Social Hobby App
About the project
Hobbees helps people discover new hobbies and build meaningful connections through local, inclusive communities. Designed with a social-first approach, the platform makes it easy to explore interests, join events, and connect with others.
My role:
3 Team members. UX/UI Designer
Timeframe:
2 weeks
Project Overview
Many people want to explore new hobbies but don’t know where to start. Busy schedules, overwhelming options, and lack of beginner-friendly communities often cause people to abandon their interests. Hobbees aims to solve this by helping users discover new hobbies and connect with like-minded individuals in welcoming, local spaces.
Research Highlights 🔍
We interviewed 5 college students and post-grads to understand how hobbies influence social connection.
Key Insights:
Time & Overwhelm: Students struggle to start hobbies due to packed schedules and too many options.
Hobbies = Connection: Post-grads used hobbies (e.g., pickleball, music lessons) to meet people.
Community Gaps: Many lacked access to inclusive, local hobby groups.
Need for Centralization: Participants wanted a platform that combined discovery, community, and personalization.
User Personas 👤
We created two primary personas—Emma (college student) and Daniel (recent grad)—to guide decisions around social connection, motivation, and time constraints.
Product Strategy
Our design goal was to create a centralized space that enabled:
Hobby discovery and filtering
Social connection and group engagement
Sharer-led live and recorded classes
Messaging, profiles, and personalized content
Information Architecture & Features
We mapped out user flows and core screens, including:
Onboarding
Home / Discover
Livestreams & Replays
Group Profiles & Messaging
User/Sharer Profiles
Design Process 🎨
Concepts & Wireframes
We tested two concepts:
Social Media Approach: Focused on connection through shared interests
Gamification Approach: Focused on earning rewards through learning
🔍 User Feedback: Users overwhelmingly preferred the social media concept for its authenticity and local connection potential.
Gameification Wireframes:
Social Media Wireframes:
Design System 📏
We developed a scalable design system using Inter and Quicksand typefaces, a warm and inviting color palette, and consistent UI components (buttons, inputs, spacing, and layout rules) to ensure a cohesive experience.
High-Fidelity Mockups & Final Prototype
We translated our preferred concept into detailed high-fidelity mockups, emphasizing clear navigation, inclusive design, and a welcoming tone throughout the interface.
selected high-fidelity mockups
clickable prototype
Reflection & Takeaways 💭
Hobbees revealed the importance of blending personal growth with community connection. While the final prototype offered a strong discovery and engagement flow, future iterations would expand chat and community features.
Key Learnings:
Community-first design is crucial for sustained engagement
Information architecture must balance exploration with personalization
Iterative feedback shaped the product’s direction significantly