Befriend — Conceptual Mobile App
Simplify making friends on campus.
Befriend — Conceptual Mobile App
Simplify making friends on campus.
Befriend — Conceptual Mobile App
Simplify making friends on campus.
Overview.
Making friends in postsecondary often feels like trying to find your soulmate in a stadium. How do we build connections in a sea of strangers? Befriend is a conceptual social app that communicates your classmate’s interests and intentions upfront, reducing the anxiety of reaching out first.
🚀 Deliverables
Mobile App, Promotional Video, Style Guide
🧠 Roles
Research, UX/UI, Prototyping, User Testing, Motion Design
⏱️ Timeline
January - March 2020
Overview.
Making friends in postsecondary often feels like trying to find your soulmate in a stadium. How do we build connections in a sea of strangers? Befriend is a conceptual social app that communicates your classmate’s interests and intentions upfront, reducing the anxiety of reaching out first.
🚀 Deliverables
Mobile App, Promotional Video, Style Guide
🧠 Roles
Research, UX/UI, Prototyping, User Testing, Motion Design
⏱️ Timeline
January - March 2020
Overview.
Making friends in postsecondary often feels like trying to find your soulmate in a stadium. How do we build connections in a sea of strangers? Befriend is a conceptual social app that communicates your classmate’s interests and intentions upfront, reducing the anxiety of reaching out first.
🚀 Deliverables
Mobile App, Promotional Video, Style Guide
🧠 Roles
Research, UX/UI, Prototyping, User Testing, Motion Design
⏱️ Timeline
January - March 2020
Features at a glance.
Want to test it out?
Features at a glance.
Want to test it out?
Features at a glance.
Want to test it out?
Find your people faster, with no awkward guesswork.
Get a snapshot of surrounding classmates who share your interests—whether you're scouting for a study buddy, lecture seat partner, or someone who also thinks 8 a.m. classes are a crime, Befriend has got you covered.
Find your people faster, with no awkward guesswork.
Get a snapshot of surrounding classmates who share your interests—whether you're scouting for a study buddy, lecture seat partner, or someone who also thinks 8 a.m. classes are a crime, Befriend has got you covered.
Find your people faster, with no awkward guesswork.
Get a snapshot of surrounding classmates who share your interests—whether you're scouting for a study buddy, lecture seat partner, or someone who also thinks 8 a.m. classes are a crime, Befriend has got you covered.
Use icebreakers to start a conversation stress-free.
Not sure how to say hello without sounding weird? Break the ice with Befriend’s built-in conversation starters to boost your confidence. Less pressure, more personality.
Use icebreakers to start a conversation stress-free.
Not sure how to say hello without sounding weird? Break the ice with Befriend’s built-in conversation starters to boost your confidence. Less pressure, more personality.
Use icebreakers to start a conversation stress-free.
Not sure how to say hello without sounding weird? Break the ice with Befriend’s built-in conversation starters to boost your confidence. Less pressure, more personality.
Recommend your friends and build mutual friendships.
Know two people who would totally vibe together? Befriend allows you to recommend your friend to another friend. Build mutual friendships and expand social circles.
Recommend your friends and build mutual friendships.
Know two people who would totally vibe together? Befriend allows you to recommend your friend to another friend. Build mutual friendships and expand social circles.
Recommend your friends and build mutual friendships.
Know two people who would totally vibe together? Befriend allows you to recommend your friend to another friend. Build mutual friendships and expand social circles.
How might we build meaningful social connections?
Design Process & Backstory • 3 min read
How might we build meaningful social connections?
Design Process & Backstory • 3 min read
How might we build meaningful social connections?
Design Process & Backstory • 3 min read
PROBLEM
To be honest, it’s hard to know who’s looking for a friend.
A deep dive into online communities revealed that students have three common frustrations: feeling isolated in larger classrooms, not knowing who’s open to making new friends, and a difference in interests.
PROBLEM
To be honest, it’s hard to know who’s looking for a friend.
A deep dive into online communities revealed that students have three common frustrations: feeling isolated in larger classrooms, not knowing who’s open to making new friends, and a difference in interests.
PROBLEM
To be honest, it’s hard to know who’s looking for a friend.
A deep dive into online communities revealed that students have three common frustrations: feeling isolated in larger classrooms, not knowing who’s open to making new friends, and a difference in interests.
RESEARCH
What are current social apps in the market lacking?
Existing social platforms lack support for the unique dynamics of making friends in postsecondary. Not addressing the anxiety students feel when trying to connect with classmates and the emphasis on looks over personality are key gaps that I wanted to improve.
RESEARCH
What are current social apps in the market lacking?
Existing social platforms lack support for the unique dynamics of making friends in postsecondary. Not addressing the anxiety students feel when trying to connect with classmates and the emphasis on looks over personality are key gaps that I wanted to improve.
RESEARCH
What are current social apps in the market lacking?
Existing social platforms lack support for the unique dynamics of making friends in postsecondary. Not addressing the anxiety students feel when trying to connect with classmates and the emphasis on looks over personality are key gaps that I wanted to improve.
THE PITCH
Pitching Dragons' Den style.
I pitched Befriend to my design class with this idea: a student-first social app built for campus life. Less guessing, more connecting. After winning the top votes to move forward and joined by two of my peers, our Befriend team was born.
THE PITCH
Pitching Dragons' Den style.
I pitched Befriend to my design class with this idea: a student-first social app built for campus life. Less guessing, more connecting. After winning the top votes to move forward and joined by two of my peers, our Befriend team was born.
THE PITCH
Pitching Dragons' Den style.
I pitched Befriend to my design class with this idea: a student-first social app built for campus life. Less guessing, more connecting. After winning the top votes to move forward and joined by two of my peers, our Befriend team was born.
USER INTERVIEWS
The scoop on friendship-making.
Our next step was to interview 5 postsecondary students and get their honest opinion on what friendship-making actually looks like. Based on their stories, we designed features around profile discovery, seating requests, study buddy matching, and conversation starters—all to encourage easier interaction.
USER INTERVIEWS
The scoop on friendship-making.
Our next step was to interview 5 postsecondary students and get their honest opinion on what friendship-making actually looks like. Based on their stories, we designed features around profile discovery, seating requests, study buddy matching, and conversation starters—all to encourage easier interaction.
USER INTERVIEWS
The scoop on friendship-making.
Our next step was to interview 5 postsecondary students and get their honest opinion on what friendship-making actually looks like. Based on their stories, we designed features around profile discovery, seating requests, study buddy matching, and conversation starters—all to encourage easier interaction.
INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE / WIREFRAMING
Piecing the puzzle together.
From there, we did a deep dive into what features would have the most impact towards making the app feel like an easy “yes” for socially-anxious students. Our planning strategies included a PACT analysis, MoSCoW method prioritization, system map, user personas, wireframing and journey mapping.
USER TESTING / ITERATION
“Imagine you are a student on your first day...”
Testing our prototype with mock scenarios on different students helped us understand how we could improve the experience based on the issues they faced. After collecting their feedback, we added visual demos during onboarding to guide new users, made the location of key features more obvious, and cleaned up the interactive behaviour. This was extremely valuable in helping us shape the final product.
USER TESTING / ITERATION
“Imagine you are a student on your first day...”
Testing our prototype with mock scenarios on different students helped us understand how we could improve the experience based on the issues they faced. After collecting their feedback, we added visual demos during onboarding to guide new users, made the location of key features more obvious, and cleaned up the interactive behaviour. This was extremely valuable in helping us shape the final product.
USER TESTING / ITERATION
“Imagine you are a student on your first day...”
Testing our prototype with mock scenarios on different students helped us understand how we could improve the experience based on the issues they faced. After collecting their feedback, we added visual demos during onboarding to guide new users, made the location of key features more obvious, and cleaned up the interactive behaviour. This was extremely valuable in helping us shape the final product.
RESULTS / IMPACT
Proof we were onto something.
Even in prototype form, students commented that they would definitely use the Befriend app if it was developed. They love how the app feels personalized and makes it easier for people to reach out, as well as the emphasis on shared interests. Beyond the screens, this project gave real insight into how UX can reduce social anxiety and foster human connection. And honestly? That’s kind of the dream.
RESULTS / IMPACT
Proof we were onto something.
Even in prototype form, students commented that they would definitely use the Befriend app if it was developed. They love how the app feels personalized and makes it easier for people to reach out, as well as the emphasis on shared interests. Beyond the screens, this project gave real insight into how UX can reduce social anxiety and foster human connection. And honestly? That’s kind of the dream.
RESULTS / IMPACT
Proof we were onto something.
Even in prototype form, students commented that they would definitely use the Befriend app if it was developed. They love how the app feels personalized and makes it easier for people to reach out, as well as the emphasis on shared interests. Beyond the screens, this project gave real insight into how UX can reduce social anxiety and foster human connection. And honestly? That’s kind of the dream.
BONUS
The 150 page process book that says it all.
If you’re curious to read further, please feel free to check out our full process book which gives insight into the complete journey of creating Befriend. We gave lots of love to this project, and we’re happy to share it!
BONUS
The 150 page process book that says it all.
If you’re curious to read further, please feel free to check out our full process book which gives insight into the complete journey of creating Befriend. We gave lots of love to this project, and we’re happy to share it!
BONUS
The 150 page process book that says it all.
If you’re curious to read further, please feel free to check out our full process book which gives insight into the complete journey of creating Befriend. We gave lots of love to this project, and we’re happy to share it!