Category:
UX Designer
Client:
NA (passion project)
Used Tools:
Figma, Adobe Creative Suite
I teamed up with developer Colton Foremaster to design a simple social app to fight loneliness.
Live app currently in development
66% of event planners surveyed said they would use the app
20% left their email for early access
Try the mobile prototype
Try the desktop prototype
Desktop Mockups
Mobile Mockups
Isn’t it fascinating how social media has captivated the masses, yet left everyone so unsatisfied? The very tools that promised to connect us are driving us apart, which begs the question—"is there a better way to approach this?"
I've pondered this question for years, and during that time, I've made connections with people like Kent Broadbent, who's been diligently working on the problem with his app Smack Social, and traded many notes.
I decided to take my own stab at the issue with mobile app design called “Circles” for my Google UX certificate portfolio project back in 2020. It was an exhilarating project! That being said, the resulting product felt unfinished.
Exploring this sentiment I discovered a few issues with the current designs:
The concept was too new, foreign feeling, and complicated—kind of a stretch to expect quick adoption.
It was cripplingly dependent on a large user base before it could provide any value.
We bit off waaaay more than we could chew as far as feature spread. It needed some simplification to the level of a feasible MVP before it could be worth committing to code.
Tackling the challenge once again, I distilled the clutter down to the idea of an event planning app that used RSVP limits and timers to weaponize FOMO and create hype for hanging out.
Serendipitously, I ran into Colton Foremaster, who took interest in the idea and agreed to join the team as the sole developer.
In our discussions, we realized that users wouldn't want the hassle of manually inputting names and numbers of every person they invited to their events. So instead of building in SMS functionality (which also costs money), we decided to generate a shareable link for copying and pasting into existing messaging platforms.
In designs I drew from UI kits Material Design and Untitled UI. I arranged typography, established color tokens, and incorporated AI generated visuals from Stability’s Dream Studio.
In interviews with potential users, I learned that some users wanted the ability to edit their RSVP lists in case attendees dropped out and promptly added that functionality.
Designs are completed, but development is still underway. Stay tuned!
