This project contributed to my awarding of the 2020 Excellence Award for Interaction Design, from Victoria University of Wellington's Faculty of Architecture & Design Innovation
Above: Final designed social connection feature to facilitate connecting users with others on-site, in a considered & authentic way.
This project was undertaken in three parts, throughout the final course of my undergraduate studies - encompassing a complete design process from brief conceptualisation, to research, design brainstorming, iterations, testing & refinement.
The problem & proposed solution
Working within an existing postgraduate research team at Victoria University of Wellington, my project explored the design & integration of a feature facilitating social connections / networking among the users of a bra measuring & fitting education site.
Primary & secondary research
Focused on understanding how meaningful social connections can be facilitated between two people who would be otherwise 'strangers' - contrasting that of the typical social media networking model, in which users tend to connect based on identification of mutual friends.
Overview of initial brainstorming & designing
Exploring existing statistical data visualisations & social media messaging mental models for matching and messaging interfaces respectively
Design development
Semi-functional, medium-fidelity prototyping for initial usability tests
Usability testing findings summarised
Think-aloud cognitive walkthroughs with a small selection of participants, given the task of finding someone to 'match' with by setting the matching criteria / parameters of their choice
Refining 'matching' criteria / parameters, linking to their relevance from a user perspective (why matching with X criteria might benefit the user in their networking experience) & brainstorming alternative visualisations for the matching process.
Exploring ways to depict a more representative matching process reflective of the interlinked nature of human similarities.
Product demo video of final design
Above: Product demo video to present key interactions & components within final designed social connection feature, with reference to the wider context of the site within which this feature would be integrated.
Context & future considerations
Orienting the designed feature within the wider site, highlighting remaining gaps in 'big picture' site user flow & briefly considering future monetisation strategies
