Google Calendar
a cross-platform scheduling tool to make your tasks, to-dos and events easy, clear and in one place
Project Overview
Google Calendar is one of the most widely used scheduling platforms globally, supporting both personal and professional time management needs. It seamlessly integrates with Google’s ecosystem, making it easy to organize events, coordinate with others, and stay on top of daily priorities. However its Calendar and Tasks tabs are poorly connected—tasks remain separate list items without a true timeline view or smooth integration into the calendar. The absence of this integration and enhancement is leading many users to rely on other to-do list or scheduling apps to fill the gap. Ironically, those alternatives are often only successful because of features that Google already provides for free, such as reminders, email notifications, and cross-device sync.
To address this gap, I explored both the mobile app interface and the desktop web platform to identify inconsistencies and opportunities for cross-platform improvement. I investigated how Google can leverage its existing infrastructure to become a more comprehensive, motivating, and user-centered productivity ecosystem to bridge the gap between events and task management and enhance focus, reduce friction, and strengthen its role in users’ daily routines. This project reimagines Google Calendar as a comprehensive planning tool that seamlessly integrates meetings, tasks, and personal goals into one cohesive experience.
Duration
2 Weeks
My Role
UX Audit, User flow, Research, Prototyping + Testing
Tools
Figma, Miro, Photoshop
Problem
Despite its popularity, Google Calendar is losing users to third-party planning tools that offer more integrated experiences. Google Calendar currently separates its Calendar and Tasks tabs, making it difficult for users to seamlessly coordinate scheduling, to-do lists, and general planning. Users must manage tasks and events independently, which can lead to fragmented workflows, and reliance on additional apps to fill the gaps, resulting in inefficiency and mental fatigue.
Goal
The goal is to transform Google Calendar into a seamless all-in-one planning tool by integrating tasks, events, and reminders into a single synchronized system. The project aims to improve usability, reduce app-switching, and make day-to-day planning more connected, flexible, and rewarding. The redesign enhances productivity and minimizes the need for external tools outside the Google ecosystem.
Outcome
Users can plan their days with greater clarity and confidence, without feeling scattered across multiple tools. By integrating tasks, reminders, and events into one synchronized system, the redesigned Google Calendar supports a more seamless and less stressful planning experience. The improvements are designed to increase user retention, while reducing drop-off and context-switching friction. Ultimately, this redesign augments Google Calendar into a more flexible and comprehensive, active planning tool.
User Interviews
Target Users
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They primarily use Google Calendar to schedule meetings but rely on other apps—or paper planners—for tasks and reminders.
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They are working professionals, students, or freelancers who manage multiple commitments daily.
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They frequently juggle meetings, deadlines, and personal tasks across different tools.
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They rely on both mobile and desktop devices for planning and organization.
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They need clear visibility across work and personal calendars.
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They value structure, reminders, and goal tracking to stay organized.
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They appreciate flexible and intuitive planning tools that reduce friction and context-switching.
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They seek a single, connected system that helps them stay organized, motivated, and in control of their time.
Method
Conducted interviews with a diverse group of users, including students, professionals, and freelancers, to gather insights on their current planning habits, tool usage, pain points, and preferences for managing meetings, tasks, and personal responsibilities.
Interview Questions
Organizational Habits
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Walk me through how you currently organize your day, week, or month.
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Which tools do you rely on most ( eg Google Calendar, Tasks, notes apps, others)?
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How do you track deadlines, reminders, or recurring responsibilities?
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How often do you check your planners or planning apps?
Challenges with Planning
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What’s the biggest frustration you face when trying to plan your schedule?
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How do you currently manage the balance between events (calendar) and tasks (to-dos)?
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What is missing from Google Calendar that prevents it from being your single organizational tool?
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What are features from other tools that work for you?
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What do you think is missing and keeps you connected to Google Calendar?
Expectations of Integration
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If Calendar and Tasks were fully integrated, what would that look like for you?
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How important is a timeline view (seeing tasks and events in one place)?
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How would better integration affect your productivity or reduce your reliance on other apps?
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How do you expect the mobile app and desktop to work together?
“I want a daily checklist that sits alongside my meetings to keep adding to and finish whenever I have time, without being forced into specific time slots.”
“I want to see my tasks and events in one place. Sometimes my to-dos are more important than my meetings. I want to flip between whichever feels primary.”
“I want my calendar and my to-do list to feel connected but still clearly distinct.”
Key Insights
Focus and Deep Work Support
Users prioritize protecting focus time amidst busy calendars dominated by meetings, classes, or deadlines. Features like recurring blocks, deep work scheduling, and the ability to isolate tasks from events help maintain productivity.
Simplicity, Visual Clarity & Motivation
Clean, minimal interfaces with visual cues such as color-coding, tags, prioritization, and flexible views (calendar, list, board) help users stay organized and engaged. Visual cues, like tasks disappearing once completed, reinforces provides a sense of accomplishment.
Collaboration & Shared Visibility
Users need shared calendars and task lists with co-editing and real-time updates. Features that allow accountability and coordination across teammates, classmates, or family members make an integrated system truly effective.
Unified and Integrated Tasks & Events
Users feel that tasks, deadlines, reminders, and calendar events are disconnected, creating friction and mental load. They want all their responsibilities to appear be in a single timeline to plan and track everything without juggling multiple tools.
Flexible Task Management
Rigid checklists and static events do not reflect real-life planning. Users want tasks and calendar events that can roll over, be reprioritized, and adapt dynamically to changing schedules.
Cross-Device Consistency & Offline Access
Users expect seamless experiences across mobile and desktop, with reliable offline functionality and automatic syncing. Fragmentation across devices or apps creates frustration, while consistent access ensures planning can happen anywhere, anytime.
User Persona
“My meetings own my calendar, but my real work lives somewhere else—I just want everything in one place. I spend more time organizing my tools than doing the actual work.”
Raphaella
User Story
As a busy professional juggling work, family, and a personal life, I want my calendar and to-dos connected so that I don't switch between planning apps. I want automatic syncing across devices and shared lists for others to help with my to-dos.
Pain Points
She feels frustrated switching between work and home calendars and losing time toggling across tools. Tasks often fall through the cracks because her calendar doesn’t capture to-dos. She finds Google Tasks disconnected, uses too many subscriptions, and dislikes cluttered productivity apps.
Behaviors
She spends most of her day on several planning tools. When offline, she reverts to her paper planner. She adjusts her schedule multiple times a day and feels most accomplished when she checks tasks off her list.
Problem Statement
Jordan is a busy professional and parent who needs a unified way to manage her meetings, tasks, and family schedules because juggling multiple apps and planners leaves her feeling disorganized and overwhelmed.
Hypothesis Statement
If Raphaella can view tasks and events in a single timeline with reminders, notes, and subtasks in different view modes then she will feel more organized. Rolling over incomplete tasks and archiving completed ones will keep her motivated, while color-coding, and tags will help her manage priorities.
Goals
She wants to keep all her meetings, tasks, and lists in one place. She aims to coordinate deadlines with teammates, manage both work and family schedules together, and reduce her reliance on scattered apps and paper notes.
Value Propositions
Core Functionality
Productivity & Organization
Collaboration & Integration
User Experience
Cost
calendar and task reminders
tag, color-code, and prioritize tasks
sync and collaborate with others on tasks and calendar
simple interface
free
schedule recurring meetings and tasks
differentiate meetings and tasks by calendar
sync between mobile and desktop
calendar, board, and list view
add description or sub-list to tasks
check off tasks; archive completed items
work offline and sync when online
see tasks alongside calendar
flexible editing & roll over incomplete tasks
focus mode / do not disturb mode
integrate tasks and calendar
privacy and sharing settings
How Might We...
help users see their calendar and to-do lists together in one timeline?
differentiate events in the calendars from the to-do lists in tasks?
enable flexible task management like rolling over incomplete tasks, adding subtasks, and attaching notes?
make task management intuitive and clear through color coding, tags, multiple views while still maintaining a simple visual interface?
help users differentiate between work, personal, and family tasks and calendars so their schedule is easy to scan and privacy is managed?
provide multiple views (calendar, list, board) so users can switch perspectives depending on their planning style and context?
allow users to archive completed tasks while keeping progress visible, helping them track accomplishments without cluttering their active list?
support recurring tasks and study/work blocks so users can save time on repetitive planning and stay consistent with routines?
provide gentle reminders and nudges for deadlines and meetings so users stay on top of priorities without feeling overwhelmed?
enable collaboration and shared planning for teams, families, and partners to keep everyone aligned and reduce duplicated effort?
Mobile and Desktop Audit
I conducted a comprehensive audit of the existing Google Calendar mobile app and desktop website to identify usability issues and opportunities
Tasks sits as a separate tab- which is not an issue. I can write out to dos quicker but but why is it not connected to a calendar?
This is great for people who want to group tasks by category but not by date. Iif a task repeats, this list makes no sense.
There is no other viewing option. It would be great if tasks have different viewing options the same way the calendar tab does and to have it visually connected to a calendar.
It is great that incomplete tasks are carrying over, but I have to go to the tasks page if it is made in a list there. It is confusing. I also cannot move this task to another day like tomorrow in case I can't complete it today either.
I appreciate the different modes of view
I can only mark as completed by opening it up
I would love the option to Ctrl+Z to undo
It is good that I am able to easily create lists once I "Enter" and that I can create subtasks. I also like that I can easily drag items to the top of the list, within the list or to a different list. However, there is no other way to color code, tag, bold or options to prioritize
dragging tasks already exists
so does adding subtasks
keep the change views as well: calendar, board and list
Tasks here are associated with the calendar but I would have to create tasks one-by-one
I can only click on the tasks to see details but what if I just want to check them off now?
My other option would be to subscribe to someone's calendar but what if I don't want full access? Eg I only want my husband's pre and post 9-5 schedule?
I also cannot sync to my outlook calendar. I can get the iCal (.ics) link from Outlook's shared calendar settings and then subscribe to it in Google Calendar and it would not be a two-way sync. This is having users like me to either use third party apps to sync my calendar or to keep looking at both calendars constantly.
or I go into a specific calendar after I create it and change the setting to share with that person. But why can't I do that when I create the calendar immediately?
Calendars should be easy to make and easily shared. It should be easy to sync with other non-Google calendars.
I am unable to add a collaborator from the get go on a calendar
I am unable to switch to the Tasks tab and see any of my tasks alone
can view the calendar differently
I am unable to drag tasks. This would be a nice feature to have
this has been updated to be able to choose other months
still clicking on the task, doesn't allow me to complete it immediately, but opens it up for me
I am unable to "add people" or tag/color code/ prioritize
opens tabs but the + becomes an event button. It should be different
setting up the account: adding calendar, syncing, etc
The search button has been updated to include a Search CTA and microphone for audio input
Calendar button got me back to today. If I am already on the current date, nothing happens
this double view works really well. Would do better to integrate the to do list
tasks would have to be viewed in a more focused/shorter timeline to show up eg 3 days, schedule or day
Competitive Market Analysis
to analyze leading scheduling and task management apps in order to understand how they integrate tasks, calendars, and daily planning features
Todoist
Description & Features
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Cross-platform sync across web, desktop (Windows and Mac), and mobile (iOS and Android)
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Smart task recognition
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Multiple views: calendar, board, and list
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Integrates with calendars and email platforms
Strengths
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Clean and simple interface
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Supports recurring to-dos
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Consistent experience across all platforms
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Allows task filtering
Weaknesses
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Offers in-app purchases
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Requires subscription for core features (reminders, calendar, and offline access)
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“Today” and “Upcoming” views can become cluttered when managing many tasks across multiple projects
Microsoft To Do
Description & Features
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Combines to-do lists, notes, and reminders
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Supports both personal and work lists in one place
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Enables cross-platform collaboration
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Integrated with Outlook emails
Strengths
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Simple interface with minimal learning curve
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Suggests tasks to add to “My Day” from other lists (e.g., missed or recurring tasks) to help users stay on track
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Provides sample templates for easy setup
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Core features available for free
Weaknesses
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No calendar view
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Users want a quick-access widget
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Sharing and collaboration limited to Microsoft accounts
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Frequent bugs and crashes
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Limited customization
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Poor offline functionality
Structured
Description & Features
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Tasks, to-dos, and calendar events are displayed in a single timeline, allowing users to view their day at a glance, block off tasks, and identify free time or scheduling conflicts.
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Syncs seamlessly across all devices.
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Imports events from built-in calendars or reminders.
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Includes an inbox to quickly capture items and assign times or dates later.
Strengths
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Clear and intuitive interface
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Visual customization
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Ability to view events and tasks together
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Good Accessibility & Inclusivity
Weaknesses
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Free plan lacks fundamental features such as recurring tasks, time zone support, notifications, and calendar import
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Widgets are available but perform slowly
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Issues with syncing across devices
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Only offers a weekly view
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Overuse of icons reduces clarity
TickTick
Description & Features
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Create reminders and recurring tasks
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Categorize, prioritize, and move tasks (e.g., using an Eisenhower matrix)
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Built-in timer for task completion (Pomodoro technique)
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Habit tracking functionality
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Syncs with other calendars
Strengths
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Multiple calendar views (day, week, month)
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Add images, tags, priority levels, and descriptions to to-do items
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Available on desktop
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Customizable themes
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Ability to view calendar and lists together
Weaknesses
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Paid subscription required for premium features such as calendar/timeline views, filters, and collaboration
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Syncs only with Outlook Calendar, not Google or other platforms
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App can feel overwhelming and confusing due to the abundance of features and organizational tools
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Tasks can be moved between lists but not to other dates
Goal Statement
The enhanced Google Calendar app will let users view, create, and manage tasks alongside their calendar events, leveraging and better integrating existing app features. This will provide a streamlined planning tool for anyone who wants a clear overview of their schedule, helping to reduce overwhelm, improve coordination, and decrease reliance on other planning tools or third-party apps. Effectiveness will be measured by tracking increased engagement with tasks inside Calendar, task completion and drop-off rates, cross-device usage, and user satisfaction from reviews.
User Goals
Unified planning experience
View tasks, deadlines, and events in a single interface.
Flexible task management
Roll incomplete tasks forward, set recurring tasks, and easily adjust schedules.
Collaboration and sharing
Co-edit tasks, assign responsibilities, and sync shared calendars/lists in real time.
Clear visualization and organization
Color-coded, tagged tasks with toggles between calendar, board, and list views.
Cross-device consistency and offline access
Seamless syncing between mobile and desktop, with the ability to view and add tasks offline.
Business Goals
Enhance brand perception for productivity
Position Google as a one-stop, reliable solution for personal and professional planning.
Drive adoption of collaborative features
Promote shared tasks, lists, and calendars to increase collaboration.
Leverage existing Google infrastructure
Build on existing Calendar, Tasks, and offline sync features to save development time and costs.
Increase engagement with Google tools
Encourage users to rely more heavily on the native Google ecosystem rather than losing them to third-party apps.
Technical Goals
Cross-platform sync
Ensure real-time updates between Google Calendar/Tasks on mobile app and desktop
Offline support
Allow users to view, add, and edit tasks offline with automatic syncing when online.
Collaboration and permissions
Implement shared task lists with assigned privacy, and edit permissions.
Scalability and performance
Handle large volumes of tasks, calendar events, and attachments without lag.
Build on existing Google infrastructure
focus on better integration between Calendar and Tasks
Leverage existing features
toggle between views, create events from inbox, mobile-desktop sync, collaboration tools
User Flow
collaborate on tasks and calendar
add weekly view option for tasks
connect specific tasks to specific calendars
Wireframes 1.0
Mobile Model
Calendar Focus, Weekly View
A toggle button was introduced to switch between a calendar-focused view and a task-focused view mimicking the toggle format on the desktop website version.
Following Google’s existing visual language, tasks appear at the top within their default green boundary boxes, while events are displayed below.
Task Focus, Weekly View
In the task-focused view, events are displayed at the top in a layout that mirrors the desktop's monthly calendar view, while tasks are listed below.
Two iterations were explored: on the left, tasks retain Google’s default green boundary style, while on the right, tasks are presented in a format inspired by traditional paper note-taking for a more tactile, list-like experience.
Task Focus, Daily View
This daily view builds on the existing layout but shifts the focus toward tasks while maintaining a hybrid structure. Events are displayed above, and tasks are listed below. The month label expands to reveal a calendar, allowing users to switch between months.
Two variations were explored: one maintains visual consistency with the other views, while the other emphasizes that tasks can be dragged and rearranged.
Adding a Task
Adding a task is now more detailed yet remains simple and intuitive. Users can customize the font, add descriptions, invite guests, assign tasks to specific calendars, etc...
Desktop Model
Task Focus, Weekly View
Version 1
Schedule View
Version 2
Monthly View
User Feedback
General
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Users appreciated having clear visual distinctions between tasks and events, as well as the ability to toggle which is primary or secondary depending on their focus.
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They valued the ability to check off tasks directly from any view without opening each one individually.
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Users wanted clearer differentiation between timed tasks, general daily tasks, timed events, and all-day events.
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There was discussion around whether the list or button-style layout worked better for displaying to-dos. This helped distinguish timed from non-timed tasks.
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Suggested adding a space below “Tasks of the Day” for entering longer to-do lists, rather than adding one task at a time.
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Users recommended moving task completion circles outside for faster access, with double-click or hold options for editing.
" I don't want the default for my tasks to be timed, otherwise I would block time off as a event, no?"
"I want to differetiate between my timed and non-timed events and tasks."
"It's feeling more flexible and intuitive just like my paper planner."
Desktop Website
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Users liked having a dedicated tasks page where tasks feel primary and events secondary, describing it as a modern analog list consistent with the feel of the current app.
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Requested the ability to create multiple tasks at once directly from the calendar view.
Mobile App
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Users appreciated that the '+' doesn't change upon pressing but they prefer keeping task creation.
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There were mixed results around the new button that mimicked the desktop toggle between the calendar and tasks. Users who liked it said it was clear and obvious without taking too much space from the page; others said that the view can be added on the side menu bar. Regardless, all users wanted the option to switch between having tasks or events as the primary focus.
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Users appreciated the mixed visual layouts and expressed interest in seeing a more task-focused layout for mobile.
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Users found that the “Move up” option under the Edit Task panel was redundant, as dragging items directly felt faster and more natural.
Wireframes 2.0
Icon Change
Before:
All tasks, including pending tasks, were shown with a circular check icon, regardless of completion status.
Pending tasks were hidden under a label, showing only their count but not their details.
After:
Task icons were simplified to a plain circle, which only transforms into a checked, greyed-out, and strikethrough version once completed.
Pending tasks were given a distinct icon, allowing users to see which tasks were carried over and clearly differentiate them from new or completed ones.
Mobile Model
Weekly View (with task carryover)
Weekly View (with scheduled tasks)
Daily View (with task edit)
Adding Tasks
New List View
List View (with expanded calendar)
Desktop Model
(can add multiple and label each)
Schedule View
Events and timed tasks in calendar below and unscheduled tasks as a list above.
Events are at the top and to-do list at the bottom
Events and timed tasks in a boundary box to the left and unscheduled tasks as a list to the right.
Events and timed tasks in calendar below and unscheduled tasks as a list above.
What I Learned
I learned that users plan differently: some want everything scheduled, others need a space to quickly dump tasks. The tools on the app and website need to accommodate all.
I learned that users miss the simplicity and clarity of paper planners/to-do lists and want their digital platforms to be as simple and clear.
I learned that users value flexibility—adding details only when needed—while keeping the interface simple and intuitive.
What I Would Do Differently
I would like a more efficient way to draft and iterate, even though I skipped lo-fi wireframes to focus on visual changes directly on the existing app.
I would simplify prototypes earlier instead of iterating through too many variations.
I would test features like subtasks, notes, color coding to ensure they remain unobtrusive for users who prefer simplicity.
Next Steps
I plan to implement toggles to show/hide tasks for specific calendars.
I plan to enable adding tasks with a deadline, estimated time needed, and prioritization level for backward planning, creating a dynamic time management tool.
I plan to measure specific KPIs like Net promoter score and Time on Task to mneasure effectiveness.