Project Overview

To create an intuitive app and website that effortlessly curates personalized, hyper-local activity recommendations, eliminating the need for extensive research. The platform will provide tailored suggestions based on user preferences, location, and real-time availability, making it easy for users to discover and enjoy activities without the hassle.

Role

December 2024 – February 2025

Problem Space

Modern-day individuals often feel too busy or exhausted to research activities for their days off. Generic search results overwhelm them with broad options, making decision-making difficult. As a result, they miss out on hidden local gems and last-minute events that align with their interests.

Design Process

Product Design – Solo Project

User Interview Findings

Ideation Sketches

Timeline

Market Research

While existing platforms like Google, Eventbrite, and Yelp provide activity discovery, they often overwhelm users with too many options, lack true personalization, or focus solely on ticketed events. Vibecheck’s key advantage will be curated, hyper-local, real-time activity suggestions that match users’ interests and availability, eliminating the hassle of research.

Which leads us to…

How Might We?

How might we simplify decision-making by reducing the number of choices while still offering meaningful options?

Task Flow

After establishing my task flow, I started sketching some ideation sketches of what the application could look like when translated digitally. I made multiple versions of each screen highlighting components that I liked I would later put together to create my final low fidelity wireframes.

Digital Wireframes

I translated my selected sketch into the first set of low-fidelity digital wireframes and conducted an initial round of usability testing to evaluate the app’s flow and identify early issues.

Testing

After completing my initial wireframes, I conducted two rounds of usability testing with six users to gather real-time feedback. This process allowed me to refine the design based on user insights, ensuring a more seamless and optimized experience.

Visual Identity

To give life to the product branding, I created a color palette and mood board for its visual identity

To provide a consistent design language, I created a set of design guidelines using the Atomic Design methodology.

High Fidelity

Then I applied the design system and visual identity into high fidelity wireframes.

What I learned

User Interviews Reveal Key Pain Points

Conducting user interviews is essential for identifying real user frustrations, such as decision fatigue, generic recommendations, and the difficulty of discovering hidden local gems.
Direct user insights help shape a product that truly addresses their needs rather than relying on assumptions.

Recognizing and Mitigating Biases

It’s crucial to remain aware of biases—both from users and designers—when interpreting research findings.
Avoid designing based on personal assumptions or a limited user perspective; instead, prioritize diverse feedback to create an inclusive experience.

Early Testing Leads to Better Refinements

Testing ideas early with prototypes helps validate solutions before committing to full development.
Gathering feedback at multiple stages ensures that the app remains intuitive, effective, and aligned with user expectations.

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