Beacon App
Implementing strategic improvements to features and user experience, to increase user retention and acquisition rates in a highly competitive market
Problem
Key Human Problem
Beacon aims to address is the loneliness epidemic that has become prevalent, particularly among people who are moving to new cities or coming out of the pandemic. These individuals have found it challenging to make new friends and connect with others, especially when it comes to discovering local social events. Beacon's mission is to provide a centralized platform where users can explore local events and engage with other users whom they may not have met otherwise.
Key Engineer Implications
As a lean start-up with limited resources, the features being developed should aim to eliminate technical debt and enable the efficient delivery of new features and improved user interfaces on a weekly basis. Since the team worked on a live product, it was essential to ensure that any changes or additions could be seamlessly integrated by engineering within short timeframes. This approach required the use of agile methodologies and a focus on building scalable, flexible, and modular systems that could adapt to changing requirements and user feedback.
Key Business Implications
Design decisions were made to enhance the user experience and to give Beacon a leg up against the competition. As a startup, Beacon needed to give users a reason to switch over from older or more established platforms. For Beacon, user engagement was pivotal as a social platform, and increasing these numbers helped inform investors of Beacon’s potential and success.
Solution
Product Design
I conceptualized and implemented innovative features with the primary goal of boosting user acquisition and engagement on the platform. My aim was to enable users to connect with their local community by leveraging the platform's potential. By introducing exclusive functionalities for Beacon, we were able to entice users to create their own events and gatherings, resulting in a significant surge of users and a marked reduction in the rampant loneliness epidemic.
Interaction Enhancements
My contribution involved the development of intuitive feedback mechanisms, seamless navigation tools, and visually appealing button states that served to optimize user engagement and elevate their overall experience on the platform. These enhancements enabled users to effortlessly navigate through the platform and provided them with a delightful user journey that fostered deeper engagement with the product.
Visual Patterns
I took charge of refining and expanding the existing design system, incorporating scalable components that streamlined the development process and future-proofed the product. Through the implementation of a consistent set of UI components, icons, and CTAs, users were able to quickly familiarize themselves with the platform, while our development team was relieved of unnecessary technical complexities. This approach ensured that our design system was well-equipped to support the growth and evolution of the product over time.
Impact
Increased User Acquisition
As a designer, I am proud to have made significant contributions to the growth and success of the product. I was able to play a crucial role in scaling the product to over 40,000 users across 20+ universities.
Key Takeaways
My expertise in designing intuitive, user-friendly interfaces enabled Beacon to launch new features and improve interactions that have enhanced the overall user experience.
In addition, I contributed to the development of the responsive website, ensuring that it was optimized for all devices and screen sizes. By making the website accessible to a wider audience, I was able to contribute to the product's growth and increased user adoption.