Tackled Key Stressors for International Students with
a Community Platform
Count Me In" is a community platform designed to address financial, transportation, and social challenges faced by international students. This project focuses on creating solutions to alleviate these stressors and foster connection and support.
MY ROLE
Conducted User Research through surveys and interviews, developed wireframes, defined the Product Strategy, and conducted Usability Testing.
IMPACT
67% Net Promoter Score
82.4 System Usability Score
INDUSTRY
Event Management, Networking
TIMELINE
TOOLS
Host activities and find buzzing events in the area.
Get advice from peers and experts on finance, housing, jobs, and more.
Check out my process below ⬇
PROBLEM SPACE
Nearly one in ten international student is experiencing social isolation.
International students encounter challenges like finding their way in a new city, longing to connect with others, struggling with language barriers in conversations, and feeling a divide due to cultural differences.
- Center of collegiate mental health
LITERATURE REVIEW
Key Findings
Major stress from adapting to a new culture
Struggles with local slang and cultural references.
Limited social connections and reluctance to seek help
Significant financial, academic, psychological, and emotional challenges.
🔗 Papers Reviewed
International Graduate Students, Stress, and Social Support by Mallinckrodt and Leong (1992)
Mental Health and International Students: Issues, Challenges, & Effective Practice by Mewett (2019)
Students of Different Minds: Bridging the Gaps of International Students Studying in the US by Lin (2012).
GETTING TO KNOW THE STUDENTS
11 survey participants | Straightforward questions that equally addressed both problem areas. Within the survey results, the two key challenges were establishing connections and engaging with people, especially when initiating conversations with strangers.
User Survey Highlights
9 user interviews were conducted to determine which of these challenges had the most significant impact on students, during which, a open and non-leading approach was adopted, allowing participants to freely express their thoughts and concerns.​
User Interviews
I don't need new friends, just someone to go out with sometimes
Finding someone who shares my interests can help me save on costly cabs if I can just go with them.
I'd like to explore places like the art museum, but my friends aren't keen.
I have not been a social person. With language barrier it becomes a little more difficult but I am getting better at it...
User comments recorded during the interviews
I don't watch the same sports as Americans so sometimes its hard to get involved in their conversations
COMPETETIVE ANALYSIS
These services provide opportunities to connect, join events and engage through rewarding tasks done by the users. the challenges found are as follows:
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Trusting meetups found online​
Motivation for regularly using socialization apps
Rewards that are not relevant
REFINED PROJECT GOAL
Designing a mobile app that empowers students to seamlessly discover and connect with like-minded individuals in their vicinity, fostering a sense of community and social interaction among students.
PERSONA AND STORYBOARDING
Scenario Anna is an international student new to ASU joined as a Graduate Student. She is looking to find new people to connect and spend time with.
Anna joins ASU
She is new to the city
She's alone on weekends but wants to hangout
Finds it hard to connect with classmates
Roommate is not interested
in doing same things
Anna finds out about
'Count me in' app
​
Finds activities to do, goes and meets new people
Uses the App frequently and becomes a guide to help other students
Anna redeems the points she earned from helping students for a treat.
BRAINSTORMING
ESTABLISHING THE BRAND
Logo
"Discover helpful hands & fun plans,
all in one place!"
Tagline
Colors
FINAL SOLUTIONS
"Count Me In" is a mobile app that fosters a welcoming community for international students to socialize and for those seeking quick, no-strings-attached assistance.
One can also be a 'guide'—peer offering support and 'host' who organizes events for people on the platform.
Personalize your feed
Onboarding screens
​Onboarding screens lets the user know that on this platform, they can:
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Find people in your community
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Easily plan activities and connect with like-minded individuals to join in the fun.
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Find the right help and guidance
Personalize screen
Users can select their preferred topics, and related events will be suggested accordingly.
Host and Join local events
Need weekend plans but no company? With "Count Me In," check nearby events and hit 'Count me in' to join. Or create an event to find fun people to join you!
Find events on explore page
'view more' to see more details
Be a Host and create events
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Be a Guide or post requests
New to the campus and don't know where to find the HR Center? Create a request for assistance. Anyone can respond to the request using the 'Count on me' button, providing guidance and support.
Create requests
Be a Guide and earn rewards
Find request on feed and 'Count on me' for accepting
Ask and express on Spaces
Space lets students ask questions and join discussions by topic. Members can join spaces to see posts or create their own with admin approval if no suitable space exists.
Explore discussion boards
Create a question or make a post
Earn badges and rewards
Students earn points by participating in activities, hosting events and accepting requests, which can be redeemed for goodies around the campus. Rewards can include:
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Free meal ticket (self only) at ASU affiliated restaurants
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40% off at ASU concession stands
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50% off at ASU affiliated businesses
Students can also earn badges that enhance their profiles and verify the reliability of hosts.
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USABILITY TESTING & RESULTS
5 Tasks
45 Minutes
3 Participants
Create a profile
Create an event
Browse through Spaces
Explore your profile
Explore the rewards & redeem a reward
The Spaces function is very helpful and one of the best in the app.
Count me in for the shopping buddy!
I like how the name of the app is reinforced as the button. Great work!
A good app to socialize with others and to connect with people who have the same interests.
I like the flexibility and simplicity of creating an event.
Usability Concerns
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The term "Spaces" is unclear and may confuse users, as it lacks a clear purpose or context.
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The "Count on me" and "Count me in" buttons are ambiguous and may lead to user confusion about their function.
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The "Create" button is difficult to locate or notice within the Spaces section, potentially hindering usability.
Quantitative Data
NPS = Net Promoter Score ; SUS = System Usability Scale Score
TAKEAWAYS
UX and business analysis synergy
I learned the importance of aligning UX design with business strategies to drive sustainable growth of a product or service.
Limited user testing and feedback
A larger sample and measuring task completion times could have provided deeper usability insights and improvement opportunities.