Mobile app

Team-up: Connecting Student Entrepreneurs with Same Minds

TIMELINE

Jan - Dec, 2024

ROLE

UX Designer

TOOLKIT

Figma

TEAMMATE

Myself (Thesis Project)

Why this project?

While pursuing my master’s degree at New York University (NYU), I had the opportunity to work on several hands-on projects in class and often dreamed of turning them into real ventures. However, I struggled to find reliable collaborators outside of the classroom, and over time, my enthusiasm for starting something on my own began to fade. I soon realized this wasn’t just my challenge—it’s a common experience for many students with entrepreneurial ideas. That’s what inspired the concept behind Team-up: a trustworthy, professional platform designed to connect students with like-minded partners so they can build and grow their ventures together.

Reflection:

Narrow-mindness & bias in design choices:


Unlike my previous projects, I am the only researcher and designer for this one. This independence has its advantages, such as allowing me to stay focused, working efficiently in some sense and ensuring consistency in the design of the product. However, the biggest drawback is the potential for narrow-mindedness and bias in my design choices.


As a potential user of the product myself, I may inadvertently inject too much of my own perspective and feelings into the design, overlooking the needs and preferences of other users. There are moments when I really love my design while the testers expressed different perspectives. For example, in my design for users to check on attendees’ demographic information, one tester mentioned that this actually made her feel excluded because what if she does not fit into the specified categories.


This feedback was crucial and made me realize that my perspective as a designer and potential user may lead to assumptions that could not resonate with other users and therefore, the importance of seeking diverse feedback and remaining open to different viewpoints throughout the design process.

I.Investigate the problem and generate persona:

📝 Primary research: school-wise survey with in-person interviews


In order to research the problem, I made a survey to collect responses from 8 different schools at New York University (NYU). 67% mentioned that “they have difficulty connecting to peers who might have the same interests to initiate start-up projects” and 53% students said “they want to join start-up teams but lack connections”.


During our interview with potential users, many students mentioned that they don't know anywhere to reach out to except from their own connections. However, when they lack connections, they stuck.

"I don't know where to connect with other students who would like to create a startup."

"I just came up with an idea for a startup and I need team members to fill in the gaps in my skills, but I don't know anyone. I just tried joining the Slack and I am going to campaign there. "

"Networking event can be helpful, but maybe cannot ensure the reliability of people you meet."


👥 Persona:


Lynn's experience reflects on many students' situation and from both qualitative and quantitive analysis, there are four main characteristics of my target audience:

  1. NYU-affiliated students

  2. Interest in entrepreneurship

  3. Strong desire to connect with a community of like-minded peers for collaborations on start-up projects

  4. Extensive online experience and east access to technology/internet


II. Research current solutions to find gaps:

📌 Current Solutions and drawbacks:


University provides several solutions, for example, creating slack channel for students, hosting relative social events, and having a website to make students connect. These solutions seem to create a platform, but they all lacks structured designs to help students find their matches efficiently.


Outside of the school, there are apps and accelerators providing matching service, however, these solutions generally require lots of user information, slowing down the matching process and raising trust crisis.


Below are detailed analysis of each solution:

📌 Current Solutions and drawbacks:


University provides several solutions, for example, creating slack channel for students, hosting relative social events, and having a website to make students connect. These solutions seem to create a platform, but they all lacks structured designs to help students find their matches efficiently.


Outside of the school, there are apps and accelerators providing matching service, however, these solutions generally require lots of user information, slowing down the matching process and raising trust crisis.


Below are detailed analysis of each solution:

📌 Current Solutions and drawbacks:


University provides several solutions, for example, creating slack channel for students, hosting relative social events, and having a website to make students connect. These solutions seem to create a platform, but they all lacks structured designs to help students find their matches efficiently.


Outside of the school, there are apps and accelerators providing matching service, however, these solutions generally require lots of user information, slowing down the matching process and raising trust crisis.


Below are detailed analysis of each solution:


  1. Slack Channel: created by NYU Entrepreneurship

✅


  • A basic platform for students to share the information and get connected.


  • All are NYU-affiliated members,



❌


  • No filter to help them sort out information.


  • Nowhere for students to know if some recruitment or collaborations are still open.


  • Little information or background about the members.


  1. Team Hunt Event: Hosted by NYU entrepreneurship

✅


  • In-person event to help students connect and find potential partners.

❌


  • Only hosted in-person format, excluding people who cannot attend


  • Low frequency: 2 times per semester


  • Unstructured nature makes it difficult for students to efficiently mingle

NYU Team Hunt Event Info


  1. School-designed website

✅


  • Good for students looking for internship or joining existing start-up teams

❌


  • Not for students to look for peers to build ideas together


  • Limited information about members

The University of Chicago Airtable spreadsheets

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Orbit


  1. Y Combinator (YC) Co-founder service

✅


  • Good for students looking for internship or joining existing start-up teams

❌


  • Requiring users to fill out a significant amount of information for their profiles


  • Users cannot access other profiles until they have completed all the information and have had their profiles reviewed by YC staff.

YC Dashboard


  1. Coffeespace APP

✅


  • Social platform to help users get connected freely


  • Users can access others' profiles to know more

❌


  • Profile includes too many infos, slowing down decision making process


  • Users can only reach out when others accept their invite

CoffeeSpace Example Profiles

III. Design Process: from low-fi to high-fi prototype


💡 Draft low-fi prototype:


Key words from HMW: trustful, ideal collaborators, efficient, network


Low-fi prototype includes 3 main features: Connect, Event and Community, each corresponding to a way to help users get connected:

💡 Draft low-fi prototype:


Key words from HMW: trustful, ideal collaborators, efficient, network


Low-fi prototype includes 3 main features, each corresponding to a way to help users get connected: Connect, Event and Community.

  • Connect: users can easily identify potential collaborators through reading profiles and directly reach out to them. This feature provides an efficient way for users to search and get to know others.

  • Event: it serves as a centralized hub for users to stay informed about the latest entrepreneurial events. This feature allow users to connect with peers through joining relevant events.

  • Community: this feature creates opportunity for users to have conversations with peers of same minds, helping them connect with others and enhancing the collaborative spirit of the entrepreneurial community.

💡 Draft low-fi prototype:


Key words from HMW: trustful, ideal collaborators, efficient, network


Low-fi prototype includes 3 main features, each corresponding to a way to help users get connected: Connect, Event and Community.

  • Connect: users can easily identify potential collaborators through reading profiles and directly reach out to them. This feature provides an efficient way for users to search and get to know others.

  • Event: it serves as a centralized hub for users to stay informed about the latest entrepreneurial events. This feature allow users to connect with peers through joining relevant events.

  • Community: this feature creates opportunity for users to have conversations with peers of same minds, helping them connect with others and enhancing the collaborative spirit of the entrepreneurial community.



✍️ Key conclusions from Concept testing


I conducted concept testing with three graduate students at NYU. Two of the participants are current graduate students seeking like-minded peers for their startup ventures, while the third, a recent graduate working at a startup, expressed a keen interest in the design concept.


Key conclusion from concept test:

  1. The testers expressed dissatisfaction with the current use of Slack channel because of insufficient information to learn about each other. They consider factors such as past work and educational experiences, skill sets, and even personalities should be showed through profiles.


  2. The topic of filters was mentioned multiple times since they appears in both Connect & Community features; participants indicated that effective filters are crucial for productive profile and discussion searches.


🔐 Key design considerations & main features


  1. How to help users search collaborators more efficiently？


    Feature 1): Onboarding questions to filter and suggest matches

    When users log-in, they are prompted to answer some questions to help the system filter and suggest suitable matches later on.



Feature 2): Essential information on profile cards to quickly know the person

Profiles are displayed based on their responses to the on-boarding questions, and each profile card includes information: the user’s name, occupation, interests, school affiliation, and responsibilities they can take, which are essential enough for users to get to know the person quickly and decide whether to go to the next step.

Feature 2): Essential information on profile cards to quickly know the person

Profiles are displayed based on their responses to the on-boarding questions, and each profile card includes information: the user’s name, occupation, interests, school affiliation, and responsibilities they can take, which are essential enough for users to get to know the person quickly and decide whether to go to the next step.

Feature 2): Essential information on profile cards to quickly know the person

Profiles are displayed based on their responses to the on-boarding questions, and each profile card includes information: the user’s name, occupation, interests, school affiliation, and responsibilities they can take, which are essential enough for users to get to know the person quickly and decide whether to go to the next step.



  1. How to help users make the best use of Event feature?


    Feature 1): The display of Events indicates more upcoming events of the week by putting event cards in a horizontally scrollable format. Events that have already passed will appear in grey, indicating they are no longer clickable for registration.


    Feature 2): A demographic feature is designed on Events card to provide insights about potential attendees, such as their interests, school affiliations, or goals on the platform. This information helps users gain a better understanding of their peers attending the event, assisting them in making informed decisions about whether or not to participate.

  1. How to help users make the best use of Event feature?


    Feature 1): The display of Events indicates more upcoming events of the week by putting event cards in a horizontally scrollable format. Events that have already passed will appear in grey, indicating they are no longer clickable for registration.


    Feature 2): A demographic feature is designed on Events card to provide insights about potential attendees, such as their interests, school affiliations, or goals on the platform. This information helps users gain a better understanding of their peers attending the event, assisting them in making informed decisions about whether or not to participate.

  1. How to help users make the best use of Event feature?


    Feature 1): The display of Events indicates more upcoming events of the week by putting event cards in a horizontally scrollable format. Events that have already passed will appear in grey, indicating they are no longer clickable for registration.


    Feature 2): A demographic feature is designed on Events card to provide insights about potential attendees, such as their interests, school affiliations, or goals on the platform. This information helps users gain a better understanding of their peers attending the event, assisting them in making informed decisions about whether or not to participate.



  1. How to encourage users to find ideal peers by joining discussions?


    Feature 1): The 4 themes, which are carefully selected from interviewing with my target users, are the main topics in Hub feature. These themes help maintain participation from the users as they can provide useful and relevant information for them.


    Feature 2): In discussions, users can click others' profile photos to get their profiles if they create one. This feature provides a convenient way for users to get connected with ideal peers.

  1. How to encourage users to find ideal peers by joining discussions?


    Feature 1): The 4 themes, which are carefully selected from interviewing with my target users, are the main topics in Hub feature. These themes help maintain participation from the users as they can provide useful and relevant information for them.


    Feature 2): In discussions, users can click others' profile photos to get their profiles if they create one. This feature provides a convenient way for users to get connected with ideal peers.

  1. How to encourage users to find ideal peers by joining discussions?


    Feature 1): The 4 themes, which are carefully selected from interviewing with my target users, are the main topics in Hub feature. These themes help maintain participation from the users as they can provide useful and relevant information for them.


    Feature 2): In discussions, users can click others' profile photos to get their profiles if they create one. This feature provides a convenient way for users to get connected with ideal peers.


IV. Usability Test

✏️ Inputs from the testers:


I conducted usability testing with three potential users using the think-aloud approach. During the sessions, participants were asked to speak out their thoughts as they performed the following tasks:

  1. Find a match and reach out to the person.

  2. Join an event that interests them.

  3. Create a profile for themselves.

  4. Delve into a discussion they like.


The following are the inputs from the test:

  1. Keep users informed about pre-question

Some users were confused when the pre-questions appeared immediately after they finish school information. One tester even paused and asked what the pre-questions were for. This suggests that the transition from the login process to the pre-questions isn’t clear or intuitive enough. To address this, I’ve added a brief explanation before the questions begin, helping users understand their purpose and improving the flow.


  1. Not let users feel excluded when reading demographic information

In my initial design, demographic information was presented through statements like "60% of participants are from NYU Steinhardt" and "50% of participants are interested in EdTech." However, two testers noted that this wording made them feel excluded, as if they were expected to fit into these categories to attend the event. This feedback highlighted a misunderstanding of my intent, which was to provide users with a general overview of the attendees’ backgrounds. To address this, I revised the format by replacing the text with a pie chart. This visual representation allows users to easily interpret the data without feeling limited or excluded by specific categories


  1. Provide more guidance on making user profiles

Add my profile is the place where users thoughtfully curate their information to attract more connections. However, the current design of the profile creation process may intimidate users for a few reasons. First, it displays all the fields upfront, which can discourage users. Second, there are no instructions or guidance on the page to help users navigate their answers. I changed the design to make different sections expandable to resolve the first issue.

✏️ Inputs from the testers:


I conducted usability testing with three potential users using the think-aloud approach. During the sessions, participants were asked to speak out their thoughts as they performed the following tasks:

  1. Find a match and reach out to the person.

  2. Join an event that interests them.

  3. Create a profile for themselves.

  4. Delve into a discussion they like.


The following are the inputs from the test:

  1. Keep users informed about pre-question

Some users were confused when the pre-questions appeared immediately after they finish school information. One tester even paused and asked what the pre-questions were for. This suggests that the transition from the login process to the pre-questions isn’t clear or intuitive enough. To address this, I’ve added a brief explanation before the questions begin, helping users understand their purpose and improving the flow.


  1. Not let users feel excluded when reading demographic information

In my initial design, demographic information was presented through statements like "60% of participants are from NYU Steinhardt" and "50% of participants are interested in EdTech." However, two testers noted that this wording made them feel excluded, as if they were expected to fit into these categories to attend the event. This feedback highlighted a misunderstanding of my intent, which was to provide users with a general overview of the attendees’ backgrounds. To address this, I revised the format by replacing the text with a pie chart. This visual representation allows users to easily interpret the data without feeling limited or excluded by specific categories


  1. Provide more guidance on making user profiles

Add my profile is the place where users thoughtfully curate their information to attract more connections. However, the current design of the profile creation process may intimidate users for a few reasons. First, it displays all the fields upfront, which can discourage users. Second, there are no instructions or guidance on the page to help users navigate their answers. I changed the design to make different sections expandable to resolve the first issue.

✏️ Inputs from the testers:


I conducted usability testing with three potential users using the think-aloud approach. During the sessions, participants were asked to speak out their thoughts as they performed the following tasks:

  1. Find a match and reach out to the person.

  2. Join an event that interests them.

  3. Create a profile for themselves.

  4. Delve into a discussion they like.


The following are the inputs from the test:

  1. Keep users informed about pre-question

Some users were confused when the pre-questions appeared immediately after they finish school information. One tester even paused and asked what the pre-questions were for. This suggests that the transition from the login process to the pre-questions isn’t clear or intuitive enough. To address this, I’ve added a brief explanation before the questions begin, helping users understand their purpose and improving the flow.


  1. Not let users feel excluded when reading demographic information

In my initial design, demographic information was presented through statements like "60% of participants are from NYU Steinhardt" and "50% of participants are interested in EdTech." However, two testers noted that this wording made them feel excluded, as if they were expected to fit into these categories to attend the event. This feedback highlighted a misunderstanding of my intent, which was to provide users with a general overview of the attendees’ backgrounds. To address this, I revised the format by replacing the text with a pie chart. This visual representation allows users to easily interpret the data without feeling limited or excluded by specific categories


  1. Provide more guidance on making user profiles

Add my profile is the place where users thoughtfully curate their information to attract more connections. However, the current design of the profile creation process may intimidate users for a few reasons. First, it displays all the fields upfront, which can discourage users. Second, there are no instructions or guidance on the page to help users navigate their answers. I changed the design to make different sections expandable to resolve the first issue.

Below shows some key features of Team-up. If you are interested, check out the app here.

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© 2024 – Min Wang

Made with passion and passion

Follow me on other channels

LinkedIn

Navigation

Home

Resume

Contact

Case studies

Team-up

COREAD

ReadyAi

© 2024 – Min Wang

Made with passion and passion

Follow me on other channels

LinkedIn

Navigation

Home

Resume

Contact

Case studies

Team-up

COREAD

ReadyAi

© 2024 – Min Wang

Made with passion and passion