Open 2
The startup is creating a fast solution to build a real-time social connect. It helps people easily find and join a network with the similar tasks or interests.
Role
Lead UX designer
Researcher
UI designer
Outputs
Wireframe
Specs
Prototype
Year
2019
How did we get this idea?
My friends lived in downtown Toronto and he noticed people usually walking dogs or biking alone, but when they encountered other people doing the same thing, a chat might happen and they enjoyed that moment. We realized there's a great opportunity to help people connect with others when they are doing outdoor activities.
We did a research with people living in downtown, and found most people (13 of 20), especially for young men (18-25 years old), wished to build a light & temporary social network with shared topics.
How did we start the project?
3 of us collaborated online by sharing ideas, project plan and designs. We brainstormed the user journey and built the flows of discover & connect. We did a quick testing with the wireframes to understand how users will interact with our App in their real life.
How did we design the App?
We splitted the work. I was responsible for all the UX parts including features and flows. With the insights received from in-field user testings, beside the main flow, I also introduced the onboarding experience, easy-to-create event launcher, and a 2-way feedback system.
Meantime, the other designer created options of logo and main color theme which was inspired by the sunrises & sunsets which are the moments people mostly enjoyed in downtown. I applied the theme onto the design and created the hi-fi mockups.
How did we improve the design?
With the hi-fi mockup, we created a clickable prototype to collect more feedback. People loved the idea and also suggested to great features like 'Light the phone with a color to be spotted' and 'Apple Watch App' for hand-free experience. We continue updating the App and started creating marketing elements to promote it.
Next
The project was paused due to COVID 19. But we will continue building this App as the demands of social connecting will become more important when everything goes back to normal.
We will explore integrating technology like NFC to create a seamless experience, while reminding users to keep safe distances.