Get Social Case Study
Timeline - November 2021-January 2022
My Role - Solo student project for Springboard UX/UI Bootcamp
Navigation
Process Interviews Testing Methods Design Prototype Thoughts
The Problem - Finding new friends can be challenging as an adult
As we grow older and evolve as human beings, we can at times fall out of touch with our friend circle. Whether it’s moving into a new city, or just wanting to connect with new people, it can be intimidating and difficult to connect with others. Especially since the pandemic began, some people just don’t know where to start.
Challenges to Success
We want to build an app that’s main focus is to make friendships, where dating is an option but not something necessarily a driving point. I wanted to create a platform that was inclusive to all genders, personality types, and sexualities, as well as connects people from all over the world to give a sense of ease and safe space. To allow all users to connect over fun activities in the area, or start a conversation based on interests with group chats.
Tools I Used
The Solution - Building a platform that’s inclusive to everyone
The Process
Friends in the 21st Century
I wanted to create a product that would provide a way for everyone to make long lasting and fulfilling relationships, even with the lack of organic connection in the face of the twenty first century. I I especially wanted to tackle issues such as people who have had falling outs with their circles, to someone who isn’t in school anymore who could join a club for example.
Gathering Data from User Interviews
First to understand how I would go about creating this product, I had to get feedback from multiple participants via interviewing in person and then compiling what I found in graph form.
Note not all results will be added due to format reasons.
Empathy Mapping the Data
From my feedback I created an organized visual of what users wanted to see on the app and what they didn’t.
Conducting My Red Routes
From getting into the headspace of what my user would be looking for, I created 2 very important red routes for my product: Setting up your account and connecting with a potential friend.
The Competition
After I developed the red routes for my app, I began to do my own research on apps that would be deemed competitors to mine. I took note of their visuals as well as what their app offered as a means of connecting people together. I found what I enjoyed and what I wasn’t so crazy about, as well as ideas I would love to implement on my own app.
Feedback & Personal Experience
From the user survey’s, my own research, and in general conversations from the friends I made on Discord, the obvious were made apparent to me what was really important to people:
They wanted an app that was more friend based. No dating on the side (unless both users wanted that equally), no connecting based off of social network needs, something to just make friends on.
Connect based off of interests.
Have multiple group chats to join.
Show activities to join together and or quizzes to connect based off of answers.
Have bios short and sweet yet include enough information.
Beginning the Design Process - The Storyboard
I then began to put together a lo-fi design of what my app would demonstrate as a terms of information and visuals.
Biting Off More
Before I made this iteration for my lo-fi design, I had tried to incorporate more mental health features. But as my mentor pointed out, which I’m glad she did, I was biting off more than I could chew.
Staying on Track
I had to stay focused and make an app to have people connect and make friends, which was my original goal. I still incorporated some mental health features, but it doesn’t stride away from the original mission at hand.
Creating a Project Research Plan:
I created a research plan to stay on track with the progress on completing my app.
The Final Product - Prototyping and Final Feedback
Something that I had to keep on reminding myself of, and to be reminded again by my mentor, was to be more detached when asking interview questions. To not have any leading questions, since it can intervene when getting great data from your product. Of course, this is something that takes practice, since we by nature are emotional based creatures.
The final round of interviews from my prototypes, participants expressed how they enjoyed how informative and aesthetically pleasing the experience was. They expressed how easy my app was to navigate and cater to the needs they desired when connecting with potential friends.
The Style Guide
Brand: For Get Social, I wanted the feel to be modern and deliver a cool feel and design. I wanted the CTA’s to be the complimentary color to the blue I had chosen, and the other colors to have meaningful representation for the users to engage with. I wanted the type to also deliver a clean and “tech” vibe.
“The easiest way to connect with people online is to focus on finding the communities you really care about.” - Harvard Business Review
My Final Thoughts
The 3 Important Takeaways I Learned:
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you have another good idea for your product, you can always later implement it to an entire new app down the line.
Interviewing is more powerful than you think. You can think you’re doing everything right, but getting a fresh set of eyes really helps.
It’s okay to take design inspiration from other designers. You’re not stealing.
The Conclusion and Takeaway:
This product meant a lot to me personally because I had multiple falling outs with friends in my circle. I also realize since the pandemic, connecting with others has been difficult. There is a sense of detachment lingering, which I feel like my app improves. My app customizes to the users needs and is very exclusive for example the sexual orientation and gender need. In theory, one day I could even see this exist in the near future. At the end of the day, anything is possible when creating a product of your own, as long as you believe in yourself and have a great support system to back you up. And also a great mentor for extra magical guidance! 😊