Camplus
Building community and connection for college students through a university specific social application with features like Gatherings, Discussions, and Live Chats
Timeline
April - May 2023
Tools
Figma
Role
Product Designer
Context
This project was my solo final project for DESN 450: BA Design Senior Project, which required researching, designing, and addressing a problem that resonated with me. I focused on exploring the ongoing challenges university students face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Problem
The pandemic has left a lasting impact on social connections for college students, disrupting natural opportunities to form friendships during online classes. Even with in-person classes resuming, building meaningful relationships remains challenging, especially for new students struggling to integrate into a community where bonds were never fully established, leaving many feeling disconnected and searching for belonging.
Goal
Create a sense of belonging and community among college students by encouraging meaningful social connections and friendships.
Research
College students rely on social media platforms such as Snapchat, Reddit, Discord, and Bumble as vital tools for connecting and socializing with peers.
These apps lack an inclusive environment where students can freely socialize and express themselves while remaining within the university setting.
To better understand the impact of the pandemic on college students' social experiences and sense of community, I conducted a series of user interviews. The goal was to empathize with the challenges students face in navigating university life during these unprecedented times.
I reached out to a diverse group of students from various university and college programs to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the issue. These were the insights gathered:
Ideation
After carefully analyzing the research findings and insights, I identified key challenges and needs specific to college students. With these in mind, I brainstormed and developed a set of features designed to address these issues effectively and enhance the overall student experience. Here are the core features I conceptualized:
🏠
HUB
🤝
COMMUNITY
🙆
HANGOUT
After finalizing the core features, I developed a clearer understanding of the essential app pages and content required. This enabled me to organize and structure my insights into a cohesive information architecture.
Design
Once I outlined my initial concepts for the product, I transformed them into wireframes to provide a more concrete visualization of the design. These low-fidelity wireframes were then utilized as a foundation for testing the design during concept testing sessions.
Hub
Campus
Gather
Message
You
Testing
Once I outlined my initial concepts for the product, I transformed them into wireframes to provide a more concrete visualization of the design. These low-fidelity wireframes were then utilized as a foundation for testing the design during concept testing sessions.
Campus — Unclear Post Creation and Limited Content Filtering
Creating a post wasn't visibly obvious
Cluttered with "trending" tab
Hesitated about where the create post button was
No where to filter post
only "trending" was available
couldn't access "newest" post
couldn't access "most liked" post
Solution:
Create a separate tab for "newest" and "most liked" posts
Create a clear separate button for post creation
Gather — Unclear Gathering Selection and Identification Issues
Uncertain which gathering was selected
have to close tab and click again to confirm
Solution:
Highlight currently viewing gathering
Include information to make it easily identifiable
