Project type
Mobile App
Client
Creek
Role
UX/UI Design
Time frame
6 Months
Team
Project Manager
Designer
Developer (2)
Overview
We wanted to build a networking platform focussed on Startup community, which is action driven and engaging. Help Founders, investors, professionals and students to make meaningful connections and assist them on their entrepreneur journey.
My role was to lay the foundation of the whole App. Find, validate and solve the key problems. while ensuring seamless integration of required features into the overall app experience.
The App's launch was met with overwhelming support and appreciation from the community.
CONTEXT
The current ways of making individual connections online aren't tailored for professionals seeking and offering significant assistance and resources.
Research
Method
Competitive analysis
Surveys
User Interviews
Questions
We compared the networking process utilized in popular social media networks within the startup ecosystem. Distributed questionnaires in digital startup groups and conducted interviews with several Founders and Investors.
The basic questions we asked were:
How do individuals form professional relationships?
What key information is needed for a significant connection?
How do decision-making processes occur online?
Why do people establish professional connections?
Findings
Anatomy of a Community
Key pain points
Managing connection requests and messages across various social platforms can be challenging.
Most requests seems to be arbitrary, lacking context or purpose.
Enormous volume of messages results in overlooking individuals users wish to establish connections with.
Individuals beginning their journey rarely obtain any feedback.
Observation
The majority of individuals in a community don't participate.
The motivation for interaction is brief and doesn’t truly aid in establishing a productive relationship.
Solution
Objectives
Maintain Framework
Encourage interaction
Promote value based network
Reduce spam
Design
Maintaining the fundamental framework of the community was crucial since users have grown accustomed to it, yet we understood that each element should have a goal which are inter-dependent on each other in order to address the primary user issues.
Onboarding
Onboarding serves to understand users' objectives, qualifications, and what they can contribute, in order to establish their position in the community and supporting their advancement on their path.
User provides information about themselves.
Subtle nudge to complete their profile.
Clear path is presented to reach a milestone
User provides all the necessary information
Value they're open to give and obtain.
Assigned badge determines their position within the community
Engagement
A user's badge level dictates their range of actions and the people they can interact with on the platform. As users progress and gain experience, their badge level upgrades, unlocking additional features and access to more experienced users.
Home tab displays activity from individuals and pages being followed by a user.
In Explore tab users can browse all the content available on the platform
Dedicated community tab for interaction on a specific subject or assisting a fellow member.
User engage in a manner which is familiar to them.
Visual progression towards the next milestone motivate user engagement.
Each new upgrade gives a sense of achievement and act as an incentive.
Connections
Users can only initiate conversations by presenting an offer or request to individuals possessing an equal, lower, or one level higher badge. This ensures that interactions are focused and relevant, diminishing the likelihood of generic or unsolicited messages.
A public profile with all details user wants to showcase.
When a user attempts to connect without the required badge level.
A connection attempt, encourage users to pick an agenda the individual is open to.
User provides specifics of their offer or the request.
The prospect receives the connection request.
A productive and meaningful connection is established.
BUSINESS IMPACT
