Alexandra Barrus | Content Design & UX
Alexandra Barrus Portfolio
Content Strategy Presentation Design UX Design Usability Testing
| Redesigning digital habits through persuasive storytelling and intentional design |
- Content Strategist
- Presentation Designer
- UX Designer
- Illustrator
- Figma
- MIRO
- Photoshop
Explore the testing prototype
Watch the full ENTRANCE walkthrough
16 weeks
Overview
The attention economy is a system where companies profit by capturing and holding your attention online. The longer you stay hooked, the more they earn—and the more your time, focus, and emotions are exploited. Once I saw how deeply this system shaped our culture, I wanted others to see it too—and care. So I crafted a presentation to shift perspective, then built a product to shift behavior.
Process
Using a time-tested framework to convince people to embrace my ideas
To persuade people that the attention economy matters, I needed a structure to guide them from awareness to action. I researched persuasive storytelling frameworks and landed on Monroe’s Motivated Sequence—ideal for proposing new solutions to existing problems. I built an outline around its five stages, filling it in as the project took shape.
Helping big ideas land through clear language and purposeful visuals
I adapted a script from my outline to shape how the presentation would sound and feel. I continually read it aloud to refine pacing, tone, and clarity. I paired each new idea in my script with a visual that reinforced the message, guided attention, and made abstract ideas easier to absorb.
① The time we spend in the attention economy slowly creeps upon us as we compulsively check our phones during what we perceive as lulls in action in our days.
② We distract ourselves from these moments as an attempt to fill a perceived void, one that the attention economy has convinced us exists.
In turn, we are missing from the present. This is why resisting the attention economy is vital to our well-being and to our lives.
When we resist the attention economy, we might have deeper conversations.
⑤ We might observe our own humanity from the movements and words of people around us.
We might feel a sense of belonging that uniquely comes with experiencing the same places, sights, and sounds as the people around us.
Finding the sweet spot where change could happen
I wanted to design a solution that balanced the good and the bad of social media—the attention economy’s main culprit. I looked at existing products and created a user journey map to spot patterns, gaps, and opportunity areas. Then I wrote a brief to guide my design decisions.
Defining the user experience to guide behavior
Once I settled on an app concept, I began shaping the UX by designing a user flow chart. Organizing the screens into clear phases made the journey clear and intentional. It also laid the groundwork for prototyping and helped simplify my process.
Using feedback to turn good ideas into clear ones
I tested a prototype to see if my intentions translated. Participants struggled with unfamiliar terms, the “why” behind each step, and metaphors for time—so I refined the flow, simplified the language, and placed guidance where it mattered most. Each round brought the product closer to being more usable and supportive.
Solution
ENTRANCE is a digital platform that helps people set and keep boundaries on social media. Its intentionally manual, slightly frictional design creates space for conscious choices and puts users back in control instead of the algorithm. As the heart of my proposed solution, ENTRANCE shows how setting intentions before you scroll can help change your digital habits.
Restoring choice in a system built for autopilot
In ENTRANCE, using social media starts with a pause. I designed two features—setting an intention and a time limit before you scroll. Those moments help turn mindless habits into a conscious choices.
Creating sensory cues to ground users in the present moment
Because the attention economy disconnects us from our feelings, I designed cues that invite us back. In ENTRANCE, you tell time with either heartbeats or breaths—rhythms you can actually feel. Your assistant in the app, called your digital shadow, stays on screen with you, still and quiet, until it gently pulses in your chosen rhythm to signal it’s time to return to yourself.
Designing for a future where your data serves you
In addition to shifting how people use social media, ENTRANCE could lay the groundwork for something bigger. As the final part of my project, I imagined a future app you’d install on your phone that tracks your behavior, with full consent, to help you stay present in real life. Instead of being used to influence you, your data could work for you—nudging you toward the goals you’ve set.
Results
ENTRANCE landed well and got positive feedback
The project resonated—both the idea and the delivery. People connected with the clarity of the presentation and the intentionality behind the design. Here’s what they had to say:
“I like how present this tool is while you are scrolling. I try to use time limits on my phone but the notification is so fleeting and ignorable. I really wish I could use your design instead!”
Tage Rinehart
“Honestly the best senior project I’ve ever seen. The presentation was so clear and concise. Just so so good.”
Hayley Takeuchi
“What I was struck by in your presentation was a pronounced sense of pace and methodical clarity with your information and narrative, which did two things: (a) it produced quality comments and a ‘thinking with’ the project because of the clear planning of your thoughts, and (b) the methodical calm acted as a performative model for how it might feel to be led through the space/pace of the app itself. This double effect speaks to your intentionality and success in the work.”
Steven Chodoriwsky
What I learned
This project shaped my professional path as a values-driven content designer. I turned an abstract idea into a detailed project, got people to care about the attention economy, and built confidence in my skills. I’m grateful to the many people who supported me along the way—sharing feedback, challenging my ideas, and testing the prototype—you all helped me make this project shine.