ConnectingU 2022
Student Networking App:
ConnectingU
Project Overview
"ConnectingU" is a social networking app designed to enhance the social connection of university students in the academic environment. Developed collaboratively with the UofT Innovation Hub, the app focuses on overcoming social obstacles faced by students with tight schedules through features facilitating instant interactions in specific locations and time frames.
My Contribution
My role was multifaceted, encompassing contributions from initial research and ideation to the development and refinement of prototypes. The comprehensive engagement in the project was instrumental in shaping the final product, particularly in evaluating its usability and effectiveness for the intended audience.
1.Research and Analysis
(Sprint 1)
This phase involved an in-depth investigation into the socializing challenges and needs of University of Toronto students, in understanding the social dynamics and user needs within the field.
We first conducted secondary research through literature review to understand the problem space, and competitive analysis to explore to identify gaps in current networking platforms. In addition, extensive first-hand data collection through both quantitative research, like surveys, and qualitative research through interviews helped in gaining insights into student behaviors, preferences, and constraints.
2. Understanding Users
(Sprint 1)
After data analysis, we found University students face multiple networking obstacles mainly caused by insufficient time, uncertainty in socializing and lack of methods to connect. Therefore, our project aims to answer the question:
"How might we help our users to utilize time gaps of a tight schedule to build and maintain meaningful connections in academic life? "
So we developed a detailed persona, Cassie the Commuter, to deepen our understanding and empathy towards our users. This enables us to tailor our solution more effectively to align with the real-world experiences of our intended users.
3. Ideation (Sprint 2)
- Brainstorm and Prioritization
To tackle Cassie's needs, we started with brainstorming sessions to generate numerous ideas that could potentially lead to tangible solutions. Subsequently, the team clustered similar ideas into key overarching themes and conducted dot voting to prioritize these themes (clustered ideas) in narrowing down the most viable and impactful solutions to develop further.
- Identifying Solutions and
User Journey Map
We narrowed down to focus on two main ideas after our ideation processes:
1. 🚊Travel Buddy Finder - focusing on finding commuting companies
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Commuters can match and travel with peers who have overlapping commuting routes or schedules;
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Make use of commuting time to connect with and even create a deep relationship with peers.
2. 📍Proximity Meet-up - emphasizing peer connections on campus
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Users can make use of the free time on campus to connect with peers who have overlapping free time duration or activity schedule;
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The map-based system and status feature allow users to check on the willingness to connect and the social activity of nearby peers.
Let's see how ConnectingU elevates journey experiences of Cassie.
4. Wireframing
(Sprint 3)
In this phase, the team developed rapid, low-fidelity prototypes allowing for early-stage testing of the solutions and iterative improvements.
We brainstormed on how each of the two features could be integrated into one product, and I took on the responsibility of refining the ideas and creating low-fi storyboards with annotations and descriptions to guide the prototype creation.
Update status
Proximity Meet-up
Travel Buddy Finder
5. Evaluation and
Final Prototype
(Sprint 3)
The team implemented a combination of methods including observation, think-aloud, and semi-structured interviews to test the prototype. Totally 10 participants were selected based on specific inclusion criteria joining the testing with the signed consent.
We iterated based on the feedback from lean evaluation and accommodated them in the medium-fidelity prototype we created.
1.🚊Travel Buddy Finder
Upload a travel plan to allow other peers to see and reach out. User can also browse a list of peers with overlapping travel route and time. User then have the option to chat as well as set a reminder to travel with the matched peers.
2. 📍Proximity Meet-up
Update the status and set the time duration and other preference. Let the peers to see the status on the map and help peers reach out to each other with similar activities and overlapping free time. Users can preview peer' profile to decide on whether to connect.
6. Conclusion
What I Learned:
This project was a profound learning experience where I challenged myself to participate in the entire UXD process. Key takeaways include the importance of not assuming the user's needs and perspectives – "You are not the user." I learned to prioritize effectively, understanding that not all ideas can be pursued simultaneously. Embracing flexibility in the problem space was crucial, as it might pivot based on research findings. Lastly, incorporating different perspectives was invaluable, as it enriched the design process and outcome.
Next Steps:
Moving forward, the plan involves refining the ConnectingU app based on user feedback. Continuous iteration and reevaluation of the solutions in response to evolving user needs and technological advancements will be key. Incorporating an engineer and developer into our team to fill that gap in knowledge and technology is also a critical next step.