```cv
tweet
https://twitter.com/_bgian/status/1598462549900787714?s=20&t=vT0_td_ry4l58iKERCPvRA
```

```cv
tweet
https://twitter.com/_bgian/status/1559299771847917572?s=20&t=j2WmKW6SUCH8sTcn0D81lg
```

```cv
tweet
https://twitter.com/_bgian/status/1539276411130609664?s=20&t=5KkorCByRV08qy1BwJj0aA
```

```cv
tweet
https://twitter.com/_bgian/status/1539293966457221120
```

```cv
tweet
https://twitter.com/_bgian/status/1501000736263577600
```

```cv
tweet
https://twitter.com/_bgian/status/1459178239969136661
```

```cv
tweet
https://twitter.com/_bgian/status/1459610745512120325
```

```cv
tweet
https://twitter.com/_bgian/status/1442875428801167369
```

```cv
tweet
https://twitter.com/_bgian/status/1424856313163616257/photo/1
```

Sudden Ideas

### Since co-founding Jour, I lead the design on branding, product, and marketing.

> On September 21, 2021 [Jour was acquired by Alan for $20 million](https://techcrunch.com/2021/09/21/alan-acquires-jour-and-launches-mental-health-service-alan-mind/?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAEKphwLfW78BVnvnB236JW4TvCOgwtmvqQWrYxsoKPSMoE2K9_M-pH6PgEqsoacLzZA3uL5w8-S3q_K-W38wJji8TJgSjt3_-7TgSggkpyWk9cWppdtpXPygKNENfhqRltKsWgKaMiukFYAbzcBNCY04rrhXh-614zYJBD6ndLHS).

### Daily Journal: Building The Daily Habit of Journaling

It started in 2019 when we launched a [new concept of guided journaling to the world](https://medium.com/jour/the-new-journal-3d28bf618af2) and to our 25,000 pre-orders on the App Store.

We released a very simple app with only a handful of guided journaling tracks that were written and packaged based on [CBT, a psychological treatment used in therapy](https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/patients-and-families/cognitive-behavioral).

The tracks varied from Overcoming Fears, Healing Your Inner Child, and simpler tracks like Daily Reflection. While most of the tracks brought you on a deep journey with yourself, it was the low-effort Daily Reflection track that stuck with people.\
\
[We brought this track into the core of the product and called it Daily Jour](https://medium.com/jour/meet-daily-jour-d78ad856cfe6) to make the most-loved feature easy for everyone to discover.

**A preview of the Daily Jour experience**

1. Track your mood towards activities in your life.

2. Jour automatically picks through a library of thousands of journaling prompts. Each prompt is mapped to five major moods and the activities you select to give the most relevant guidance.

3. In return: you receive therapeutical content such as audio guides, journaling tracks, breathing exercises, and Breakthroughs.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2Fd3f2aad9-de06-4749-888e-1d0f7d4b4ee9.png?alt=media&token=7aca4fde-b333-4635-847d-059508224342","id":"d3f2aad9-de06-4749-888e-1d0f7d4b4ee9","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"1.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Home Tab","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F509b4916-cbaa-44d6-a5e1-3ab569e81f0e.png?alt=media&token=2b4d2833-8fee-4f4b-a900-35479209ab60","id":"509b4916-cbaa-44d6-a5e1-3ab569e81f0e","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"2.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Activity Selection","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F63b65457-79db-4f68-9194-252516162ef3.png?alt=media&token=ea6621d6-3f5d-4f7b-a5b9-5ac9f9368118","id":"63b65457-79db-4f68-9194-252516162ef3","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"3.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Journaling Prompt","border":false}]}
```

### Breakthrough: The Loop of Content Creation vs Consumption

In a product that requires content creation (input) to feel the core value, you can make that easier by allowing for more passive actions. However, feeling the effects of journaling could take one day, three days, or three months depending on what you're working on.

Finding ways to provide content consumption (output) to people immediately in the product experience opened a lot of doors for Jour.

**The idea for Breakthrough was simple**

> Reveal honest, bite-sized expertise for you, based on how you’ve been feeling

We often looked at astrology as an inspiration as it provides a great deal of reassurance with zero effort required from people.

So, while designing Breakthroughs, I was interested in formatting this feature into an experience much like tarot readings or horoscopes.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2Ff5de9484-378d-46c1-9770-04e0f529e1f6.png?alt=media&token=571fe32f-9d12-42e2-b7e8-68950759ae06","id":"f5de9484-378d-46c1-9770-04e0f529e1f6","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"1.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Breakthrough","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2Fd139ad57-11c0-4d85-99bd-5231cfa54463.png?alt=media&token=f62157b6-f60b-481c-9539-40d0c729dbd4","id":"d139ad57-11c0-4d85-99bd-5231cfa54463","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"2.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Introduction","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F6987057c-28f0-4e7f-81e0-31f348c48fb8.png?alt=media&token=5795e1ba-3129-46f7-9e04-30a5cfb45431","id":"6987057c-28f0-4e7f-81e0-31f348c48fb8","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"3.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Educational Content","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2Ff967c1dd-d4ad-4d60-af25-f9a55d80dc7e.png?alt=media&token=b8fc55d9-fc45-466b-88ae-d41bede68305","id":"f967c1dd-d4ad-4d60-af25-f9a55d80dc7e","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"4.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Definition","border":false}]}
```

### Close Friends: Building Your Social Graph

The power of having support from your friends is real, we wanted to explore more into that without intruding on such an intimate space.

We released a feature called Close Friends which would surround you with the people you care about and send encouraging messages.

The first step in this direction was to allow people to invite & accept friends to start building a social graph. This would also give us the confidence that people aren't afraid of having their friends in such a private space.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F95259086-ec83-49a0-98b2-781071802bf5.png?alt=media&token=8e9c853a-f3c4-4f11-9765-ca24b9810beb","id":"95259086-ec83-49a0-98b2-781071802bf5","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"1.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Onboarding","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F6c854ffc-d3da-4cfd-a1a1-6c52eb4aa612.png?alt=media&token=ce36f74c-dc37-4018-b119-2ae27b1a31af","id":"6c854ffc-d3da-4cfd-a1a1-6c52eb4aa612","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"2.png","type":"image/png","caption":"New Message","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F40f767cd-9942-4950-9889-d93a77eb04ed.png?alt=media&token=1d1bbfab-de69-4907-8ebc-846b00e37f3a","id":"40f767cd-9942-4950-9889-d93a77eb04ed","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"3.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Choose Message","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F3c03c99c-6488-49e5-b2fb-14d6590e19c9.png?alt=media&token=f3a23ed2-1ddc-43fc-a651-f8d25eb1e658","id":"3c03c99c-6488-49e5-b2fb-14d6590e19c9","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"4.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Close Friends","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2Fe2913ff4-504c-436e-ab47-215b05f5d182.png?alt=media&token=ad03b0f7-782c-469a-8721-069f4558efba","id":"e2913ff4-504c-436e-ab47-215b05f5d182","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"5.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Invite","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2Fbf8a64e8-0432-43b4-bc07-e552ca2b5261.png?alt=media&token=f7619fce-3580-4c25-b665-652fb015e6e7","id":"bf8a64e8-0432-43b4-bc07-e552ca2b5261","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"6.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Notifications","border":false}]}
```

### Daily Journal Stickers

Knowing that Daily Journal was the core of the product, we wanted to help people personalize the look and feel.

Putting stickers on something you own isn't a new concept. For example, laptops, physical journals, and school notebooks. It's a common way to declare something as yours.

Being able to add stickers onto your Daily Journal is a way for people to personalize the app and have Jour look different from your friends.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F37174527-8819-4eab-95a6-4c7beefd0c28.png?alt=media&token=8f690ebc-9978-43e5-bfe0-09236cb6f50b","id":"37174527-8819-4eab-95a6-4c7beefd0c28","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"1.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Onboarding","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F1cb41196-b621-4815-9606-793880c13038.png?alt=media&token=5d4e23c2-b5b8-4904-843c-7346257d9ad2","id":"1cb41196-b621-4815-9606-793880c13038","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"2.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Choose Stickers","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F0a24d2b5-9e0f-46c4-b420-e4ff8a9b43ac.png?alt=media&token=c09f9faa-caff-4209-a569-433c0eafdeef","id":"0a24d2b5-9e0f-46c4-b420-e4ff8a9b43ac","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"3.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Share","border":false}]}
```

### Jour Radio

A lot of journalers using Jour loved the idea of writing to the sound of nature sounds, chill beats, and ambient noises.

We wanted to explore more of that use case to be used in the background beyond Jour, for productive times like studying or working.

I opened up Logic Pro and made three very long mixes of music, designed to fit each radio's mood.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2Fef20d2cf-6536-40cf-997f-5648dbf09b5b.png?alt=media&token=867e0649-1204-4247-9cae-8a506c5623a2","id":"ef20d2cf-6536-40cf-997f-5648dbf09b5b","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"9.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Jour Radio Covers","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F9a73fc1d-4d51-4390-be49-54538d8e7b57.png?alt=media&token=cfe8e869-f9c3-45eb-9318-7de65d880efb","id":"9a73fc1d-4d51-4390-be49-54538d8e7b57","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"7.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Jour Radio Stations","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2Fb78fab74-1e1e-4bb4-87a3-cf0de9404987.png?alt=media&token=21053f40-5657-4440-a22a-0c81c524be6c","id":"b78fab74-1e1e-4bb4-87a3-cf0de9404987","width":1150,"height":2024,"filename":"8.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Background Music","border":false}]}
```

### Thrive with Jour Shirt

A good brand is one that people are willing to rep. I designed a shirt with a phone number to download Jour.

We released them in-app and sold out on the 200 we printed.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2Fd3823d63-6caa-4878-bcdb-7e66e48342a6.png?alt=media&token=988b0d73-bdb5-4f77-93dd-3425c02d1750","id":"d3823d63-6caa-4878-bcdb-7e66e48342a6","width":1080,"height":1080,"filename":"Frame 3.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2Fa476a779-98c1-4b01-8c2d-5ee7def6471b.jpg?alt=media&token=f3e552d8-f490-437b-94ce-4906110bda34","id":"a476a779-98c1-4b01-8c2d-5ee7def6471b","width":1170,"height":1431,"filename":"IMG_4390.jpg","type":"image/jpeg","caption":"Christel","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2Ff1c16a83-3a3f-48fa-878f-02369a376eae.png?alt=media&token=923cf813-b4f5-4323-b6cf-d0a1e10f9067","id":"f1c16a83-3a3f-48fa-878f-02369a376eae","width":1325,"height":1325,"filename":"Frame 6.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Maisie Williams, Rueben Selby","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F3ad10e39-9a08-428a-aa3e-fe83a03b7e6b.png?alt=media&token=06df2cf8-2284-4050-a18a-4286d3d143c7","id":"3ad10e39-9a08-428a-aa3e-fe83a03b7e6b","width":1325,"height":1325,"filename":"Frame 8.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Danny Trinh","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F9856619f-e2a8-4ef8-b8af-e2b446694848.png?alt=media&token=7147fa18-2834-4899-ae76-f32d1b550af2","id":"9856619f-e2a8-4ef8-b8af-e2b446694848","width":1325,"height":1325,"filename":"Frame 13.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Laurel Marsden","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F50759f6a-65f0-4a5e-b40a-726923a06607.png?alt=media&token=326319fb-8926-43b4-895f-299312b2eacf","id":"50759f6a-65f0-4a5e-b40a-726923a06607","width":1325,"height":1325,"filename":"Frame 9.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Rish Shah","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F77ec1547-d185-4ee4-b425-837740160d18.png?alt=media&token=cbb505b9-f88e-44be-960a-33be6a95ccef","id":"77ec1547-d185-4ee4-b425-837740160d18","width":1325,"height":1325,"filename":"Frame 5.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Yasmeen Fletcher","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F5b52f732-3752-4d09-a467-1f1264b1fd25.png?alt=media&token=03dd9f5e-ebd3-4f82-a2b3-00c44cee5659","id":"5b52f732-3752-4d09-a467-1f1264b1fd25","width":1325,"height":1325,"filename":"Frame 4.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Ari Sawyers","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F79ffac06-2cf2-499a-9ea7-025604c9f14e.png?alt=media&token=2e2a7786-eb59-437a-bd61-9a8861fcc4c2","id":"79ffac06-2cf2-499a-9ea7-025604c9f14e","width":1325,"height":1325,"filename":"Frame 7.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Céline","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F881b9ac7-9143-49d5-ac2c-0e3541f5f50b.png?alt=media&token=88e31de5-16fb-4981-a270-439c7d6dafd8","id":"881b9ac7-9143-49d5-ac2c-0e3541f5f50b","width":1325,"height":1325,"filename":"Frame 10.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Amelia Ray","border":false},{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F808e7d57-45eb-4458-90f1-d6e2ee4bc5bf.png?alt=media&token=3c16c473-6f1a-4c16-8b2f-4b1b655f18cf","id":"808e7d57-45eb-4458-90f1-d6e2ee4bc5bf","width":1325,"height":1325,"filename":"Frame 11.png","type":"image/png","caption":"Sam Fare","border":false}]}
```

### A note and special thank you

While I could showcase 3 years of iterations, I've highlighted some of my favorite projects we've worked on from purely a design perspective.

Special thanks to [Adrien Griveau](https://twitter.com/Griveau) for making our vision for illustrations come to life. Without you, I don't think our product would have been as loved and would have reached 4.9/5 stars out of the 35k reviews on the App Store.

After deep exploration on what direction to take our style, we decided to do something that felt familiar and easy for everyone. The same approach we took for the product.

We landed on watercolor – one of the first mediums we're introduced to as kids.

```cv
gallery
{"layout":"hscroll","images":[{"src":"https://firebasestorage.googleapis.com/v0/b/maitake-project.appspot.com/o/pages%2FKi7RKnqUEJY4XLqqgDkmqEZKmLC2%2FOHh0H3t9lz12jMgFH9tk%2F3084f158-4d97-4527-86b2-0cc1377f7503.png?alt=media&token=c5436d54-d80d-4e14-9836-71a665276dca","id":"3084f158-4d97-4527-86b2-0cc1377f7503","width":3264,"height":1584,"filename":"Group 476.png","type":"image/png","caption":"","border":false}]}
```

See a little more on the illustration style we landed on for Jour

```cv
tweet
https://twitter.com/griveau/status/1340933115544555527?s=21
```