Case Study
Attentio
Education / Special Needs Support
Emotional regulation and executive function app for children and families
Attentio
Tech Partnership
Productivity
6 Months
- Live temperature & humidity tracking
- Improve emotional regulation & executive function skills
- It aims to empower users on their journey to independence by offering a personalized experience.
Key Outcomes
Built a multi-role platform (Account Holder, Account User, Supporter) enabling parents, children, and therapists to collaborate on emotional regulation and executive function development
Delivered structured routine and task management with time-slot scheduling — helping children build independent daily habits through visual, age-appropriate interfaces
Implemented SOS mode and activity planning features that provide immediate support during emotional distress and structured engagement during calm periods
The Challenge
Before partnering with Iottive, Attentio was facing several issues:
Complex Multi-Role User System
The app needed to serve three distinct user types — parents (Account Holders) managing child profiles, children (Account Users) interacting with tasks and activities, and external supporters (therapists, teachers) with limited access. Each role required different permissions, interfaces, and data visibility.
Sensitive UX for Emotional Regulation
Designing an interface for users experiencing emotional distress — particularly children — required careful attention to color, language, and interaction patterns. Standard app UX conventions could escalate rather than de escalate during a crisis moment.
Routine Adherence for Executive Function
Children with executive function challenges struggle with task initiation, sequencing, and time awareness. The app needed to provide structured routines with visual progress indicators that motivate without overwhelming.
Subscription Model Integration
Attentio required a subscription-based revenue model ($9.99 AUD/month for parents) with family sharing, trial periods, and subscription management — integrated within the app experience without disrupting the therapeutic context.
Our Solution
Iottive delivered a complete AIoT solution under a full-cycle product development model.
Mobile Development Expertise
Built a native Android application with role based navigation. Parents see management dashboards and child profiles; children see simplified, visual task interfaces; supporters see progress reports and activity logs. Each view is optimized for its audience.
Design Thinking Approach
Partnered with Attentio’s education specialists to design calming color palettes, clear visual hierarchies, and age-appropriate interaction patterns. The SOS mode was designed through scenario workshops simulating emotional distress situations.
Project Planning & Execution
Phased delivery: core user management and role system (Phase 1), routine and task tracking (Phase 2), activity planning and SOS mode (Phase 3), subscription and supporter access (Phase 4). Each phase included user testing with families.
Functionalities Delivered
Multi-role sign-in and profile management, child profile creation with customizable settings, daily routine builder with morning/afternoon/evening time slots, task tracking with visual progress indicators, activity planning cards, SOS emergency mode, supporter invitation and access management, and subscription management via Google Play.
Implementation Highlights
Role-Based Access Architecture
Designed a flexible permission system where Account Holders manage child profiles and settings, Account Users interact with their assigned routines, and Supporters view progress without editing capabilities. Role switching is handled through a single sign-in.
Routine & Task Engine
Built a configurable routine engine supporting time-slotted tasks (e.g., “7:00 AM — Brush teeth”, “7:15 AM — Get dressed”). Visual checkboxes and progress bars provide dopamine friendly completion feedback for children.
SOS Mode Design
Implemented a dedicated SOS mode accessible from any screen. When activated, the interface shifts to a calming color scheme with breathing exercises, grounding activities, and optional one-tap contact to a designated supporter.
Activity Planning System
Created an activity card system where parents can pre-load suggested activities (outdoor play, creative projects, quiet time options) that children can browse and select independently during unstructured time.
Subscription Management
Integrated Google Play Billing for subscription lifecycle management, including free trial periods, family plans, grace periods for lapsed payments, and in-app subscription status visibility.
Data Privacy & Child Safety
Implemented strict data minimization collecting only what is needed for functionality. Child accounts have no direct internet communication capabilities. All data is stored under the parent’s account with appropriate consent frameworks.
Results & Impact
- Three-role user system deployed with distinct interfaces for parents, children, and supporting professionals
- Structured daily routines with visual progress tracking improved task completion consistency for participating families
- SOS mode provides immediate, accessible support during emotional distress — reducing reliance on adult intervention
- Subscription model launched at $9.99 AUD/month with family sharing, establishing a sustainable revenue stream
- Supporter access feature enabled therapists and teachers to monitor progress remotely, improving care coordination
“Iottive understood that this app is not just software — it is a support tool for families navigating real challenges. They brought the same rigor to the SOS mode design as they did to the backend architecture. That balance of empathy and engineering is rare.”
— Tracey Gan, Attentio
Lessons & Best Practices
Design for the Emotional State, Not Just the Use Case
A child in distress interacts with an app very differently than a calm adult. Every design decision in SOS mode was evaluated against the question: “Does this help a dysregulated child feel safer?”
Test with Real Families, Not Just Personas
User testing with actual families — including children with executive function challenges — revealed interaction patterns that no persona document could predict. Early and frequent testing with real users shaped the final product.
Keep the Child Interface Radically Simple
Children’s screens were stripped to essential elements: one task, one action, one clear visual indicator. Every additional UI element was a potential source of distraction or overwhelm.
Separate Revenue Mechanics from Therapeutic Context
Subscription prompts and payment flows were isolated from the child-facing experience entirely. A child should never encounter a paywall during an SOS moment or routine task.
Technology
Comprehensive IoT Technology Stack
From devices and connectivity to cloud, apps, and security — we leverage a full-stack IoT ecosystem to build scalable, secure, and future-ready solutions.
Android (Kotlin)
Firebase
Why Iottive’s the Right Partner
- Experience building multi-role applications with distinct, audience-appropriate interfaces — not just permission toggles, but genuinely different user experiences per role
- Collaborative design process that integrates domain expertise (education, therapy) into technical architecture decisions
- Proven subscription integration and app store deployment, with attention to the unique sensitivity of child-facing applications
Next Steps for Attentio
Expand to iOS to reach families using Apple
devices, particularly in the Australian and US education markets
Add therapist-facing analytics dashboard showing longitudinal progress data across multiple children
Integrate with school learning management systems (LMS) for coordinated routine management across home and classroom
Develop a library of guided emotional regulation exercises (breathing, mindfulness, sensory) within the SOS mode