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Candid

Project Duration

2 YR

4+

Team Managed

iOS/Android

Release

Candid helps people find hobbyists and experiences nearby using TikTok-style videos

Lead Designer

Managed a cross-functional team of 3 engineers, 2 product designers, and 6 interns. Played a pivotal role in Candid's seed round negotiations. Oversaw the entire product development lifecycle, from mockups to coding, for features such as "Lens" (video-based search) and "IRL" (off app events). Achieved a 400% increase in social media presence within 3 months.

The app

Position

Tools Used

Figma

AWS

GitHub

Slack

IRL, or in-real-life experiences have become a vital part of balancing our virtual and in-person culture. However, there is no good pathway from virtual to IRL that has been able to accurately build off of people's passions and hobbies.

User Journey (PDF)

User Journey (PDF)

"There is no good pathway from virtual to IRL"

Let's stay connected

The Problem

  • 2 month critical analysis of "social willingness" meaning the willingness of a person to inconvenience themselves to act on an opportunity to meet with one or more new people.

    • Our findings were that 3 things mattered when determining average willingness:​

      • 1. Proximity​

      • 2. Trust/expectation

      • 3. Setting

    • Proximity was important because it often was the first barrier in terms of meetings.

    • Trust and expectations were important for feeling safe, but also the expectation of finding someone worth spending time with.

    • Setting was important and distinct from proximity for this case, in that it was important for it to be a familiar place, or a place of previous or relatable interest.

  • 4 month analysis of formative social experiences for people in their late teens to early 30's.

    • Research involved creating survey's that touched on feelings of safety when meeting new people, feelings of happiness, stress, and excitement.​

    • Surveys also delved into group dynamic preferences vs 1on1, hobbies and daily routines, dating habits, and food/health/fitness behaviors.

  • One discovery was that people preferred meeting new connections in a group setting rather than one on one, and had high levels of motivation for social events where they A. knew there would be a group dynamic, and B. would be able to find at least one other person with common interests.

    • Group setting preferences were consistent with academic research findings as well, predominantly for people under the age of 29.​

  • UI/UX User Findings

    • High value items included​

      • Group chat (a vital element for engagement and retention)

      • "Echo" feature was (exciting) but could have a complete reverse experience affect and negatively impact users if intended function of near immediate interaction wasn't achieved.

      • Proximity (geographic proximity matters to almost every user and is a major hurtle beyond even 6 miles in major cities)

      • Age filters (important for feelings of safety)

      • Interest filters (will need more testing beyond critical mass)

      • Video interface (more immersive but importance for user engagement is still unclear

User Research

Conclusion

Our ultimate goal is for tech to make real-life experiences better and more accessible for the communities around us. By introducing a social application that does not generate retention from media consumption, but instead, by the ephemeral opportunity of real-life experiences, we are turning social media markets on their head in favor of establishing high quality direct to real life experiences nearby with others like you.

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