A friend-matching app for international students
Final poster design.
Tools: Figma, Miro, SolidWorks
Case Client: The University of Sydney
Timeline: February – July 2024
Team: 3 international/exchange UX Intensive students
Project Overview
I designed an app, wearable, and service for the University of Sydney’s Student Union to foster lasting friendships between international and domestic students. The wearable connects students with shared niche interests in real time as they pass each other on campus, while AI-powered features help bridge language barriers.
Research Structure
Defining the Challenge
USyd Student Union (USU)’s Welcome Week activities fair.
make up 42% of the University of Sydney’s student body, and many report feeling structurally unsupported and socially isolated. Despite the University’s Student Union serving its 70,000 students with strong supportive services and social functions, international students
30,000 international students
struggle to find well-rounded resources to make lasting, one-on-one friendships.
Early-Stage Insights
Two main perspectives emerged from affinity diagramming our data in Miro, which I synthesized into pain point-focused personas using Figma.
We focused our strategy on social life and making friends through 3 findings.
1. Compound challenges
Challenges like language compound and can make forming friendships feel overwhelming and difficult, particularly for international students who are non-native English speakers.
2. Limited local interaction
Many Australian students commute from home and maintain their high school friend groups, subliminally limiting openness to new connections with international students due to their existing circles.
3. Friendship through niche interests
USU’s events tied to shared interests (i.e. Taylor Swift bracelet-making) foster lasting friendships and bring in more international attendance.
Strategy Ideation
Cultural cuisine exchange
International student support group
Real-time friend matching
Prototyping and User Testing
I conducted market research on existing screen-based wearables and handhelds to optimize an ergonomic size and shape.
We tested 5 users using a Figma app prototype and tag with paper screens, having subjects narrate their experience and answer a usability survey.
User testing our mid-fidelity prototype led us to 3 central user needs:
1. More case options
5/5 participants would be more likely to use the wearable if the case were customizable.
2. More conversation support
in the app to ease access for non-native English speakers as well as those who want social support.
3. Clarity on safety and privacy features
to ensure the location tracking and alert systems are included in the app onboarding.
Execution of Deliverables
Deliverables
Interact with our final prototype here.