The mobile attention playbook · in progress

Mobile-first means designing for the moment, not the device.

Most journeys assume someone is focused, uninterrupted and remembers exactly where they were. On a phone, almost nobody is. This playbook is how I design services that matter, so they hold up in real life.

On the commuteIn a waiting roomWhile caring for someoneBetween meetingsHalf-asleep at 11pmAnxious about money

People will always get interrupted. The real risk is a service that makes them start again.

Principle 1

Clarity

Can someone tell what this is and what to do in one glance?

Each screen has one job, and it’s obvious in three seconds
Important numbers are shown in plain words
People know what will happen before they tap

Principle 2

Continuity

If they leave mid-task, can they find their way back?

Progress is saved, and the app says so
Returning shows where they were and what’s left
Timeouts keep things secure without wiping progress

Principle 3

Control

Do they feel in charge of what happens to their money?

A clear review before anything they can’t undo
Easy ways to undo, pause or change their mind
A confirmation that says exactly what happened

Quick self-audit

How interruption-ready is your journey?

0/6

Tick what’s true for the journey you’re working on right now.

ClarityA first-time user can say what the screen is for after a three-second look. ClarityThe key number is shown in words people use, not product or system terms. ContinuityIf someone locks their phone mid-task, their inputs are still there when they return. ContinuityOn return, the app tells them where they were and how much is left. ControlThere’s a clear review step before anything that moves money. ControlThe confirmation says exactly what happened and what happens next.

Testing for it

Test what happens when attention breaks

Task completion in a quiet lab tells you the journey works for someone who isn’t real. I ask research teams to add one step: interrupt the participant mid-task, then hand the phone back. Watch whether the service helps them recover, or makes them start again.

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