InCommon
End to End App Design
Project Overview
InCommon is for anyone who has ever scrolled for hours looking for a place that just feels right. By gathering insights from reviews, local groups, and community stories, it makes finding your next favorite hangout a little easier.
Role
UX/UI Designer
Timeline
3 months
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It’s hard to find community.
It’s hard to keep an existing community alive.
In our fast-paced culture, social isolation has become an epidemic. It’s common for young people to feel that they don’t have opportunities to make friends. Just as unfortunate, they often feel that there’s nowhere to spend time with the friends they already have.
People need spaces that foster connection. InCommon seeks to meet that need.
Empathize
Secondary Research
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User Interviews
In our research we found two themes:
Both stories are important for the same reason.
We’re wired for connection, and when we don’t have it,
our mental health suffers.
This is backed up by our direct research with interviewees.
We found the same two themes:
Everyone wants community but it has to happen organically
Everyone wants to get out of the house but it is hard to find suitable outings
We’re wired for connection, and when we don’t have it,
our mental health suffers.
Define
Persona
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Problem Statement
From our interviews and secondary research, we pulled four qualities that make an outing suitable or not suitable:
Next I turned the research into a primary user persona to make sure our design decisions stayed grounded in real user needs.
Considering these priorities, we established the following problem statement:
How might we help users in a new area find community?
Ideate
Feature List
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Task Flows
With the problem clearly defined, I began prioritizing.
To avoid a cluttered interface, we categorized potential features into essential and optional additions:
MUST-HAVE
- Special Filters: Loiter-ability, Cost, Friendliness of Staff, Safety
- General Filters: Type, Address, Hours, Contact Info, Website
- Events: Upcoming activities happening at location
NICE-TO-HAVE
- User Accounts: Maintain legitimacy of reviews and survey answers
- Owner Accounts: Businesses to ensure accuracy of their location’s data
- Gamification: Allow users to earn medals for going to locations & events.
Drafting began with
Information Architecture.
In order to solve the problem, we had to design flows that would drive interest in getting users out of the house. We identified three key tasks: finding a location, creating lists for saving locations, and creating an account.
Task Flows
Prototype & Test
LofI Wireframes
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Usability Testing
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Iterations
With a new process designed, we needed to prototype each screen before creating the interface details.
The brand direction was designed to feel approachable, local, and low-pressure — aligning with users like Leila who want connection without overwhelm.
The visual identity reinforces a sense of warmth and belonging, helping users feel comfortable stepping outside their routine.
While core functionality tested well, usability sessions revealed friction in two high-impact areas: sharing and clarity of information
Although both features worked technically, the interaction design created unnecessary cognitive load. This signaled an opportunity to improve discoverability, trust, and overall product value.
Grading System
Issue
Users didn’t immediately understand what grades represented; the scale required extra explanation.
Solution
Clarified visual hierarchy, indicated interactivity, and surfaced key grading criteria at a glance.
Result
Grades became easy to interpret, reducing cognitive load and increasing trust.
Sending List
Issue
Users hesitated because the share button was hard to find and the tap target was small.
Solution
Increased hitbox size, made the button more prominent, and placed it in intuitive locations.
Result
Sharing became faster and more effortless, supporting engagement and repeat use.
After three months of rapid iteration, we present InCommon!
Final Design
High Fidelity Wireframes
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Mockups
Find Spots That Fit You
Pick what you’re into — cozy cafés, late-night study spots, open mics — and we’ll show you where your kind of people are hanging out.
Make Plans That Stick
Find hangouts worth leaving the house for, save the ones that sound fun, and show up ready to make memories (or at least new group chat material).
Get the Whole Story Before You Go
Skip the internet scavenger hunt. We’ve gathered everything you actually want to know; like what the vibe is, and whether you’ll get side eye for only ordering a smoothie.
Impact & Takeaways
Reflection
- The user does not always know what they want
- Not all problems are entirely fixable with technology but technology can help
- Empathy and critical thinking are equally important considerations in design