Mobile APP for people to reconnect their former friends based on past location information.
City link
My role
UIUX Design
Duration
1 Month
Tool
Adobe XD
Illustrator
Type of work
Solo work
Problem
In the past 20 years, China’s urbanisation has profoundly changed the original urban space planning, and the original living environment has transformed dramatically. In particular, places we are familiar with have been dismantled.
Meanwhile, the upgrading of communication technology in the past 20 years has changed the way people communicate. In the alternation of communication methods, we gradually lose touch with our former friends and acquaintances.
Solution
The City link application is designed to enable people to easily access and revisit memories associated with the city, as well as connect with lost friends or acquaintances.
Interact with surrounding
Upon arriving at certain locations, a notification will remind users that they can explore the past environment through AR. Users can interact with surroundings by taking pictures, listening to songs, and sharing stories about past events that occurred in the area.
Story sharing
Moreover, all the shared stories will be displayed on the map, making them easily accessible to users. Users can post their own stories and leave comments on others' stories.
Get in touch
If users come across something interesting or find old friends through the app, they can send a private message to build a connection.
User interview
To discover people's views on the living environment after moving. I targeted the audience to young people born between 85 and 95 and who have experienced demolition because this generation has experienced profound changes in the city. I conducted in-depth interviews with 8 people to understand their perspectives and experience. I obtained many insights about their views through the interview. Here are their shared insights and frustrations divided into themes:
Key findings
People are connected to their past growth environment even though they don’t live there anymore.
Environment
Even though certain places have been demolished, they will unconsciously recall their memory and former friends when passing by.
Reminiscence
The longer they go without talking to their former friends the harder it is to reconnect without an icebreaker.
Awkwardness
They try to reconnect with their former friends but are afraid it’s a scam when they get a call from them.
Worries
Persona
From the key findings, I was able to get a better sense of the user experience. With this research, I crafted a persona to drive my designs for the target users and identify opportunities in which to focus my digital solution.
After looking at the persona, it is clear that users miss the past living environment and want to reconnect with their former friends when they get back to their hometown. I shifted focus to how I could help them through an effective way.
With this thought, I refined my project question:
How might we
develop a platform that enables users to reconnect with their former friends and revisit previous living environment?
Ideation
Using the HMW statement and the needs of my target user to determine the purpose of my product. I propose to use AR+LBS technology to build a platform to help users reconnect their friends and explore the past living environments.
Design principals
I formulated 3 design principles to contemplate during the generation and elimination of concepts.
Interact with environment
Users can immerse themselves in the historical landscape of the area and recall their memory.
Communication with people
Facilitate communication between users, allowing them to connect with one another.
Exploration
Broaden user’s interests and inspire them to discover and explore.
Key features
Explore past environment
Prompt users to revisit their former surroundings as they walk through specific locations.
Exploration experience
Enrich users’ exploration experience with AR technology.
Allow users to share their recollections to connect other users.
Memory and share
Information architecture
Wireframe
Usability test
After going through the ideation process. I created low-fidelity prototype underwent usability testing for two rounds. Testers were given a set of 5 tasks to complete. The results of the first study helped guide the design from wireframe to model. The second study used high-fidelity prototypes and revealed which aspects of the model required further improvement.
Users want to have anonymous features.
Interacting with surroundings is enjoyable, but it tend to forget unless someone reminds.
Some buttons are small.
Feedbacks
Storyboard
The storyboard provides an overall visualization of how the app works.
Takeaway
Value
City Link offers a unique approach compared to the many applications designed for social networking, as it focuses on facilitating the reconnection of old friends and fostering deeper connections through ongoing communication and shared memories of past living environments. With City Link, users can easily and comfortably reconnect with their former friends, without fear of embarrassment or awkwardness. Additionally, the platform helps users collect their memories of their living environment.
Reflecting on the work I accomplished, I experienced both successes and challenges. The most valuable lesson I learned through the process of human-centered design is the importance of letting users inform the design. If the design does not enhance the user experience or meet the desired goal, it is merely decorative. It is crucial to continuously test and iterate the design. As a designer, it is important to maintain an open mind during user testing and feedback, recognizing that you are not your designs. Embracing feedback, even during difficult moments, can lead to pivotal change.
What I have learned