TIMELINE
October - December 2024
(10 weeks)
ROLE
Full Stack Designer
SKILLS
Product Design
Interaction Design
Prototyping
TYPE
Mobile Application
THE CHALLENGE
Finding the right café shouldn't feel like a gamble
Back in college, my friends and I spent countless hours in cafés and boba shops, catching up, studying, or just enjoying a good drink. But choosing where to go often felt like a shot in the dark. One place would be too crowded, another lacked outlets, and some didn’t have enough seating. We’d sometimes drive 15 to 20 minutes only to walk out and try again.
That recurring frustration led to a bigger question. What are people actually looking for when they choose a café to spend time in? And how can that decision be less random and more intentional?
THE SOLUTION
Finding the perfect place to sip, work, and connect
Our solution was an AI chatbot that not only helped the user curate their own personal style but also aided in the actual discovery of clothing that would enable users to express that personal style.
Results you actually want
Start with a quick quiz and Siply will serve up spots that match your vibe. From strong Wi-Fi to quiet corners, your feed and filters are built around what matters to you.
Friend-powered discovery
See where your friends have gone, what they loved, and what they’d skip. Recommendations feel more relevant when they come from people you trust.
Lists you'll actually use
See where your friends have gone, what they loved, and what they’d skip. Recommendations feel more relevant when they come from people you trust.
RESEARCH
How and why do people choose cafés as a workspace?
To better understand what people really value in a workspace, I visited 10 different cafés and drink spots. My goal was to observe the environment, study its attributes, and conduct interviews with patrons to gather insights on their choices and needs when selecting a café for work or study.
INTERVIEWS
During my visits to various cafés, I took the opportunity to chat with the patrons and ask them a few questions to understand what makes a café work for them when studying or working remotely:
How often do you work or study at cafes?
What made you choose (insert name of cafe) to study at today?
What are some of the things you look for in finding a cafe to study at?
Are any of those non-negotiable?
What amenities do you wish cafés would provide to make working or studying easier?
How do you usually find new cafés to work or study at?
INSIGHTS
As I interviewed patrons, three key patterns emerged:
DESIGN
IDEATION + IMPROVEMENTS
Explorations in design
Every screen in this app reflects intentional design choices shaped by real needs and a love for thoughtful details. After many iterations, I want to highlight three explorations that shaped the experience in meaningful ways.
STYLING
Siply embraces a warm, grounded design language that makes finding the right café feel personal and purposeful. Inspired by communal spaces and cozy corners, the visual system uses soft greens, rounded icons, and clear layouts to support focus and ease of use. Friendly accents and social elements bring a sense of connection, making the experience feel both efficient and welcoming.
VISUAL DESIGN
Typography and Colors
FINAL SCREENS
Ready to find your perfect sip?
to navigate prototype
to restart
REFLECTIONS
This was my first ever solo project! And as exciting as that was I also learned many valuable lessons:
Work with the time you are given. Since this project was part of a 10 week class there were definitely some time constraints. As this was also a solo project, the limited timeline meant that I could not dive as deep into research as I had hoped for. Given the time crunch, I had to let go of obsessing over every pixel and focus more on interactivity and prototyping. It helped me realize that designs may never feel completely perfect, and taught me how to prioritize what matters most while sticking to the timeline I was given.
Iteration is your best friend. Being that this was my first solo project I was very focused on making sure that the app not only flowed well but also looked streamlined and eye-catching. This led to countless tweaks and iterations, with it sometimes feeling like I was going backwards rather than forwards. However, the constant iterations allowed me to spot both the weak and strong points in my designs and thus helped me to refine the app to the way it is now. As time consuming and stressful as it can be, iteration is such a useful step.
Don't be overtaken by the process. In all the various classes I had taken before, there was a big emphasis on the process and making sure that every single step was met. While the design process is a very important one, I often found myself diving deep into unnecessary rabbit holes that did not end up contributing much to the final product. Therefore showing me that while the process is important, the insights should be the driving forces in my work flow.
Thank you for reading!
If you'd like to know more about the process, feel free to each out to me at elliana.s.gang@gmail.com and I would be happy to share!
Let's keep in touch!
MADE IN HIS IMAGE TO IMAGINE