Problem Space
Attention spans are shrinking. The platforms we use daily are optimized to accelerate that decline.
Visual culture, art especially, often asks for slow, unhurried looking, but nothing in our digital lives asks us to consistently practice that.
Starting Point
Started with the New York Times 10-Minute Challenge, which asks readers to spend time with a single artwork, on the premise that focus is a trainable skill.
New York Times 10-Minute Challenge
How does Dwell build upon this concept?
The NYT had already solved the core layout: an artwork, a timer, and minimal controls. However, the exercise lives inside an article page with comment counts, share functionality, and navigation.
Dwell expands their approach, transforming a monthly article into a daily habit.
Concept
Dwell asks users to spend 10 minutes with a single, unannounced artwork each day – guided by a few prompts, with the artist and title revealed only after time is spent.
Experience
The 10-minute session follows a structured arc, with subtle prompts introduced at key moments to encourage sustained attention and deeper observation.
Key UX Decisions
Designed around a simple principle: guide attention without controlling it.
Context is revealed after observation.
Reflection is always optional and doesn’t require writing.
Subtle prompts guide attention.
Artwork remains hidden, using an engaging hook to invite curiosity.
Final Screens
Onboarding
Splash + Home
10-Minute Observation
Reveal
Reflection
Archive
Outcome
A working concept for a slower kind of digital product – one where restraint, not engagement, is the design goal.
Questions to test next:
- Does the minute-five turn disrupt attention the way it's meant to?
- Does the reveal feel like a reward or an interruption to first-time users?
- Could the prompt system adapt to other artistic media?