Everywhen / iOS
Curiosity, one place at a time.
How do you give open-ended curiosity a satisfying daily shape?
My role: Product design & implementation
Design decision 1
Curiosity, one place at a time.
A daily round of four places gives discovery a beginning and an ending: guess where, guess when, then uncover each story.
A real product pivot
Open exploration became a daily game after reflecting on my own use. This is a design rationale, not a measured retention result.
Design decision 2
Ask one question at a time.
Location and time are separate steps. The map gets the space it needs before the interface asks for a year.
Focus the interaction
A single active question keeps competing controls out of the way.
Keep the story waiting
The reveal gives the guess a purpose beyond a score.
Design decision 3
An era first. Then a year.
A single slider spanning billions of years made precise input impractical. The current interaction narrows the range before asking for precision.
Choose the scale
Six era-range chips establish the part of history.
Recover the space
After selection, the chip grid folds into a single pill and the fine slider takes over.
Allow revision
Reopen the era choice without stacking both input modes.
Choose an era range
Selected range ⌄
Fine-tune the yearDesign decision 4
Let the answer become a story.
The reveal changes the pace: from making a decision to spending time with a place.
Reward curiosity
A location is more than a correct pin. The story explains why it matters.
Change the reading rhythm
Large imagery gives way to focused narrative instead of more game controls.
Design decision 5
Keep the places you discover.
The Passport turns a sequence of daily rounds into a personal geography.
A durable collection
A place remains something to revisit after its round is over.
Next research question
Does the collection encourage people to return to stories, or do they mainly return for the next game?
