.EDYou

01 — Understanding the Problem

Discovery

The Problem

As more families transition to alternative schooling, a social gap has emerged. Students in homeschool, online school, and micro-school environments lack the community events, social connections, and shared experiences that traditional high school provides. They miss prom, club activities, sports, lunch tables — the informal moments that build lasting friendships and a sense of belonging.

Target Audience

My research focused on students ages 14–18 in alternative education. I conducted interviews with homeschooled students, online learners, and micro-school attendees. The pattern was clear: they felt isolated and disconnected from their peers. They wanted events, community, and a place to find people like them. This demographic was the group most affected by the social isolation gap.

Research Insight

When interviewing alternative school students, a recurring theme emerged: they lack community and fun events at their schools. Students feel they're missing out on the typical high school experience. One interviewee said, "I wish there was something like Instagram but for finding events with people my age." This insight directly inspired Edyou — a platform that puts event discovery and peer connection at the center.

02 — Designing the Solution

Design Evolution

From Concept to Identity

We started with paper sketches and lo-fi wireframes to explore user flows. The early concept was called "AltCommunity" — dark, utilitarian, uninviting. We tested it with students and the feedback was immediate: it felt like a homework platform, not a social community. We iterated through names and concepts: "Schoolhouse" was too generic. Finally, we landed on ".EDYou" — a modern pun on education that feels current and inviting. The name became the foundation for everything that followed.

Visual Identity

I chose orange and blue using color theory as my guide. Orange conveys warmth, approachability, and energy — qualities essential for a community app targeting teens. Blue grounds the design with trust and stability. Together, they create personality without distraction. The typography leverages a modern sans-serif for body text and a warm serif accent for headlines, creating hierarchy and sophistication.

My Contributions

I designed the sign-in and registration flow to be frictionless, with social auth options for quick onboarding. I created the event creation flow — a guided experience where users can add photos, set dates/times, and add categories. And I designed the home feed, which surfaces events based on interest filtering and proximity. These three flows became the core of the product.

Lo-Fi to Hi-Fi Progression

Low Fidelity

Low Fidelity

User Flows & MoSCoW Prioritization

We mapped four main user flows: Login/Registration, Event Search & Discovery, Event Creation, and Profile Management. I used MoSCoW prioritization to guide the product scope:

03 — The Polished Product

Final Solution

After rounds of design refinement and feedback integration, here are the final high-fidelity screens. Each screen was crafted to be intuitive, engaging, and optimized for how teens actually use social platforms.

← Scroll to explore all screens →

04 — Responsibility Matters

Ethical Considerations

Designing for minors requires an ethical lens. Every feature decision carries weight. I approached this project with three core principles in mind.

05 — What I Learned

Outcomes & Key Takeaways