Many people struggle to control their use of digital devices. However, our
understanding of the design mechanisms that support user self-control remains
limited. In this paper, we make two contributions to HCI research in this
space: first, we analyse 367 apps and browser extensions from the Google Play,
Chrome Web, and Apple App stores to identify common core design features and
intervention strategies afforded by current tools for digital self-control.
Second, we adapt and apply an integrative dual systems model of self-regulation
as a framework for organising and evaluating the design features found. Our
analysis aims to help the design of better tools in two ways: (i) by
identifying how, through a well-established model of self-regulation, current
tools overlap and differ in how they support self-control; and (ii) by using
the model to reveal underexplored cognitive mechanisms that could aid the
design of new tools.Comment: 11.5 pages (excl. references), 6 figures, 1 tabl