Every screen in New Baby gets the same test: could a half-asleep parent use this with one hand at 3am, with a baby on the other arm, in the dark?
If the answer is no, we redesign. Here are the five rules we use.
1. The most important action is also the biggest
The talk-to-log button is the size of two thumbs and is always at the bottom of the screen. You can hit it without looking. Everything else can be smaller.
2. Default to silence
No notification sounds at night. No vibration on log success. The app should respect a sleeping baby.
3. Reading should be optional
If the user has to read more than five words to understand what just happened, we've failed. Visual cues, gentle colours, clear icons. Words are backup.
4. Forgive everything
Tired people misspeak, mistap, double-tap. Every action is undoable for 30 seconds. Every entry is editable. Nothing is final.
5. The Lock Screen is the home screen
The fastest interaction is the one that doesn't require unlocking. Live Activities, widgets, the Dynamic Island — if we can do it from the Lock Screen, we do.
What we removed last quarter
We deleted the achievement badges. They felt cute in the design review. They felt patronising at 3am. The principle: nothing in the app should make a tired parent feel judged or rewarded for surviving a feed.
If you're building something for parents (or for any audience operating at low capacity) — we'd recommend the same test. It changes everything.
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