The connector for those tired of couch-sitting and ready for fun activities!
Task
The advent of technology developments in recent years has led the way to design and innovate all manner of ways of interacting with each other that can enhance and influence our daily life activities. In this project, we take a step further via the execution of the main phases of the interaction design process to design for users in "Social Gothenburg" within the designated theme of your project.
As a first step, you will work on identifying the users need and possible problems they face. You will then engage in a creative ideation and prototyping process to generate possible low-fidelity design solutions. Thereafter, you will conduct pilot evaluations and demonstrate a refined functional prototype of your design. You will also have to be able to evaluate similar designs, and use a User-Centered approach.
The project team and their portfolio or LinkedIn, linked if available.
Pre-study, Data Analysis & Identifying Needs
A pre-study was conducted using semi-structured interviews to gather insights into how young adults find events and activities in Gothenburg. To prepare, a pilot study was firstly conducted to refine the interview questions.
The data from the interviews was analyzed, using a thematical analysis to identify common themes and individual frustrations, demands, or wants. The team summarized these needs using post-it notes and created a categorization map to visualize the importance and social relevance of each need.
Key needs identified included quick access to event information, affordability, and the desire to spend time with others without investing significant time and energy in finding events. The research question was formulated as: "How can we make suitable events or activities more accessible for people in Gothenburg?"
Figure 1 - The x-axis describes how important afeature is, and the x-axis describes how connected it is to socialfactors
Figure 2 - Displays categorization of notes to clusters, with extacted from the common factors
Ideation
The ideation phase of the project involved brainstorming and the Crazy-8 method to generate and refine ideas for making events more accessible in Gothenburg. We brainstormed 25 ideas and selected the top 5 based on their relevance to young adults and the need for quick, easy access to events. Using the Crazy-8 method, we sketched features for an app, leading to a final concept that includes a map to show event locations, a list of events, a filter for event categories, a "Tinder for Events" feature to swipe and match with friends, and a friends feature to see who is available. This app aims to simplify finding and attending events for young adults in Gothenburg.
Figure 3 - 25 ideas generated in the brainstormingsession
Figure 4 - Results of the Crazy-8 method.
Prototyping
The first prototype was developed from a storyboard session and included three main functions: a swipe page, a map page, and a list page. This low-fidelity prototype was evaluated using the think-aloud methodology, where participants performed tasks and provided feedback on their experience. Key feedback points included:- Unclear swipe functionality.- Confusion about icons and buttons.- Need for additional filter options like time of day.
Based on the feedback from the first prototype, the team developed a second prototype with more detailed designs, including color, shapes, and text. The second prototype was evaluated through timed tasks to measure usability and gather further feedback. Key feedback points included:- Need for more interaction feedback.- Clarification on "Number of people" filter.- Desire for more colors and finished interactions.
The current state of the prototype included improved interactions, visual feedback, and a cohesive graphical profile. The app structure consisted of five primary pages: swipe view, map view, list view, profile, and detail page.
Figure 5 - First Prototype
Figure 6 - Second Prototype
Graphical Profile
The raphical profile is designed to enhance the app's visual appeal and usability. The color palette consists of six colors: purple (symbolizing the app), orange, egg white (background color), grayish blue, blue (for clickable items), and midnight blue (for cards, menus, and the navigation bar). This palette aims to evoke feelings of activity and excitement. The chosen font is Montserrat, which brings a playful emotion to the theme and is used in various boldness levels.
Figure 7 - The Graphical Profile of Obeo
The Final Design
The app works as a marketing platform for companies to advertise events and aims to inspire users to explore and partake in these events, potentially leading to more social engagement. The overall structure of the app includes five primary pages: swipe view, map view, list view, profile, and detail page, with navigation placed at the bottom of all pages. The swipe gesture on the swipe page is designed to be familiar and easy to use, similar to dating apps, allowing users to drag cards left or right to discard or save events.
Figure 8 - The Final Design of Obeo
Designed & Built by Adam Blomgren © 2025.