Roles
UX/UI Designer
User Research
Brand Design
Information Architecture
Duration
100 hours
Tools and Resources
Figma
FigJam
Miro
OVERVIEW
Pod is an innovative social app that aims to reimagine how users make friends online. The goals of this project were to conduct research to identify innovation opportunities, to develop a new social app from start to finish, and to craft a unique and modern brand identity.
OVERVIEW
THE PROBLEM
Understanding the obstacles of online socializing
The emergence of socializing platforms has transformed the way humans connect online. Although these platforms are designed to foster relationships, they often cause increased feelings of loneliness and isolation. This can be caused by the widespread adoption of swipe culture by many apps, which encourages rapid judgements and hinders meaningful connections. Furthermore, these platforms lack the personalization necessary to accommodate individual comfort levels and preferences when it comes to meeting people online.
THE PROCESS
The design process
To identify meaningful solutions, we followed a structured approach consisting of 5 stages.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Exploring the landscape
We conducted a comprehensive analysis of competitors in the social platform space to gather insights from their functions, features, and user flows. Studying their strengths and weaknesses allowed us to pinpoint areas for enhancement to incorporate into our own designs.
Bumble for Friends stood out as the key competitor among the three social platforms we analyzed, based on the listed criteria.
USER INTERVIEWS
Understanding user perspectives
Next, we conducted user interviews with 5 participants to better understand their experiences, needs, goals, and challenges with socializing apps. Here are some key insights from our interviews.
USER PERSONA
Personifying user insights
Based on the insights gathered from our user interviews, we crafted a detailed user persona to represent our target audience. This persona encapsulates the diverse needs, goals, and pain points of our users, and helped guide our design decisions to ensure a user-centered approach.
Ideation
After pinpointing common user challenges and desired outcomes, we formulated key questions to help guide the design process.
HOW MIGHT WE allow users to customize their settings to cater to diverse individual needs within the app?
HOW MIGHT WE create an environment that actively supports and encourages individuals in forming genuine and lasting friendships?
Our solutions
Our solution for the first problem statement was to implement a customizable group settings feature within the app. This feature will allow users to adjust the number of people they can interact with at a time, catering to their individual preferences and comfort levels.
Our solution for the second problem statement was to move away from the traditional swiping model used by many social apps. Instead, we introduced an algorithm-generated matching system that pairs individuals based on compatibility factors such as shared interests, preferences, and goals. The users will be introduced to a “daily pod”, a group of individuals recommended each day by the algorithm. This feature encourages regular interactions with diverse individuals to foster intentional and engaging social experiences.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
Sitemap and user flows
Using user insights as our guide, we constructed a sitemap and user flows to visualize the structure and navigation of the app.
Sitemap
User flows
DESIGN
Bringing our solutions to life
After understanding the structure of our solutions and how users would engage with them, we began crafting the blueprints for our designs.
Low Fidelity Wireframes
Branding and UI
Next, we directed our efforts towards curating the user interface kit. Each visual element was meticulously selected to embody our brand values of warmth and friendliness, and to create an inviting and enjoyable user experience.
UI Kit
Moodboard
Pod Logo
Explorations
High Fidelity Wireframes
After crafting our user interface kit, we transitioned to developing our high-fidelity mockups. These mockups were used as the foundation for our prototype, which was used for usability testing.
TESTING
Usability testing
Once the prototype was complete, we proceeded to test it with five participants. Here are the tasks we asked them to complete:
You are a user of the Pod mobile app.
Can you walk me through the process of initiating a conversation with the members of your Daily Pod?
Can you guide me through the process of changing the size of your pod group?
You are a user of the Pod mobile app. Can you guide me through the process of changing your new message settings to receive in-app notifications only?
Usability test results
Next we conducted usability testing to validate our design decisions, using the following success metrics.
Task Completion
100% (5/5) of participants were able to complete Task 1 without errors.
80% (4/5) of participants were able to complete Task 2 without errors.
80% (4/5) of participants were able to complete Task 3 without errors.
Time to Complete Tasks
100% (5/5) of participants were able to complete Task 1 in less than a minute.
100% (5/5) of participants were able to complete Task 2 in less than a minute.
100% (5/5) of participants were able to complete Task 3 in less than a minute.
User Satisfaction
100% (5/5) of participants expressed a liking for aesthetics of the design.
60% (3/5) of participants expressed a liking for the intro screens.
60% (3/5) of participants expressed a liking for the daily pod feature.
60% (3/5) of participants expressed a liking for the highlights feature.
Ease of Use
100% (5/5) of participants expressed that the flows were intuitive and straightforward to navigate.
Areas for improvement
80% (4/5) of participants expressed uncertainty when navigating between settings and filters.
60% (3/5) of participants expressed the desire to see a different system for the “pending/tentative” pods
Priority iterations
Through our usability testing, we were able to identify key areas for improvement.
REFLECTION
Key takeaways
Embracing an iterative approach
We’re learning to embrace continuous adjustments before finalizing designs.
Learning to problem solve
Navigating the nuances of the app’s concept and bringing the design to life required significant thought and effort. This project definitely challenged and expanded our way of thinking.
Personal growth
This project has been a journey of personal growth for us. It taught us the importance of embracing and learning from both successes and failures.
Next steps for Pod
Implement app-led prompts
These prompts will gently nudge users who have been chatting for a while, suggesting the option to meet in person. This feature will encourage users to transition their online connections to real-life interactions.
Integrate AI-suggested events
AI algorithms will make personalized event recommendations based on the user’s location, interests, and past interactions with the app. This feature will provide valuable opportunities for users to connect in person, extending their interactions beyond messaging.
Thank you for your interest in Pod!
