Nova
Helping young adults moving to new cities find their community.
Role
Researcher, Product Designer
Skills
User Research, Wireframing, Prototyping,
Usability Testing
Tools
Whimsical, Miro, Figma
Timeline
July - September 2025; 10 weeks
Nova
Helping young adults moving to new cities find their community.
Role
Researcher, Product Designer
Skills
User Research, Wireframing, Prototyping,
Usability Testing
Tools
Whimsical, Miro, Figma
Timeline
July - September 2025; 10 weeks
Nova
Helping young adults moving to new cities find their community.
Role
Researcher, Product Designer
Skills
User Research, Wireframing, Prototyping,
Usability Testing
Tools
Whimsical, Miro, Figma
Timeline
July - September 2025; 10 weeks
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Young adults moving to new cities – whether for school, work, or a change of pace – often struggle to find trustworthy roommates, build meaningful friendships, and feel grounded in their new environments. And while there are existing tools that have been made to solve these problems, they lack certain features that users crave; apps and services for finding roommates feel unsafe, while social media apps often increase feelings of isolation under the guise of building community.
Young adults moving to new cities – whether for school, work, or a change of pace – often struggle to find trustworthy roommates, build meaningful friendships, and feel grounded in their new environments. And while there are existing tools that have been made to solve these problems, they lack certain features that users crave; apps and services for finding roommates feel unsafe, while social media apps often increase feelings of isolation under the guise of building community.
THE CHALLENGE
THE CHALLENGE
Design a safe, trustworthy, and emotionally supportive platform that helps young adults transitioning to new cities not just meet people, but truly feel connected.
As the designer, I needed to understand the emotional and social barriers that come with relocation and translate those insights into an experience that encourages authenticity and belonging. Keeping this in mind, how might we help young adults relocating for school, work, or personal growth build authentic, emotionally grounding connections in their new cities?
Design a safe, trustworthy, and emotionally supportive platform that helps young adults transitioning to new cities not just meet people, but truly feel connected.
As the designer, I needed to understand the emotional and social barriers that come with relocation and translate those insights into an experience that encourages authenticity and belonging. Keeping this in mind, how might we help young adults relocating for school, work, or personal growth build authentic, emotionally grounding connections in their new cities?
MAIN PAIN POINT
MAIN PAIN POINT
Many young adults moving to new cities feel overwhelmed by the combination of starting from scratch in an unfamiliar environment and figuring out where to meet like-minded people.
Many young adults moving to new cities feel overwhelmed by the combination of starting from scratch in an unfamiliar environment and figuring out where to meet like-minded people.
I've relocated to several different cities within the same state
in the past 5 years, and there's definitely a struggle in knowing
where to start making meaningful connections with people
my age.
I moved to a new state for work and I didn't know anybody.
I spent a couple of weeks feeling seriously overwhelmed by
everything I felt I needed to do, and in between work and
unpacking everything, it took me a while to begin exploring
my new city.
RESEARCH SYNTHESIS
RESEARCH SYNTHESIS
Conducting user interviews revealed valuable insights. While all the interviewees had moved for different reasons and under various circumstances, most of them had several experiences in common, such as:
Conducting user interviews revealed valuable insights. While all the interviewees had moved for different reasons and under various circumstances, most of them had several experiences in common, such as:
All interviewees had experience with trying out apps or other online platforms to meet friends.
All interviewees had experience with trying out apps or other online platforms to meet friends.
Most felt isolated from their move, and stated that their new city only started feeling like home either after they'd explored their city or met new friends.
Most felt isolated from their move, and stated that their new city only started feeling like home either after they'd explored their city or met new friends.
I conducted a competitor/SWOT analysis on Facebook, Bumble BFF, Roomi, and Meetup.
I conducted a competitor/SWOT analysis on Facebook, Bumble BFF, Roomi, and Meetup.
I conducted a SWOT analysis between these platforms to identify the ways in which they each met user needs as well as areas that could be improved.
I conducted a SWOT analysis between these platforms to identify the ways in which they each met user needs as well as areas that could be improved.
Strengths
Strengths
Facebook and Meetup are popular choices amongst people wanting to connect with others sharing similar hobbies, while apps like Bumble BFF and Roomi present themselves as convenient, personalized solutions for finding friends or roommates.
Facebook and Meetup are popular choices amongst people wanting to connect with others sharing similar hobbies, while apps like Bumble BFF and Roomi present themselves as convenient, personalized solutions for finding friends or roommates.
Weaknesses
Weaknesses
Facebook's and Meetup's broadly structured events often make it difficult to create lasting friendships, and many Bumble BFF and Roomi users express concerns about safety features and the prevalence of ghosting.
Facebook's and Meetup's broadly structured events often make it difficult to create lasting friendships, and many Bumble BFF and Roomi users express concerns about safety features and the prevalence of ghosting.
Affinity mapping was used to identify common threads amongst interviewee responses and to highlight any actionable items.
Affinity mapping was used to identify common threads amongst interviewee responses and to highlight any actionable items.
User interviews and secondary research helped create a main persona that this app would cater to.
User interviews and secondary research helped create a main persona that this app would cater to.
HIGH FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
HIGH FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
I applied this research into making a product that welcomes people to new cities by taking the focus off of instant, rushed connections and experiences.
That focus is instead directed towards finding parts of your neighborhood and community that match your energy.
I applied this research into making a product that welcomes people to new cities by taking the focus off of instant, rushed connections and experiences.
That focus is instead directed towards finding parts of your neighborhood and community that match your energy.
Get started by setting up your profile.
Get started by setting up your profile.
Users are asked several basic questions about themselves through a series of guided prompts about hobbies, lifestyle, and personal preferences.
Nova focuses on how users want to experience their new city. This means learning about their favorite weekend vibes, go-to comfort activities, and the kinds of spaces where they feel most themselves.
Users are asked several basic questions about themselves through a series of guided prompts about hobbies, lifestyle, and personal preferences.
Nova focuses on how users want to experience their new city. This means learning about their favorite weekend vibes, go-to comfort activities, and the kinds of spaces where they feel most themselves.
Connect with others and feel more like a local.
Connect with others and feel more like a local.
A major paint point that was revealed during user research was the feeling of being overwhelmed and not knowing where to begin in exploring a new city.
Nova’s homepage offers potential friend or roommate profiles, as well as curated local events happening nearby. Instead of isolating people from context, Nova introduces users to others through shared experiences such as concerts, coffee tastings, park clean-ups, and trivia nights, thus making connection feel natural and low-pressure.
A major paint point that was revealed during user research was the feeling of being overwhelmed and not knowing where to begin in exploring a new city.
Nova’s homepage offers potential friend or roommate profiles, as well as curated local events happening nearby. Instead of isolating people from context, Nova introduces users to others through shared experiences such as concerts, coffee tastings, park clean-ups, and trivia nights, thus making connection feel natural and low-pressure.
Make space in your calendar for fun events!
Make space in your calendar for fun events!
The Explore page transforms connection into momentum. Users can search for events or browse personalized recommendations based on their location, interests, and activity preferences.
The goal is to make newcomers feel more like a local, and therefore feel more at home! Rather than feeling intimidated and isolated, young adults moving to new cities can now feel empowered and excited to take on new experiences.
The Explore page transforms connection into momentum. Users can search for events or browse personalized recommendations based on their location, interests, and activity preferences.
The goal is to make newcomers feel more like a local, and therefore feel more at home! Rather than feeling intimidated and isolated, young adults moving to new cities can now feel empowered and excited to take on new experiences.
LEARNINGS & WISHES
LEARNINGS & WISHES
This was my first UX project that I developed and designed for from start to finish. It served as my introduction to the design process and provided me with a variety of skills I continue to use, such as conducting user research, information architecture, prototyping, and usability testing. One of the most valuable lessons this project taught me was that at the end of the day, listening to your users and building your product around their insights and pain points is truly the best way to create something that feels like it can make a difference. Every time I found myself getting too wrapped up in the intricacies of the design, I went back my research and the user experiences and stories I had gathered during that process.
If I had the opportunity to further develop Nova, I would have loved to conduct more interviews or send out more surveys that would allow me to gather more data on the issues young adults face when moving and the details of what makes this process so difficult and emotionally taxing.
This was my first UX project that I developed and designed for from start to finish. It served as my introduction to the design process and provided me with a variety of skills I continue to use, such as conducting user research, information architecture, prototyping, and usability testing. One of the most valuable lessons this project taught me was that at the end of the day, listening to your users and building your product around their insights and pain points is truly the best way to create something that feels like it can make a difference. Every time I found myself getting too wrapped up in the intricacies of the design, I went back my research and the user experiences and stories I had gathered during that process.
If I had the opportunity to further develop Nova, I would have loved to conduct more interviews or send out more surveys that would allow me to gather more data on the issues young adults face when moving and the details of what makes this process so difficult and emotionally taxing.
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