Designathon
Rice Designathon 2025
BRIDGE Application
BRIDGE Application : Connecting People in an AI-Driven World
Problem Statement: In today's fast-paced, technology-driven world, staying connected with friends can be challenging due to busy schedules, financial constraints, and decision fatigue. Existing social platforms focus on digital engagement rather than facilitating real-life interactions, making it harder for people to plan and spend quality time together. There is a need for a solution that simplifies social planning, reduces coordination barriers, and helps people prioritize meaningful in-person connections. PROMPT : "Staying human in the age of AI" Introduction In a world where technology often isolates rather than connects, BRIDGE is designed to bring people closer together. As social planning becomes more complicated due to busy schedules, financial constraints, and decision fatigue, BRIDGE simplifies the process by allowing friends to sync availability, discover budget-friendly activities, and make plans with ease. Powered by AI, but centered around human connection, BRIDGE enhances real-life friendships rather than replacing them. With an intuitive, warm design and user-friendly features, BRIDGE ensures that making time for the people who matter most is effortless, meaningful, and fun.
Designathon ROLE EXPERTISE Duration Rice University UI/UX Designer Prototyping 24 hours Artificial Intelligence
Research Findings
👥 Research Methods & Insights - Conducted a Google Form survey (45+ respondents, ages 18–25) - Questions covered: social planning habits, preferences, frustrations, tech usage, spontaneity, and privacy concerns Key insights: 1. Most students plan via group chats or DMs, but find it chaotic 2. Common blockers: scheduling conflicts, cost, indecision 3. Users wanted privacy control and lightweight notifications 4. Positive response to AI helping suggest activities or sync times Google Form : https://forms.gle/H7wvU65kczRXGZpF6
🧩 Problem College students struggle to maintain real-life friendships due to scheduling conflicts, decision fatigue, and rising digital distractions. Current social platforms don’t prioritize in-person connection, and planning hangouts remains time-consuming and disorganized.
Low & Mid Fidelity Designs
🎯 Goals 1. Help users sync schedules and plan hangouts easily 2. Suggest budget-friendly, relevant activities via AI 3. Reduce the back-and-forth in group planning 4. Provide a calm, friendly, and personalized UI experience
🔍 Justifying Design Choices - Used yellow for warmth, optimism, and approachability - Designed around core pain points: indecision, schedule overlap, and planning fatigue - Included toggleable privacy and minimal notifications per user feedback - Clean typography (Spartan & Poppins) for high readability
🛠 Iterations & Challenges - Early drafts overcomplicated the UI; we iterated to simplify the core flow - Balancing privacy with convenience led us to include granular sharing settings - Learned to scope features tightly in a short timeframe without losing user value
High Fidelity Screens
(view all high fidelity screens on the protoype link)
🔮 Future Opportunities 1. Add shared journaling, polls, and photo memories 2. Usability testing to validate flows and feature priorities 3.Explore real-time friend maps, event RSVPs, or campus-specific events
Rice Designathon 2025 : Reflection & Impact
BRIDGE was designed to respond to a growing need for meaningful connection in an increasingly digital world. Rooted in user research and guided by human-centered design, the app aims to reduce the everyday barriers that prevent friends from spending time together. By integrating AI in a thoughtful, supportive way, BRIDGE simplifies planning, encourages real-life interaction, and puts people & not technology, at the heart of the experience. This project highlights the power of design to foster connection, enhance usability, and create tools that truly support the way we live and relate to others.
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