Hi, I'm Loralee!
I'm a first-year full-time graduate student pursuing my Master of Science in Human Computer Interaction at Iowa State University. I am passionate about understanding and improving user experiences to make a difference in people's lives.
CyHobby
An app to help ISU students make meaningful connections through social messaging, clubs, and events, enhancing their experience at Iowa State.
Tools
Figma, FigJam,
Miro
My role
UX/UI, Research,
Product Design
Timeline
August 2023 - October 2023
Problem
The first day of classes at Iowa State University can be overwhelming for students who have yet to make friends. This inspired me to design a mobile app to help students connect with others.
User Research
To gain a better understanding of the problem, we conducted 10 semi-structured interviews with ISU students and collected 18 survey responses.
1. Previous experiences with similar apps
2. Issues encountered in previous apps
3. Current method used to connect with ISU students
4. Feedback on the experience of connecting with other ISU students
5. Key factors taken into consideration when following up with friends
Our Users
Pain Points
1. It can be challenging for new students to find others who share their interests and to find time for hobbies during their first semester.
2. ISU organizations and clubs lack effective advertising, making it difficult for students to discover and join them.
3. Students acquire information through various social media apps, but it is scattered across different platforms.
Affinity mapping with sticky notes to identify the pain points of our users
User Personas and Stories
"As a busy PhD student, I want to meet other students easily to make friends and hold dinner parties." - Sunny
"As a new Master’s student, I want to find people who are interested in Graphic Design, so that I can make friends and network with other designers." - Trisha
User Journey Maps
Site Map
Sketches
Close-up Storyboard
A mobile app that allows our user, Jacob, to create his own videography club at ISU and connect with other students that share the same hobby.
Low-Fidelity
Welcome Page
Home Page
Calendar
My Friends
My Hobbies
Chat Page
Profile Page
Search
Club Page
Create Event
Set Up Account
Create Page
Chat with friend
My Clubs
Hi-Fidelity
Prototype
BeatHeat
An app that locates nearby cooling centers and provides heat safety guidelines, emergency contacts, and community support features to help people stay cool and safe during extreme heat.
Tools
Figma, FigJam,
Miro, Stark Plugin
My role
UX/UI, Research, Product Design
Timeline
October 2023 - December
2023
Heat Island Effect
The urban heat island effect leads to higher temperatures in cities. This affects vulnerable populations, increases energy consumption, widens socio-economic disparities, and causes discomfort. BeatHeat app provides information and resources to prevent heat-related illnesses and deaths, addressing two of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
User Research
We interviewed 12 people from the US, UK, and India who experienced extreme heat. They stressed the need for more assistance in locating nearby cooling centers and safety education resources.
Our Users
Pain Points
1.
People without AC in their homes struggle to find cool places during extreme heat.
2.
Coping with a heat wave becomes challenging when juggling between different apps for temperature updates, cooling center locations, and safety tips.
3.
It’s difficult for people to find the necessary information and resources to stay safe during a heat wave.
Ideate
Our users needed help finding cooling centers and staying safe in heatwaves. I suggested a user-friendly interface with larger buttons for accessibility and sections for local center information, self/pet care tips, and a grocery list for heatwave preparation.
User Personas
Site Map
Storyboards
Sketches
Low-Fidelity
Heat Map/ Home Page
Temperature Page
Accessibility Page
Menu
Emergency Page
Language Page
Heat Safety Page
Call 911 Page
Hydration Page
Pet Care Page
Emergency Contacts
Grocery Page
Skin Care Page
Hi-Fidelity
Prototype
