Case Study

STEP 1 - Research / Persona
I worked with the team to define the core goals of the project and the specific problems we aimed to solve. Establishing a shared vision is complex, but effective communication and active listening were key to our process.

This phase involved close collaboration with the CEO, managers, and stakeholders, but I also made it a priority to involve engineers early on. I believe that if the project brief leaves questions unanswered, the entire product can veer off course. For Jackspot, the CEO had a high-level vision but lacked specific directives on features or target users. I spent several weeks with the team defining the default feature set. We conducted a competitive analysis, identifying pain points in existing solutions. After testing over 10 different apps, it became clear that we could build a product significantly better than Nextdoor.

We needed a unique value proposition to avoid the "déjà vu" feeling of copycat apps. I categorized our design features into four pillars: “Efficiency of use”, “Location flexibility”, “User engagement”, and “Privacy”. Through extensive brainstorming, we discovered a creative way to connect people around specific locations. To value user privacy, we decided to allow users to create a "Spot" on the map at any location they chose, rather than tying it to their home address. This Spot became a chat room for users visiting that area or topic.

During this period, we also selected our technology stack. After testing various SDKs, we chose Mapbox as our main mapping framework and Amazon AWS for the backend. I also developed user personas to clarify who we were building for, targeting a demographic between 18 and 30 years old for the native app.

STEP 2 - Wireframes
Next, I dove into the user flow, defining how the content and features would interact. Describing the relationships between pages and elements is crucial. Although wireframes lack final design polish, they act as the blueprint for the project. I focused on structuring the layout to satisfy both user needs and business goals within technical feasibility.

I created a UI requirements document to outline every feature and element for the design. Once approved, I began creating digital wireframes for the main screens in Sketch.

I always prefer building a prototype to test user flows early. I asked engineers to test the prototype's usability. In our brainstorming sessions, we debated every feature and interaction, aiming to validate whether the UI/UX was intuitive for any user. This process helped us identify valid user frustrations, allowing me to return to the drawing board and refine key task flows before writing code.

STEP 3 - Content Creation / Mockups
After updating the wireframes with feedback, I moved to visual design. I started shaping the product identity and the app's look and feel. While this stage is often guided by existing branding, in this case, I had the freedom to start from scratch.

I aimed for an interface that was simple and minimal, yet colorful, playful, and attractive. I wanted to make adding information easy and pleasant. Colors were used strategically to inform the user about interactive elements and important information. I presented multiple iterations of the logotype and UI style to the team.

An earth-inspired theme with specific blues and greens resonated most with the team. I then brainstormed logo concepts, using brand adjectives to narrow my vision. I sketched ideas before creating digital versions of the favorites. Finally, I compiled the logos and assets into a Style Guide and UI Kit—a comprehensive collection of site components and UI patterns to support the developers.

STEP 4 - Testing / User Feedback
This final step is about ensuring everything works as intended. Detecting user experience issues before launch is critical. Errors can stem from small coding mistakes, and it is far better to catch and fix them now than to present a broken product to the public.

This is the window for final changes before launch. Post-launch, collecting user feedback becomes priority number one. Issues and frustrations reported by users must be addressed immediately to prevent negative word-of-mouth.

From the Jackspot project, I learned that spending time explaining the value of design decisions to engineers is incredibly worthwhile. They became much more open to implementing complex features and appreciated the assistance, realizing it moved the product forward with superior quality. I also learned that compromise is a valid solution when working with managers and stakeholders. I will never forget this period of my life, as many team members have become close friends.