Within the DesignCo student organization of aspiring designers at UCSD, I participated in a design sprint that was called “Design Frontiers”. This was a design-a-thon style event where I collaborated with a group of 3 other designers over the course of 2 days.
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Our design challenge prompt was:
“Design a way to promote well-being in the modern age”
Final Design
Our final solution was an app titled MemoryBox, which allowed users to input hobbies and interests to receive personalized local recommendations, aimed at fostering in person connection and experiences. Experiences can be stored in the app through the “journal” feature, which are saved for future reflection. Users are also able to share photos to their verified contacts, which ensures that everybody you connect with knows you on a more personal level. The user’s experiences are shared in a non-algorithmic feed (with no comment or like features) in order to create a space free of competition or stress.
Our target audience was people under 50 who use smartphones on a daily basis, especially those who enjoy self-expression and sharing their life with others. The design considers people with anxiety and people that come from underrepresented backgrounds that value community-focused design, allowing them to share their own culture without fear of judgment.
Wireframes and Ideation
User Research
The deep research that our team did revealed that:
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Interaction with one’s local neighborhood has evidence-backed benefits for mental health, physical health, and sense of belonging in different communities
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Designing with constraints creates a platform with less pressure for users, often decreasing anxiety due to limiting harassment and algorithmic bias
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Journaling for long periods of time can boost emotional regulation and self-awareness, and this solution is accessible to a diverse set of different user groups
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There is a lack of digital interaction between different age groups, due to low presence of realistic lifestyle narratives present online that connect to a variety of different generations
Jessica Lin
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Loves visual storytelling, and wants to share moments with family without judgement
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Finds alternative social media stressful and competitive
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“It’s like a baby book, family photo album, and art museum all in one—but way prettier and more peaceful.”
Elena Morales​
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Wants a way to express herself without being judged by school peers
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“I don’t have to worry if anyone ‘likes’ it or not—this is just for me and the people I actually care about.”
Andre Lewis​
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Wants to document his photography and art, while complimenting his minimalist lifestyle
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Normally avoids all types of social media
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​“It’s the only app I use where I don’t feel drained afterward. No followers, no feedback loop—just memories and beauty.”