. The outcome underscored the importance of collaboration, critical reflection, and designing technology with social responsibility in mind