UX was Here

Designing a new brand refresh and space for a community-based platform focused on connecting and uniting UX enthusiasts.

Role

Visual/UX Designer

Timeline

5 days / April 2024

Tools

Figma

What is UX was Here?

UX was Here is a community-based platform focused on connecting and uniting UX enthusiasts across the globe. The platform consists of various features including an explore page, community forum, job listing board, events page and more in hopes to engage users and create a space for like-minded designers.

The Problem

The current website dealt with an issue of low participation, and as such a need to understand the motivations and incentives that drives users to join and engage actively was necessary in order to increase further retention. We noticed two outstanding issues:

The community-based platform was observing a high turnover rate and low engagement among its users.

There was an incomplete understanding of the diverse needs and preferences of the target users.

How might we leverage shared personal interests between UX designers to lower levels of intimidation and help junior designers not only feel comfortable reaching out, but form meaningful and genuine relationships with members of their design community?

Exploratory Research

User Surveys

With 29 survey respondents, we found out that 72.4% were junior designers with little to no experience in the field. We decided to focus on this demographic, given that we have the most data for them.

Key Findings

75%

of user survey respondents stated that they stayed active due to a driving motivation of networking

79%

of user survey respondents wanted a sense of belonging in order to stay active.

80%

of user survey respondents were unsure how to initiate conversation.

User Interviews

Keeping the key demographic in mind, we conducted 3 user interviews with junior designers that had less than 2 years of experience. We wanted to understand their incentive and motivation to engage, why they might feel intimidated and what makes them feel more comfortable when networking.

“I feel more connected and find it easier talking to other designers when they share similar experiences and interests with me.”

“I feel intimidated and a sense of pressure to say the perfect thing when attempting to connect with UX professionals; I don’t know how to initiate a conversation and I end up stopping in my attempts to network.”

Driving Insights

Junior designers feel more comfortable connecting and engaging with other designers within communities

Junior designers find it less intimidating to approach and converse with other UX professionals when they learn about their personal hobbies and interests.

Competitive Analysis

Taking a look at current design communities including Design Buddies and Vancouver Design Community, helped us explore commonly sought after features. We observed three common, recurring features: having a space for a feedback-providing service, being convenient to access and use, and lastly, having a supportive community.

The Solution

Through an emphasis on the humanizing aspects of designers, including their hobbies and interests, our approach makes it easier and more approachable for designers to approach each other. In doing so, we foster a genuine and tight-knit community that aligns with UX was Here’s original mission.

Key Features

Customizable Profile
Users can showcase their hobbies and interests, as well as create their own illustrated avatar to showcase their personality.

Curated Spaces
Designers with similar personal or professional interests can gather and bond with one another.

Discussion Boards
Discussion boards covering various topics within hobbyist spaces to help provide the opportunity to engage in casual conversation.

Prototype

View the Prototype

What's Next?

Implementing a new tag system

Clicking on a certain tag/prompt would assist in forming the basis of your introduction message to a designer that you would like to connect with.

Polishing Features

Fully refining our solutions and then undergoing another round of usability testing to ensure our intervention serves full value.

Badge System

In our survey we discovered senior designers seek validation when providing feedback for juniors. We aim to implement a badge system that gamifies and provides incentive for their contribution, overall contributing to an active community of senior and junior designers.

Final Takeaways

Since this was for a design jam, we only had 5 days to research, brainstorm and develop a cohesive prototype which was incredibly overwhelming. However, through this tight deadline, I was able to learn how to juggle multiple tasks and adapt to assist my teammates wherever they needed help! Lastly, working as a Visual/UX designer on this project proved to be an incredibly rewarding experience, as my group and I were able to take this chance to restructure the brand completely, while aligning it with our project vision.