Abstract

The rapid growth of digital content has transformed personal information management practices, yet it has also increased information overload, reduced users’ ability to focus, and limited reflective engagement. While prior research has examined information overload, digital mindfulness, and reflection as largely separate phenomena, limited attention has been given to how the design of personal digital archiving tools can actively shape mindful interaction and user agency. Addressing this gap, this study examines how design principles based on digital mindfulness can be applied in personal digital archiving systems to reduce information overload and support reflective sense-making. This study adopts a Design Science Research (DSR) approach to design and evaluate a Reflective Personal Archive that prioritizes intentional curation and sense-making over speed and accumulation. Core user needs were identified through qualitative interviews, followed by a quantitative survey (n = 111) and a Kano analysis to assess the usefulness of features. The findings demonstrate that intentional constraints, transparency, and semantic scaffolding can function as cognitive supports rather than usability barriers. This research proposes a set of design principles for reflective curation that contribute to ongoing discussions on digital well-being and offer practical guidance for the design of a personal archive system.

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