Connect
Connect is a reimagined social media platform focused on authentic human interaction. Centred around an NFC-powered friending system, it encourages real-life connection and intentional use. Designed to combat social media addiction, Connect eliminates short-form, addictive content in favour of a healthier, more mindful digital experience.
Understanding the Issue
The Connect research phase combined three stages to understand social media habits and their impact on real-world connection:
1. Survey – Gathered qualitative insights into users’ screen time, habits, and feelings around digital overuse.
2. Interviews – Explored emotional and behavioural patterns behind social media dependency through in-depth discussions.
3. Detox – Personally replaced my smartphone with a flip phone for a week to experience digital disconnection and observe changes in focus, mood, and interaction.
Design Development
The Connect development phase focused on transforming research insights into a functional, user-centred prototype:
1. Ideation – Defined key features and user journeys based on recurring themes from research, prioritising mindfulness and genuine connection.
2. Wireframing – Created low- to mid-fidelity prototypes to map user flows and refine the app’s structure through iterative feedback.
3. UI Design – Developed a clean, minimal interface focused on calm visual hierarchy and intuitive interactions, bringing the concept to life through high-fidelity prototypes.
Design Delivery
Connect is a mindful social networking app designed to reduce digital overuse and encourage genuine, real-world connections. It helps users engage more intentionally with social media through reflection, goal-setting, and meaningful interaction. Complementing the app is the Connect Device, an NFC-powered product placed in physical stores that lets users instantly connect with their favourite brands in a more personal and purposeful way. Together, they form a connected ecosystem bridging the gap between digital engagement and real-world experience.
