Design Insights from Sustainability Apps to Guide User Centered Mobile Application Development

Abstract This paper explores the role of mobile applications in promoting sustainable behaviors and environmental awareness. The researchers study the related issues of the impact of sustainability-oriented app design on user engagement and motivation. Using a mixed-methods exploratory approach, the researcher analyzed 54 mobile applications from the Google Play Store, categorized by interaction type (informative, gamified, or both), environmental theme (e.g., ethical consumption, carbon tracking), and user review availability. Of these, 21 apps with user feedback were further analyzed using Natural Language Processing techniques. The VADER sentiment analysis was used to determine user satisfaction and the topic modelling analyzed using the LDA topic modelling to identify common themes. The findings highlight that app success relies not just on informative content or basic gamification, but on clear, motivational content that links sustainability goals to practical daily actions. Users value straightforward interfaces, consistent performance, and ethical accessibility. More importantly, the research defines three frequently neglected yet fundamental aspects of mainstream app design: inclusivity, affordability, and transparency. The thesis underlines that these aspects have a serious influence on the trust of the user community and a long-term involvement. The study provides a user-based recommendation on design solutions that developers can use to develop ethical, user and context-sensitive sustainability applications. In general, the thesis can be useful in the domain of digital sustainability, creating bridges between the principles of design and user expectations to improve the role of mobile technology in achieving sustainable behaviors.