Getting Unstuck Now Has An App!

Everyone knows what it’s like to be ‘stuck’ and nobody likes it. Keith Yamashita of SYPartners (one of the first experience designers I knew) has put some of his ideas about ‘idea progress’ into an app that makes it easier to question yourself, answer yourself, and make progress on your toughest issues. Every day, in my opinion, people get stuck. Sometimes it’s on little things like what to wear. Other times, it’s on big things, like which strategy to pursue or on a personal note, whom to marry.

Unstuck does a great job at breaking mind-stopping problems you face into small, manageable pieces you can deal with. Unstuck really does turn a mountain into a molehill by giving you perspective on your issue so that you can detach from it and deal with it.

Unstuck is designed to be easy to use. By customizing content on-the-fly as your problem unfolds, the program ‘coaches’ you toward a successful outcome. It doesn’t promise quick fixes or miracles, just some objective perspective so that you can get through stuck moments more quickly.

Here’s a demo of the product followed by a quick analysis of how it works.

Unstuck Demo from Unstuck on Vimeo.
Unstuck deals directly with your attitudes about what’s holding you back. Instead of trying to clinically dissect the problem, the software looks at how you’re approaching your problem and deals with that. Just like a good friend would.

Unstuck introduces categories and personal styles of problem-solving. For example “Lone Leader” below. Then, the program matches solution strategies (like “Call in Calvary”) to suggest options.

Learning more about your problem-solving style in a fun, non-offensive way gives you most of what you need to solve your own problem. When you become aware of your own perspective, things usually get easier.

Unstuck doesn’t stop there, it takes you all the way to decision–and confirmation of that decision.

Finally, Unstuck helps you stay unstuck by sharing just the right tools to consider using on a regular basis so that you can avoid some of the stuck-ness in the future.

Here’s how the program is described from a marketing perspective:

When you ask yourself that question, it’s a sure sign that you’re stuck. When you ask yourself that questionrepeatedly—about the same situation—it’s time to do something about it. That’s where Unstuck comes in.

The Unstuck iPad app is a lot like having a life coach on call. Any time you’re feeling stuck, the app can show you where you’re going astray and then help you think differently.

Having trouble making a choice? Unstuck pits your gut instincts against the clock. Don’t know how to pull off your latest caper? There’s a planning tool for that. In fact, there are 11 Unstuck tools (and 50 some-odd tips) all aimed at propelling you forward.

We’re confident that Unstuck can help you answer “what do I do now?” But don’t mistake it for a quick-fix gizmo (you know there are no quick fixes, right?). It’s an innovative and personalized approach to solving your stuck moment based on proven understanding of how people behave. Best of all, it’s an approach you’ll find useful again and again. So whenever you find yourself asking that question, you’ll know how to find the answer.

The Unstuck app is free and is available in Apple’s App Store now. Read more at the  Unstuck website (http://www.unstuck.com) and download the free app at (http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/unstuck/id478421271?ls=1&mt=8)
 
Summary

Whether you like the application of this technology to getting unstuck or think it’s a frivolous waste of time, take note of the interface and approach Yamashita has introduced. It’s engaging, promising, hopeful, informative, and useful. I think we’ll start seeing more applications like this from instruction manuals to medication flyers, to problem-solving guides, to product selectors on retail shelves. Unstuck is a great example of using technology to make complex concepts easy to use on the first try.