Project Overview
Spot! Background Story
Spot! Background Story
Spot! Background Story
Our task was to find a way for college students and friends to meet up and discover affordable attractions with one another while on a budget. We discovered that students who attend Farmingdale State College on Long Island aren't fully aware about affordable attractions nearby. Students that are aware of affordable attractions are mainly commuter students. Dorm students aren't fully aware of the affordable attractions nearby and we found out that students aren't befriending one another.
Jake and I wanted to help college students along with their friends, and anyone else interested to discover and explore areas locally while on a college budget.
With all of these key components in mind, Jake and I decided to create Spot! A mobile application that can help build relationships between commuter and dorm students. We focused on discovering: how can we make students more aware of attractions nearby? How can we improve the relationships between commuter and dorm students?
Our task was to find a way for college students and friends to meet up and discover affordable attractions with one another while on a budget. We discovered that students who attend Farmingdale State College on Long Island aren't fully aware about affordable attractions nearby. Students that are aware of affordable attractions are mainly commuter students. Dorm students aren't fully aware of the affordable attractions nearby and we found out that students aren't befriending one another.
Jake and I wanted to help college students along with their friends, and anyone else interested to discover and explore areas locally while on a college budget.
With all of these key components in mind, Jake and I decided to create Spot! A mobile application that can help build relationships between commuter and dorm students. We focused on discovering: how can we make students more aware of attractions nearby? How can we improve the relationships between commuter and dorm students?
Timeline
Timeline
Timeline
(2022) - 9 Months
(2022) - 9 Months
Members
Members
Members
Manuela Mensah
Jake Miller
Manuela Mensah
Jake Miller
Role
Role
Role
UI/UX Designer
User Experience Researcher
UI/UX Designer
User Experience Researcher
Tools
Tools
Tools
Figma
Photoshop
Figma
Photoshop
Project Overview
Key Objectives & Challenges
Key Objectives & Challenges
Our Problem Statement
Our Problem Statement
Creating a mobile interface for students that attend Farmingdale State College to discover discounted attractions while discovering and developing friendships with commuter and dorm students.
Key Objectives
Key Objectives
Finding a way for college students/friends to meet up with one another while on a budget.
Creating a application that develops and creates relationships between dorm and commuter students
Developing new relationships between commuters and dorm students.
Finding a way for college students/friends to meet up with one another while on a budget.
Creating a application that develops and creates relationships between dorm and commuter students
Developing new relationships between commuters and dorm students.
Questions We Asked:
Questions We Asked:
How can we make students more aware of attractions nearby?
How can we improve the relationships between commuter and dorm students?
What features will be helpful to bring dorm students and commuters together?
How can we make students more aware of attractions nearby?
How can we improve the relationships between commuter and dorm students?
What features will be helpful to bring dorm students and commuters together?
View Prototype
SOLUTION OVERview
SOLUTION OVERview
What is Spot?
What is Spot?
Spot! is a mobile service that builds relationships between commuter students and non-local students to create more meaningful relationships while discovering affordable and local attractions unlike competitors such as Unidays, The Nudge and Student Edge.
Spot! is a mobile service that builds relationships between commuter students and non-local students to create more meaningful relationships while discovering affordable and local attractions unlike competitors such as Unidays, The Nudge and Student Edge.
Spot! is a mobile service that builds relationships between commuter students and non-local students to create more meaningful relationships while discovering affordable and local attractions unlike competitors such as Unidays, The Nudge and Student Edge.
View Prototype
View Prototype
Project Overview
Project Overview
Project Overview
The Design Process
The Design Process
The Design Process
Research
Scope of Data
Interviews
Surveys
Personas
Personas (3)
Empathy Map
Journey Map
UI Workflow
Wireframes
Sketches
Interaction Models
Info Architecture
UI Comps
Hi-Fidelity Comps
Next Steps
RESEARCH
RESEARCH
Understanding the problem
Understanding the problem
How'd we discover this was a problem?
How'd we discover this was a problem?
How'd we discover this was a problem?
Jake and I like to explore new areas when we're traveling. Jake a commuter student and myself a dorm student. When I lived in the dorms on Long Island I wanted to explore different areas nearby, but often struggled friends that were available to do so.
My friends and I would try to make plans to help me discover new areas but transportation and budgeting were our main problems. Finding an area within our budget range was difficult, and many of us didn't have a car or drove; we relied on taking Uber, Lyft or carpooling with a friend.
Jake and I noticed that we would struggle finding affordable attractions nearby, times and days everyone was free, and discovering our mode of transportation.
With all of these problems we faced we realized there was a problem not only have we dealt with but other students as well.
Jake and I like to explore new areas when we're traveling. Jake a commuter student and myself a dorm student. When I lived in the dorms on Long Island I wanted to explore different areas nearby, but often struggled friends that were available to do so.
My friends and I would try to make plans to help me discover new areas but transportation and budgeting were our main problems. Finding an area within our budget range was difficult, and many of us didn't have a car or drove; we relied on taking Uber, Lyft or carpooling with a friend.
Jake and I noticed that we would struggle finding affordable attractions nearby, times and days everyone was free, and discovering our mode of transportation.
With all of these problems we faced we realized there was a problem not only have we dealt with but other students as well.
NEXT STEPS
NEXT STEPS
We first conducted interviews to see if students around campus know about affordable attractions, and are they able to get around LI with no problem.
We first conducted interviews to see if students around campus know about affordable attractions, and are they able to get around LI with no problem.
Here's how the interview process went
Here's how the interview process went
Here's how the interview process went
We interviewed nine students and wanted to discover if people:
Have any issues with finding areas locally to hang out with their friends.
Struggle finding time to hang out with friends?
See transportation as an issue they face?
We interviewed nine students and wanted to discover if people:
Have any issues with finding areas locally to hang out with their friends.
Struggle finding time to hang out with friends?
See transportation as an issue they face?
Important questions we asked students
Important questions we asked students
Important questions we asked students
Would you say it's easier to get around campus with or without a car? Why?
Are there any local areas around campus or outside of the college you like to go to?
Places locally you’d recommend college students to go to on a budget?
Would you say it’s difficult trying to afford to do certain activities around Long Island, and why?
Do you have any issues planning to do activities with friends on campus or outside of campus?
If so, what issues normally arise that stop you from doing so?
Would you potentially be interested in finding an app that could help you with finding areas locally to hang out with friends?
Would you say it's easier to get around campus with or without a car? Why?
Are there any local areas around campus or outside of the college you like to go to?
Places locally you’d recommend college students to go to on a budget?
Would you say it’s difficult trying to afford to do certain activities around Long Island, and why?
Do you have any issues planning to do activities with friends on campus or outside of campus?
If so, what issues normally arise that stop you from doing so?
Would you potentially be interested in finding an app that could help you with finding areas locally to hang out with friends?
OUR DISCOVERY
OUR DISCOVERY
We first conducted interviews to see if students around campus know about affordable attractions, and are they able to get around LI with no problem.
We first conducted interviews to see if students around campus know about affordable attractions, and are they able to get around LI with no problem.
What did we discover from these interviews?
What did we discover from these interviews?
What did we discover from these interviews?
Transportation and getting around Long Island was difficult if you didn't have a car.
Many dorm students aren't fully aware of affordable attractions
Jake and I conducted interviews and distributed our surveys to students around Farmingdale State College to understand and gather information on the challenge we discovered.
After conducting interviews we put out surveys
After conducting interviews we put out surveys
After conducting interviews we put out surveys
Our initial problem was EXTREMELY broad but after conducting surveys we decided to keep it to just Long Island since it would be easier to gather information.
Our initial problem was EXTREMELY broad but after conducting surveys we decided to keep it to just Long Island since it would be easier to gather information.
Jake and I conducted interviews and distributed our surveys to students around Farmingdale State College to understand and gather information on the challenge we discovered.
The Research
The Research
The Research
Our Discovery
Our Discovery
Our Discovery
After conducting surveys and interviews we discovered who are three top personas would be. But during our second iteration of Spot! We heavily focused on Commuter Students and Residential Students. We saw students that utilized public transportation had similarities between the two.
After conducting surveys and interviews we discovered who are three top personas would be. But during our second iteration of Spot! We heavily focused on Commuter Students and Residential Students. We saw students that utilized public transportation had similarities between the two.
After conducting surveys and interviews we discovered who are three top personas would be. But during our second iteration of Spot! We heavily focused on Commuter Students and Residential Students. We saw students that utilized public transportation had similarities between the two.
After conducting surveys and interviews we discovered who are three top personas would be. But during our second iteration of Spot! We heavily focused on Commuter Students and Residential Students. We saw students that utilized public transportation had similarities between the two.
Who is Fundify for?
Who is Fundify for?
Who is Fundify for?
Our Target Audience
Our Target Audience
Our Target Audience
The target audience focused heavily on feedback we received from surveys and interviews. Once we discovered the problem students were facing we were able to focus on creating three of our target personas.
The target audience focused heavily on feedback we received from surveys and interviews. Once we discovered the problem students were facing we were able to focus on creating three of our target personas.
The target audience focused heavily on feedback we received from surveys and interviews. Once we discovered the problem students were facing we were able to focus on creating three of our target personas.
Commuters
Commuters
Commuters
Commuters - Public Transportation
Commuters - Public Transportation
Commuters - Public Transportation
Residential Students
Residential Students
Residential Students
Dorm Student - Persona
Dorm Student - Persona
Meet Ava - The Residential Student
Meet Ava - The Residential Student
Meet Ava - The Residential Student
UI Workflow
UI Workflow
What our 2022 Designs consisted of ...
What our 2022 Designs consisted of ...
What our 2022 Designs consisted of ...
Our first semester for this project focused heavily on research, discovering the problem and how to solve it!
We were given the task to come up with ideas and what we thought the application would look like. This included creating grayscale comps and mid-fidelity wireframes.
Very minor details stuck with what we created for our 2023 iteration!
Our first semester for this project focused heavily on research, discovering the problem and how to solve it!
We were given the task to come up with ideas and what we thought the application would look like. This included creating grayscale comps and mid-fidelity wireframes.
Very minor details stuck with what we created for our 2023 iteration!
Our first semester for this project focused heavily on research, discovering the problem and how to solve it!
We were given the task to come up with ideas and what we thought the application would look like. This included creating grayscale comps and mid-fidelity wireframes.
Very minor details stuck with what we created for our 2023 iteration!
Our first semester for this project focused heavily on research, discovering the problem and how to solve it!
We were given the task to come up with ideas and what we thought the application would look like. This included creating grayscale comps and mid-fidelity wireframes.
Very minor details stuck with what we created for our 2023 iteration!
UI Workflow
2022 Grayscale Comps
2022 Grayscale Comps
2022 Grayscale Comps
These ideas were our very first round of iterations. We created what we thought our application might look like and transformed them into mid-fidelity wireframes in our first semester of working on this project.
We looked for inspiration and applications similar to the one we wanted to create.
These ideas were our very first round of iterations. We created what we thought our application might look like and transformed them into mid-fidelity wireframes in our first semester of working on this project.
We looked for inspiration and applications similar to the one we wanted to create.
These ideas were our very first round of iterations. We created what we thought our application might look like and transformed them into mid-fidelity wireframes in our first semester of working on this project.
We looked for inspiration and applications similar to the one we wanted to create.
UI Workflow
UI Workflow
2022 - Mid Fidelity
2022 - Mid Fidelity
Our first Mid-Fidelity wireframes were not our strongest. Color scheme and execution the idea did not stick and wasn't entirely something I was proud of.
We presented our findings to the class and discussed what could be better with our designs and asked other students what they would look for.
Our first Mid-Fidelity wireframes were not our strongest. Color scheme and execution the idea did not stick and looking back not something I was proud of.
We presented our findings to the class and discussed what could be better with our designs and asked other students what they would look for.
The Research
The Research
What we did in 2023… it got better!
What we did in 2023… it got better!
We focused heavily on developing our interaction model and information architecture. We slowly began to understand what we had to do and what was necessary to be successful.
We went back to the drawing board, redid sketches and focused on making Spot! better than it was before.
We focused on the User Experience side of things!!
We focused heavily on developing our interaction model and information architecture. We slowly began to understand what we had to do and what was necessary to be successful.
We went back to the drawing board, redid sketches and focused on making Spot! better than it was before.
We focused on the User Experience side of things!!
We focused heavily on developing our interaction model and information architecture. We slowly began to understand what we had to do and what was necessary to be successful.
We went back to the drawing board, redid sketches and focused on making Spot! better than it was before.
We focused on the User Experience side of things!!
UI Workflow
UI Workflow
How will Spot Operate?
How will Spot Operate?
Jake and I created our own chapters but kept a sense of cohesiveness when it came to creating our interfaces for the final solution.
Jake and I created our own chapters but kept a sense of cohesiveness when it came to creating our interfaces for the final solution.
Spot! Sketches Mar. 2023
Spot! Sketches Mar. 2023
UI Workflow
Profile Settings - Interaction Model
Profile Settings - Interaction Model
In the users profile they are able to access a multitude of options. They can edit their profile, adjust their notifications and access their saved offers and recommended offers.
The Map is one of the key features when utilizing Spot! When accessing the Map feature users are able to discover Hotspots, Friends Location, Affordable Attractions, and Food/Restaurants nearby.
Friendly Rides - Confirm Request
Friendly Rides - Confirm Request
Friendly Rides - Confirm Request
Friendly Rides is a key feature of Spot! This is where users are able to view students that are providing transportation to the affordable attraction they are planning on going to. Users can check each vehicle’s remaining space, making it simple to coordinate transportation with friends or new acquaintances.
Friendly Rides is a key feature of Spot! This is where users are able to view students that are providing transportation to the affordable attraction they are planning on going to. Users can check each vehicle’s remaining space, making it simple to coordinate transportation with friends or new acquaintances.
UI Workflow
UI Workflow
Request Ride
Request Ride
Requesting a ride in Spot! is one of our key features the application provides. Users that attend Farmingdale State College can request rides from students going to attractions they're attending and are interested in.
Requesting a ride in Spot! is one of our key features the application provides. Users that attend Farmingdale State College can request rides from students going to attractions they're attending and are interested in.
View Prototype
View Prototype
View Prototype
UI Workflow
UI Workflow
Save Discount
Save Discount
Users can access hot spots and discover affordable attractions within the area. From here students are able to discover discounts different attractions are offering.
Users can access hot spots and discover affordable attractions within the area. From here students are able to discover discounts different attractions are offering.
UI Workflow
Spot! Calendar
Spot! Calendar
Students no longer have to worry about struggling to find out the next time their friend is available. They can now input their schedules so their friends can see when everyone is free.
Students no longer have to worry about struggling to find out the next time their friend is available. They can now input their schedules so their friends can see when everyone is free.
Hi-Fidelity Wireframes
Hi-Fidelity Wireframes
In Conclusion...
In Conclusion...
Final Thoughts & Takeaways!
Final Thoughts & Takeaways!
Spot! was one of my very first full hi-fidelity projects I worked on. It went through plentiful iterations and helped me grow as a UI/UX Designer. I’m thankful I was able to learn from my mistakes and understand the full process. This is a project where I was super happy with the turn out!
However I would love to fix up the entire design and create something better than what I’ve displayed. I know with my current skills and expertise now I can develop an even more amazing iteration.
The main focus of Spot! is to connect college students based on their schedules and interests. The mobile app allows users to input their class schedules and extracurricular activities and then find friends who have similar free time. Users can plan outings and adventures with their friends and coordinate transportation to events.
Our design team used an iterative design process, gathering feedback from users and making improvements to the app based on their input. We also conducted user testing to evaluate the app's usability, functionality, and overall user experience.
Spot! was one of my very first full hi-fidelity projects I worked on. It went through plentiful iterations and helped me grow as a UI/UX Designer. I’m thankful I was able to learn from my mistakes and understand the full process. This is a project where I was super happy with the turn out!
However I would love to fix up the entire design and create something better than what I’ve displayed. I know with my current skills and expertise now I can develop an even more amazing iteration.
The main focus of Spot! is to connect college students based on their schedules and interests. The mobile app allows users to input their class schedules and extracurricular activities and then find friends who have similar free time. Users can plan outings and adventures with their friends and coordinate transportation to events.
Our design team used an iterative design process, gathering feedback from users and making improvements to the app based on their input. We also conducted user testing to evaluate the app's usability, functionality, and overall user experience.
PDF Details
The PDF goes more in depth on the project Manuela and Jake worked on. Showcasing both of their full iterations. Overall a full summary of the work from our Fall and Spring Semester!
The PDF goes more in depth on the project Manuela and Jake worked on. Showcasing both of their full iterations. Overall a full summary of the work from our Fall and Spring Semester!
View PDF
View PDF
View PDF
Let’s Connect!
If you like any of these projects and want to learn more please don’t hesitate to reach out!
© 2024 Manuela Mensah
Let’s Connect!
If you like any of these projects and want to learn more please don’t hesitate to reach out!
© 2024 Manuela Mensah
Let’s Connect!
If you like any of these projects and want to learn more please don’t hesitate to reach out!
© 2024 Manuela Mensah
