netnotes
Case study researching and designing an innovative application for managing networking as young professional
Timeline
January 24 - May 24
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My Role
UI/UX Designer
Skills
User Research
Visual Design
Interaction Design
Branding
Industry Research
Collaborators
Calinikos Price
Project Overview
NetNotes is a networking app that helps college students build meaningful connections by focusing on three key areas: logging interactions, managing next steps, and organizing personal networking info. By simplifying these processes, the app encourages genuine connections without overwhelming users.
This project was completed with a partner as part of a 10-week UI/UX design bootcamp with Bits of Good, a Georgia Tech nonprofit tech organization.
Problem
College students often struggle with networking, which is crucial for their career growth. Many students find it difficult to approach networking in a genuine way or simply lack the knowledge and confidence to do so effectively.
Solution
Our app is designed to help students manage their networking experiences. It encourages students to build meaningful relationships and turn connections into career opportunities.
Log Interactions
Plan Next Steps
Organize Personal
Information
01
User Research
Interviews
To pinpoint the specific problem at hand and to learn more about the user group we would be serving, we conducted in-depth interviews. We recruited Georgia Tech students to interview based on stratified sampling of students ranging from completely inexpereinced, semi-experienced, and very experienced with networking.​​​
Example Questions
As a college student, why is networking difficult?
How much do you feel you know about networking and how to network?
What are your end goals when networking?
After 7 thorough interviews, we used an affinity map to organize our data by topic and identify key findings:
Insights
From the data gathered in the interviews, we discerned four key points:
01
Networking is strengthened through practice
02
Networking knowledge and confidence are positively correlated
03
Students dislike the competitive aspect of peer networking
04
Genuine connections are most valuable
We then created a user journey map to illustrate the difficulties students face when attempting to network. The journey map highlights potential pain points that we wanted to target in our solution:
After reviewing our data, we set out to define a user persona that would ground our research and solution ideation. The interviews brought about many different potential user personas. For example, some users were seeking basic education about what networking even is. So here, we began to narrow our scope and focus on the semi-experienced networker that we could most realistically serve:
Competitive Analysis
Aside from interviews, we conducted market research to identify holes in networking industry. The approach of creating a networking platform to connect with other professionals was well saturated. However, there were no attempts at creating a networking tool that was personal to yourself and your own networking growth.
02
Design Process
Design Goals
After completing our research, we established three design goals to guide our potential solution:
01
Design for genuine connections and retentions, than than quantity.
02
Create a log to keep track of contacts and interactions.
03
Keep user flow simple, intuitive, and fast for efficient use.
User Flow
We then began mapping out a user flow that connects three main functions: organizing personal networking information, logging interactions, and planning next steps. We prioritized the relationship between "Log" and "To-Do" in order to encourage user action after a networking instance.
Low-Fidelity
Using our research, user flow diagram, and established design goals, we started developing a foundational framework to support the intended functions.
Mid-Fidelity
When moving forward onto the mid-fidelity prototype, we focused on fleshing out the wireframes for complete use cases and determining what was most effective and intuitive.
Usability Testing
We used our mid-fidelity wireframes to conduct usability testing interviews with some of our college peers, who provided valuable feedback. Their insights helped us refine and improve our final designs.
03
Final Designs
Final Screens
Animations
This was our first time experimenting with animations in Figma, so we used it as an opportunity to explore playful, engaging transitions. It simultaneously served our goal to make networking more approachable. Whether switching between pages or filtering contacts, the animations reinforce our brand identity with the cheerful cartoon faces we designed.
Branding
The design system below was organized with a simple, modern and playful look in mind. In order to cater towards beginner, college-aged networkers, we wanted the platform to be inviting and not overwhelming.
04
Reflection
This project was my first real introduction to digital product design. The biggest learning curve was using Figma for designing and prototyping. I also got to see how important the “behind the scenes” user research is, and I’m especially proud of the thorough interviews we conducted.
While I think we created a unique concept with NetNotes, there’s always room for improvement. As beginners, our designs were well-informed, but the final interfaces could’ve been more polished. With more time, we definitely would have kept iterating until things felt just right.
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Working with my partner was such a positive experience. We kept up clear communication and regular check-ins, which really kept us on track. I learned that I don’t just tolerate collaboration—I actually thrive in it. But we couldn't have done any of this without the guidance from our bootcamp instructors.