  Regular practice of gratitude has the potential to enhance psychological
wellbeing and foster stronger social connections among young adults. However,
there is a lack of research investigating user needs and expectations regarding
gratitude-promoting applications. To address this gap, we employed a
user-centered design approach to develop a mobile application that facilitates
gratitude practice. Our formative study involved 20 participants who utilized
an existing application, providing insights into their preferences for
organizing expressions of gratitude and the significance of prompts for
reflection and mood labeling after working hours. Building on these findings,
we conducted a deployment study with 26 participants using our custom-designed
application, which confirmed the positive impact of structured options to guide
gratitude practice and highlighted the advantages of passive engagement with
the application during busy periods. Our study contributes to the field by
identifying key design considerations for promoting gratitude among young
adults.
