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Networking in
Role
Product/AR Designer
Strategy
Quality Insurance
Date
September - December 2024
Context
Contracted with the early stage startup AUR+A to collaborate on investor pitches, marketing website, iPhone iPad and Android apps
📄 In Short
AUR+A is a young American startup enhancing networking with augmented reality, enabling instant profile viewing. It aims to replace traditional QR codes at events with facial recognition for seamless, efficient check-ins.
Problem Statement:
As a designer and strategy advisor, my role was to prioritize user pain points and align them with our technology to identify opportunities for traction and growth.
I designed conceptual solutions for investors and also worked on enhancing the existing product design, collaborating closely with the development team to ensure a smooth implementation and conducting quality assurance.
Key Questions
• How can we facilitate event networking?
• How can we streamline visitor engagement at booths?
• How can we improve event check-ins?
Methods:
Prototyped in Figma, and iterated based on user and stakeholder feedback to refine designs for each user group. Collaborated with developers, specially for QA.
The resulting design:
We implemented smart features like note-taking, recording and AI transcribing conversations, and providing access to event history for later reference. These solutions helped users manage the high-paced, stressful environment of events, directly addressing their core needs.
❓ Problem Statement
The challenge was to design solutions for three key user groups:
Event Attendees
Booth Exhibitors
Event Organizers
Each group had distinct needs, and we aimed to identify the market with the greatest potential for traction.
The general users needed an innovative way to network using augmented reality, offering real-time name recognition and easy access to professional profiles.
Event organizers needed a better check-in process to efficiently track attendees and gather behavioral data.
Booth companies needed a tool to enhance visitor engagement by identifying key prospects.
Rapid development focused on providing solutions to all three user segments while seeking to identify which market would provide the best return on investment and validation.
👁️ Approach
I contributed to strategy, design, quality assurance, and development coordination. Collaborating closely with the development team ensured quick issue resolution and consistent progress. This approach enabled us to deliver a functional and innovative AR networking solution within a tight timeline, balancing user needs with business goals.
Strategy: To quickly demonstrate our projects for investors, I created AI-generated assets. I combined them with mockups to efficiently illustrate the design in its use case context.
Design: The focus was on minimizing user friction by simplifying the app onboarding. Features were designed for quick access to networking opportunities while maintaining a clean, intuitive interface.
Quality Assurance & Coordination: Regular testing cycles ensured stability and usability. I coordinated with developers to address technical challenges promptly, maintaining a balance between innovation and reliability.
🪄 Generating the Right Images
I evaluated image generation tools like DALL-E, Flux, and Midjourney, ultimately choosing Krea.ai for its superior results, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use.
I generated images of users at trade shows and composed them with our interface and device mockups in Figma. This allowed us to quickly communicate our value proposition to potential clients and investors.
Compositing visually explained the relationship between reality and AR, showcasing the information AUR+A provides to their users.
I produced iPhone and iPad images for the Apple Store, as well as for Google Play, offering professional previews of the app.
✏️ Design for Event Attendees (iPhone & Android)
The smartphone app is the main product for AUR+A and it aims to let the users see the names of other users with facial recognition.
After a heuristic evaluation of the existing app, a gorilla user interview and a workshops with the CEO, I improved the existing design and added new features to enhance user value:
Links to other platforms (Website, LinkedIn, Instagram...)
Take notes about a specific user for later reference
Transcript a conversation with AI
I created a prototype in Figma so I could test it with users and iterate.
The final design was pushed to production and let users spread the word about the convenience of the new features.
✏️ Design for Booth Exhibitors (iPad)
A significant revenue opportunity for AUR+A comes from companies renting booths at trade shows, where the goal is to connect with new clients and generate leads.
The iPad application was designed to be placed on a stand within each booth to facilitate real-time attendee recognition.
Key features include:
Enhanced Phone Functionality on Larger Screen
Watchlist for Target Prospects
Lead Data Management and Sharing
✏️ Design for Event Organizers (iPad)
Our research indicated that event organizers primarily require solutions to reduce wait times and improve overall event flow. By deploying our devices at various checkpoints, they can collect comprehensive data for later analysis of behavior patterns and gain valuable insights for future events.
Key features include:
Color-coded ring to distinguish visitor types (speakers, VIPs, etc.)
Quick Add Participant: Facilitates rapid entry of new attendees
Search in Attendee List: Enhances efficient data retrieval and management
📝 Key Takeaways
Rapid Prototyping & Iteration: Quickly prototyping and iterating designs based on user and developer feedback allowed us to select solutions that balanced usability with rapid development.
Quality Assurance & Testing: Collaborating closely with developers through rigorous testing across various devices was crucial for efficient debugging during the fast-paced development cycle.
Gorilla Interviews’ Effectiveness: Recognizing the time constraints of professional events, short, informal “cold chats” – typically 5-minute conversations – proved effectiveness. These quick interactions with experienced booth exhibitors and lead retrieval professionals provided valuable insights and often yielded deeper understanding than planned sessions.
📲 Test it on your phone
Other cases:
Google Sites
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