social technology
ux design & research
Convene
Convene
Human Centered Design
at the Academy of Art University
January - May 2024
Figma, Adobe CC
Role: UX Design & Research
Challenge
Consider the complexity of coordinating meet-ups. How do people manage their social engagements?
Consider the complexity of coordinating meet-ups. How do people manage their social engagements?
The process is often fragmented and frustrating. Convene aims to solve this issue.
The process is often fragmented and frustrating. Convene aims to solve this issue.
hypothesis
A single platform for meet-up, planning & discovery reduces planning time and complexity, leading to an enhanced user experience.
A single platform for meet-up, planning & discovery reduces planning time and complexity, leading to an enhanced user experience.
market potential
Enhancing quality of life, expanding user base, and driving economic and social innovation
Enhancing quality of life, expanding user base, and driving economic and social innovation
Enhanced Quality of Life
Enhanced Quality of Life
Solution will provide a reduction in friction when planning and coordinating events.
User Base
User Base
Approx. 3.5. billion people use social apps and about 70% of Americans use calendar apps, providing an expansive user base.
Economic Opportunity
Economic Opportunity
Increased activity to lesser known businesses and events.
Social Technology
Social Technology
Pushing the envelop on what social technologies can achieve.
Research
Uncovering key user insights: Addressing scheduling preferences, and safety to enhance social coordination experiences.
Uncovering key user insights: Addressing scheduling preferences, and safety to enhance social coordination experiences.
Scheduling Struggles
Scheduling Struggles
This proved to be a significant paint point that I did not foresee. Because of this, I will have to re-focus my solution.
This proved to be a significant paint point that I did not foresee. Because of this, I will have to re-focus my solution.
User Preferences
User Preferences
Users wanted the ability to provide their preferences with organizers. They pointed toward the use case of being allergic to a certain food and that being visible during planning.
Users wanted the ability to provide their preferences with organizers. They pointed toward the use case of being allergic to a certain food and that being visible during planning.
Location Features
Location Features
There was a strong desire for activity suggestion based on mutual locations, indicating that a friend first rather than event first coordination feature is needed.
There was a strong desire for activity suggestion based on mutual locations, indicating that a friend first rather than event first coordination feature is needed.
Privacy & Safety
Privacy & Safety
Users stated that privacy was a priority for them, such as their location and schedule sharing. Additionally, they expressed concern over the safety of exploring a new area.
Users stated that privacy was a priority for them, such as their location and schedule sharing. Additionally, they expressed concern over the safety of exploring a new area.
persona definition
Meet Olivia: A socially active user shaping our design.
Meet Olivia: A socially active user shaping our design.
Olivia is a 28 year old graphic designer who enjoys a flexible schedule, and often travels for work/pleasure. She loves meeting new people, and organizing meet-ups at new places.
Olivia is a 28 year old graphic designer who enjoys a flexible schedule, and often travels for work/pleasure. She loves meeting new people, and organizing meet-ups at new places.
Frustrations
Frustrations
Coordinating schedules
Location convenience
Personalized suggestions
Coordinating schedules
Location convenience
Personalized suggestions
User Needs
User Needs
Flexible schedule tools
Easy coordination
Discover local events
Flexible schedule tools
Easy coordination
Discover local events
Design sprint
Mapping out the actors to drive decisions
Actors
Target
Target
Target
Beginning
Journey
End
storyboard
Visualizing how users could navigate meetups seamlessly.
Visualizing how users could navigate meetups seamlessly.
To explore how I might test a prototype for this meet-up app with a conceptual friend, I sketched this storyboard to help me visualize the process. This allowed me to identify potential improvements and it influenced my initial user flows and designs.
To explore how I might test a prototype for this meet-up app with a conceptual friend, I sketched this storyboard to help me visualize the process. This allowed me to identify potential improvements and it influenced my initial user flows and designs.
first iteration
Early concepts focused on refining key features like calendar integration, location selection, and seamless communication.
Early concepts focused on refining key features like calendar integration, location selection, and seamless communication.
tested insights
Validating the design: Addressing availability, priorities, and redundant processes.
Validating the design: Addressing availability, priorities, and redundant processes.
1
Availability Priority
Theme: Users were confused about this feature. Some stated they didn’t need it.
Theme: Users were confused about this feature. Some stated they didn’t need it.
Insight: Pivot away from developing this feature.
Insight: Pivot away from developing this feature.
2
Event Information
Event Information
Theme: Users wanted to see more event information before sending suggestions to friends.
Theme: Users wanted to see more event information before sending suggestions to friends.
Insight: Develop this feature further to allow the user to view event information, then send suggestions to friends.
Insight: Develop this feature further to allow the user to view event information, then send suggestions to friends.
3
Grouping
Grouping
Theme: Users indicated the need for friend grouping. This would help with similar interests and preferences.
Theme: Users indicated the need for friend grouping. This would help with similar interests and preferences.
Insight: Develop a new group feature or plan for it’s development.
Insight: Develop a new group feature or plan for it’s development.
refinement
Refining the design: Simplifying processes and enhancing affordances.
Refining the design: Simplifying processes and enhancing affordances.
After I analyzed testing insights, I applied a data-driven approach to refine the design, ensuring it addressed user needs and improved key processes for a seamless experience.
After I analyzed testing insights, I applied a data-driven approach to refine the design, ensuring it addressed user needs and improved key processes for a seamless experience.
outcomes
Transforming the meet-up process: Anticipating a 40% improvement in coordination efficiency.
Transforming the meet-up process: Anticipating a 40% improvement in coordination efficiency.
The final design successfully addressed the core challenges identified during research, streamlining the entire meet-up process from scheduling to planning activities. By incorporating user feedback at every stage, the solution not only met user needs but also aimed to improve overall coordination efficiency by 40%. This project highlights the value of a research-driven, iterative approach to solving complex problems and measuring impact.
The final design successfully addressed the core challenges identified during research, streamlining the entire meet-up process from scheduling to planning activities. By incorporating user feedback at every stage, the solution not only met user needs but also aimed to improve overall coordination efficiency by 40%. This project highlights the value of a research-driven, iterative approach to solving complex problems and measuring impact.
takeaway
Key takeaways: Pivoting to user-centric solutions.
Key takeaways: Pivoting to user-centric solutions.
The problem I was addressing turned out to be more complex and layered than I had initially anticipated, requiring deeper exploration to fully understand the underlying user challenges.
By revisiting user research, I uncovered valuable insights that allowed me to pivot and create a design that was truly user-centric and aligned with evolving needs.
The problem I was addressing turned out to be more complex and layered than I had initially anticipated, requiring deeper exploration to fully understand the underlying user challenges.
By revisiting user research, I uncovered valuable insights that allowed me to pivot and create a design that was truly user-centric and aligned with evolving needs.
Convene
Convene
ADAM BUNCE
Product Designer passionate about transforming complex user problems into thoughtful, human-centered solutions.
© 2024 All Rights Reserved
Built by Adam Bunce
WORK
Product Design Intern @ TRC Companies
October 2023 - Present
Architect @ Davis Partnership Architects
January 2020 - June 2023
Weld Shop & Armory Supervisor @ US Navy
March 2010 - April 2015
EDUCATION
MA Interaction & UI/UX Design
Academy of Art University
BA Environmental Design, Architecture
University of Colorado Boulder
AWARDS
Magna Cum Laude
University of Colorado Boulder