LetsGo

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  Character Customization

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  Landing Page

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  Logo

Inspiration

When addressing the prompt of reimagining how humans interface, we thought deeply regarding the problems and difficulties people encounter when interacting with digital spaces. Standing out among these included the idea that everything is becoming increasingly “online”, which is not necessarily a bad thing by itself, but the implications are concerning. According to the United States Surgeon General, loneliness has become a public health crisis, an epidemic of sorts. In a time where human lives are evolving along with advancing technologies, access to real-world connections has proven to be a scarcity, and people are experiencing more isolation in a post-pandemic planet. Rising barriers to accessibility and declining in-person participation has created a lack of spontaneous social interactions in what sociologists call “third places.” We began to ask ourselves, What if we could reintroduce a sense of play, spark a feeling of passion into the act of simply building real-world community?

We learned several key details through our initial user research. With a survey reaching over 60 people between the ages of 18 and 25, we gained valuable insights on exactly how this issue presents itself in our target population. Despite this demographic having near-total rates of social media ownership, the majority of our participants rated existing online applications as providing almost no assistance to finding authentic communities. This sheds light on a major shortcoming of current technology, social media goes against its very design by failing to provide the space, means, and opportunities for discovery. In addition, users overwhelmingly stated a strong interest in meeting new people, and the majority of users indicated they struggled to find spaces to grow such contacts outside of work and school. As a result of our findings, we determined many pain points and a need for increased connection among our target audience.

What does our app do?

When brainstorming for LetsGo!, we were inspired by the social impact of the app Pokémon Go!. Despite being a mobile game, it was extremely successful in getting people to interact with the physical world. With the incentive of discovering Pokémon, people would remain active. Our application similarly “gamifies” real-world exploration by encouraging users to connect with their community and discover third places. These third places can be parks, community centers, markets, clubs, or volunteer locations. LetsGo! intends to reimagine the interface by decentralizing modes of connectivity that are ineffective in providing genuine senses of community for our target audience. By implementing features like customizable profiles, avatars, and a reward system, LetsGo! incentivizes going out and discovering new third places in the area and rewards you with points, which you can use to unlock avatar customizations. Users can check in to these third spaces, leave reviews, and share their experiences through journaling, making it a space for personal reflection rather than social validation.

How we built it

We started off our app development process by conducting user research and identifying the target audience for our product. This information led us to successfully create a user persona and user journey map to begin the process of the design direction. The next step was creating a low-fidelity wireframe to form a tentative map of the application's structure and user flow. After finishing the foundational blueprint for our product and defining the key pages and features we wanted our app to contain, we began creating a high-fidelity mockup in Figma. To begin, we created a design system that contained reusable components, such as shapes, buttons, typography, color schemes, and other UI components to provide visual coherence. Another key component of our design process had to do with creating a unique home screen that featured hand-drawn components from Procreate. Using Figma's smart animate features, we brought the fish to life while animating throughout multiple landing pages. Our artist also designed custom assets, logos, and avatars specifically for our product.

Challenges we ran into

One of the main challenges we encountered while developing LetsGo! Was ensuring that it did not become a social media platform. From the beginning, we aimed to create an authentic space that focused on real-world exploration and reflection not likes, followers, or endless scrolling. To that end, we found it especially difficult to express organic engagement in a digital platform, a space that is systematically rooted in the search for the aforementioned forms of fulfillment.

This transitions to another major design challenge: striking the right balance between virtual engagement as well as real-world actions. We evidently wanted people to use and enjoy the app, but also not use the app at the same time, finding enjoyment in physical spaces. Ultimately, we implemented in-game rewards and character customization to encourage interaction but without losing sight of the app's deeper purposes. Still, we struggled with implementing a feature to share and tabulate new locations and places without making it preformative, which is something that is almost inherent to the nature of sharing on social media. Public perception is inadvertently something people are forced to consider a lot of the time, but we referenced apps like Beli and Letterboxd and decided against traditional posting and ratings, focusing on a journal/diary feature that emphasized personal reflection over public validation.

Lastly, we thought about the importance of accessibility. In order to be truly inclusive, the app needed to account for a wide variety of physical, geographical, and financial circumstances. To address this, we utilized filtering tools as a design feature to refine and take note of third places based on factors like cost, accessibility, and type of location to ensure that everyone regardless of background could find a space where they can feel comfortable and welcome.

Accomplishments we're proud of

One of our proudest accomplishments in this project was staying true to our original vision: building an app that fosters genuine, natural connections–ones rooted in personal reflection, shared experiences, and community growth. In contrast to the shallow and performative dynamics that dominate most modern social media platforms, LetsGo! Was designed to offer something refreshing. In a world that prioritizes likes, follows, and algorithmic endorsements, we fostered an experience that aims to make exploring and discovery both within the individual and the community something that is genuinely enjoyable.

This accomplishment is extended through the care and creativity poured into the app’s visual design. Every avatar, background art, and visual detail was hand-drawn by our teammate, Katelyn Bi, bringing a completely unique charm and personality to the experience. These custom additions allowed us to perfectly shape the energy we envisioned: inviting, playful, and charming. The ability to customize their own animal avatar adds a personal touch that ties seamlessly into LetsGo!’s themes of self exploration and identity.

Seeing our visions persist and come to life through our prototype was one of the most exciting parts of the journey–showing how rewarding it can be when we creatively and authentically engage with the world around us, and that this can be applied to design as well.

What we learned

Through this experience, we came to a clear realization: there’s a huge number of young adults craving real, meaningful connection. Instead of fostering authenticity, they often amplify performance, pushing users into a cycle of curated personas and surface-level interactions. This isn't just a design flaw—it points to broader societal concerns around isolation, identity, and disconnection.

Despite being more "connected" than ever, many people feel lonelier and more detached. Digital interactions may be convenient, but they rarely feel genuine. True connection requires stepping beyond our comfort zones—embracing spontaneity, embracing the unfamiliar, and moving away from tired, transactional formulas.

Ironically, the spaces that once naturally supported these kinds of low-stakes, real-life interactions still exist. Parks, community centers, libraries, and other third places have historically offered a sense of belonging without pressure, yet their role in our social lives has quietly diminished, and it seems that many see this change due to the dominance of digital alternatives.

Our extensive user research insights have shaped our core belief: technology doesn’t have to separate us. When designed with intention, it can be a bridge instead of a barrier. It can encourage curiosity, spark reflection, and help us show up more meaningfully in the real world. With the right design and purpose, we can use design to support the kind of interaction that feels natural, rewarding, and deeply human.

What's next for LetsGo

As we continue to develop LetsGo!, we would plan to conduct usability testing of our app to gather feedback from our target demographic of college-age students. We would like to examine how new users interact with the key features of our application to identify potential flaws and improve clarity through intuitive user interactions. Through continuous testing and feedback, the app will have the opportunity to evolve and improve its features and accessibility, making a more polished and user-centered release for LetsGo!. This will allow for LetsGo! to achieve its goals of reconnecting communities and altering the digital culture in order to promote more inclusive spaces and foster genuine and authentic community as exploration of third places becomes a norm once again.

Built With

• figma
• procreate