After almost two years of development, Western student Alex Hines launched his own app, a mood-based to-do list designed to help users with ADHD overcome task paralysis and complete their work.
The app, called VibeCheckList, was originally designed specifically for people with ADHD, but proved helpful for users regardless of diagnosis, Hines said. The app reorganizes a to-do list based on how the user is feeling and assigns a task that can be accomplished at that time.
Hines was diagnosed with ADHD in December 2020 and used his experience as a starting point for his app idea. Hines said he wanted to create something that helped the ADHD community in a meaningful way, and he has already received positive feedback since the app’s release in the fall.
Carter Nelson, a VibeCheckList app user, decided to try the app after struggling with organization.
“It recommends what to start with because starting, for most people with ADHD – but me especially – is the big problem,” Nelson said. “It’s been nice to have as a calendar as well, because it has a due date system.”
After a break from college to navigate his diagnosis, Hines enrolled at Western and soon joined the Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (E&I). The program provided Hines with the network and connections needed to create and launch his app, as well as the tools to address challenges in the development process.
The E&I Program is open to any major and offers a minor and two certificates, Program Director Lara Merriam-Smith said. For the minor, three core classes prepare students to develop and launch a product or service.
Each quarter, students in the program participate in a showcase where community members provide feedback and expertise. These community coach connections can develop into one-on-one mentorships, Merriam-Smith said.
“There’s just this magical moment where students go, ‘I could actually do this,’” she said.
Hines noted that he met one of his mentors through the showcase and continues to speak with him on a monthly basis.
Hines later became a fellow for the E&I Program, an opportunity that allowed him to mentor other entrepreneurship students. The process of helping other students taught him more than he anticipated and gave him tools he could apply to his own projects, Hines said.
As a solo entrepreneur, Hines was responsible for the research, development and launch of his app. However, he emphasized the importance of having mentors and the E&I Program community to assist him throughout the process.
“It is always going to be necessary for people to have support,” Hines said. “Nothing like this could be done alone.”
Although VibeCheckList is already launched and active, Hines plans to continue improving it. Ease of use, voice and image options are his current focuses, and he looks forward to significant app improvements over the next year.
Maevis Croteau (she/her) is a first-year reporting student and campus news reporter for The Front this quarter. When she doesn't have her face glued to her laptop, she's usually out enjoying a sunset or staying up ridiculously late to cuddle with her hamster, Bolt. You can reach her at maeviscroteau.thefront@gmail.com.
