What sparked the idea for 'First Move', and how did you move past the usual productivity advice? 

The initial idea came from observing a very common experience among design students: knowing a project needs to move forward but feeling stuck at the starting line. I became interested in procrastination not as a simple time-management issue, but as a moment of friction in the creative process. Instead of pushing people to 'be more productive,' I wanted to ask: could a digital tool help them understand what is actually stopping them and make that first step feel easier? 

How did your research shape the transition from concept to interface prototype? 

I started with a questionnaire of 28 participants and five semi-structured interviews. The research showed that difficulty starting can have very different causes some people feel overwhelmed, while others lose context after a break. This led me away from traditional task-manager tools. Instead, I used user flows and wireframes to design a system that first identifies the user's current barrier, then uses AI as a supportive layer to break down uncertainty without taking control of creative decision-making. 

What were some of the biggest hurdles you faced during development? 

One of the biggest challenges was defining what 'First Move' should and should not do. It was tempting to pack it full of automatic task generators and reminders, but that just turned it into another stressful productivity app. I had to continuously simplify the project and return to the core user problem. Learning when to remove features was just as important as knowing what to add. 

What do you hope visitors take away from your display at the Showcase? 

I hope visitors recognise themselves in the situation First Move is responding to. Most people know that feeling of staring at a blank screen and not knowing where to begin. I want visitors to see that procrastination is often about cognitive overload, not a lack of discipline. If people leave the showcase thinking differently about how we approach creative work, I’d consider that a wonderful outcome. 

How do you feel about graduating and taking your next steps as a designer? 

I feel very grateful and excited to have First Move selected for the PGT Showcase. This MA at Loughborough has helped me move beyond just making attractive interfaces and taught me how to anchor visual design in deep, user-centred research. Moving forward, I want to work in UI/UX and digital product design, combining visual sensitivity with smart technology to create things that genuinely help people. 

Realising the impact of building 'First Move' 

Reflecting on my time at Loughborough, the journey of building 'First Move' has completely transformed how I think about design. It taught me that the most meaningful digital solutions don't come from just adding more features, but from taking the time to deeply understand human behaviour and real-world friction. As I graduate and step into the next chapter of my career, I'm excited to take this research-led, user-centred mindset into the tech and product design industry, creating tools that genuinely support and empower people. 

Tianyue’s research and visuals will be featured alongside other pioneering postgraduate work at the upcoming PGT Showcase online launching on 2 November 2026. In the meantime, for more information about the programme, visit our postgraduate study pages.