A platform centralising files across accounts and devices to declutter digital waste while promoting sustainable storage.
A CHI 2025–accepted concept developed at UCL that explores the environmental cost of redundant file storage in higher education. Digibyte proposes ways to support digital decluttering while promoting long-term awareness of data sustainability.
Web
UX Designer & Project Lead
Proposed the SDG 12 direction, led design and research, and shaped the CHI 2025 narrative
UX research, wireframing, Figma prototyping, thematic analysis, visual storytelling
THE PROBLEM
We surveyed and interviewed users to uncover digital habits and awareness gaps. From this, we created two personas: a student overwhelmed by file clutter and a professor who sees cleanup as too time-consuming.
We surveyed and interviewed users to uncover digital habits and awareness gaps. From this, we created two personas: a student overwhelmed by file clutter and a professor who sees cleanup as too time-consuming.
We explored two concepts: a gamified decluttering app and an email cleanup tool. Low-fidelity wireframes and a SWOT analysis revealed both lacked long-term impact. We merged them into a single solution to support lasting digital habits.
We refined ideas into Digibyte, a unified solution that supports all file types with duplicate file detection, metadata insights, and gamified habit-building.
We created a wireframe and chose a web-based platform for accessibility. The final design centralised cloud and physical storage to support decluttering and raise awareness of digital waste.
The low-fidelity wireframes were developed into a mid-fidelity prototype to perform heuristic analysis and user testing, enabling further refinements based on research insights.
The prototype was developed and evaluated using Nielsen’s Revised heuristics, revealing areas for improvement.
User testing confirmed the design was intuitive and useful. Feedback led to clearer environmental impact visuals and updates to boost motivation. Key changes followed further testing and team brainstorming.
A second round of testing revealed confusion around device syncing. We added a login page, clearer device indicators, and file-type storage visuals. Navigation was simplified and sorting options expanded to improve usability.
15 users tested key tasks like deleting duplicates and unsubscribing from emails. Digibyte scored 78.83 on the System Usability Scale, well above the benchmark of 68, showing strong usability.
The final Digibyte prototype centralises files across storage and email accounts. It includes a landing page, account syncing, and five main sections: Home, Photos, Documents, Email, and Apps.
