CORNER APP

Refreshing a map utility product into a social media platform

1

who

My role - Lead product designer in a small startup

2

whAT

Timeline - 2023 / 8 weeks
Corner is a consumer social app that makes saving places on a map a social experience. Think Google Maps x IG.

3

whY

As part of a startup project, I stepped in as the team's first creative lead and guided design initiatives that improved the user experience and prepped the pre-seed iOS app for launch in App Store.

bringing social into a map

In 2023, Corner was a pre-seed startup that delivered a consumer social app for curating places to go and try. The company had recently launched their product on Testflight for iOS with the aim to next launch on App Store. The app was designed initially as a progressive web app by the developer of its first iteration. The iOS was clunky, unintuitive, and lacked proper design foundations, making for an unprepared product to launch on App Store.

my objectives

As the company’s first formal product designer and creative lead, here were my objectives that led to a massively improved user experience, an increase in weekly returning users, and successful preparation for App Store launch:
  • Elevated the user experience for a consumer social product that new and returning users could rely on
  • Created a foundational design system that streamlined the team’s design process and decision making
  • Designed user flows for key features that catered to the brand’s differentiation strategy
  • Prepared the product for a successful launch in App Store with just a few months until target

core features improved

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new features launched

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process

The workflow that led to success was a formula focused on:
  • Synthesizing large information through market & user research
  • Designed user flows for key features that catered to the brand’s differentiation strategy
  • Improving communication streams through efficient workflows and hand-offs

outcomes

Following these principles allowed us to achieve these wins!
10 foundational features designed and shipped
App approved to launch in App Store and made ready for next fundraising round
Increase in app downloads with exponential increase in weekly returning users

constraints

As with any real world project, there came a set of constraints that I had to work within in order to ensure success:
  • Ship first, validate later - The team was lean with a “build the car as you drive it” workflow and mentality. This meant fast iteration was top priority and minimal validation of efforts were encouraged.
  • Limited dev resources - Being a lean team there was only one iOS developer, which meant that there was a pressure to ensure product design decisions were utmost efficient and ever-conscious of limited developer fuel.
  • Short timeline affected design system updates - For sake of short build time, the founders established that core visual elements (such as font face) had to stay the same.
  • Not end-to-end UX design - I was not involved in collecting user validation as part of the user experience design process. The client founders were hands-on in UX decision making, making the process a collaborative effort. However, I was able to conduct market and user research that helped influence the product’s brand development.

50 / 50 text section

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.

key learnings

This project was meaningful because it brought together community, wellness, and fun design in a truly immersive way. The event gave Black-owned businesses and local wellness leaders a platform to shine. The multi-sensory activations and lots of opportunities for personal connection made the space feel electric. As to be expected, there were some last-minute changes, but staying flexible and problem-solving on the fly kept everything running smoothly. In the end, I appreciated how thoughtful design helped bring people together and make the brand’s vision come to life.

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