Domana: Social Balancing App
Designed a high-fidelity prototype of an app alongside a team with the purpose of aiding students who struggle with balancing their social and work lives.
Role
UX/UI Designer
Industry
App Design
Duration
3 weeks
Stage 1. Problem Framing & User Research
Began by identifying a common but overlooked challenge among university students: balancing social life with academic responsibilities. Through discussions, interviews, and secondary research, we found that many students miss events due to poor visibility or scheduling conflicts, while others over-prioritize social life at the expense of academics.
Developed key personas:
The Workaholic
The Social Butterfly
The Realist
These represent different behavioral patterns. Mapped core user tasks such as discovering events, managing deadlines, scheduling, and sharing with peers.
Synthesized insights into a clear opportunity: a centralized platform that reduces stress and helps students confidently manage both academics and social life.
Stage 2. Ideation & Concept Development
Explored multiple solution directions using rapid ideation methods like Crazy 8’s and paper sketching. Collaborated as a team to merge concepts into a single, cohesive product direction.
Defined core features including event discovery, integrated calendar planning, and filtering systems. Prioritized usability and clarity to ensure students can quickly assess and fit events into their schedules.
Stage 3. Wireframing and Prototyping
Translated ideas into low-fidelity wireframes, first on paper and then digitally in Figma. Focused on structuring key flows such as browsing events, viewing details, and scheduling.
Progressed into high-fidelity designs, building a cohesive visual system and interactive prototype. Contributed custom visual elements, including branded mascot illustrations, to enhance the app’s personality and engagement.
Stage 4. User testing and Iteration
Conducted pilot usability testing with multiple participants (two per team member) to evaluate clarity, navigation, and overall usefulness.
Used feedback to refine layout, improve feature accessibility, and ensure the scheduling experience felt intuitive rather than overwhelming. Iterated on the design to better support quick decision-making and reduce user stress.
Stage 5. Final presentation and handoff
Compiled and presented a comprehensive project pitch, detailing the design process, user testing findings, and final app design. The presentation highlighted the app's potential to foster good time management between academics and social connections.
Delivered a high-fidelity prototype for Domana, a social scheduling app that helps students balance academic and social commitments. The final design integrates event discovery with calendar planning, enabling users to make informed decisions about attending events without compromising their responsibilities.
Reflections
This project strengthened my ability to design for real user tensions, specifically the trade-off between productivity and social well-being. It highlighted the importance of simplifying complex planning behaviors and reinforced how thoughtful UX can reduce stress and improve everyday decision-making.
