Meet in Person (Mip)

Friend sourcing social app for newly graduates

Project Question

It began with initial focus on interaction with strangers at bars. After multiple stages of interviews, make tools, mapping and diagraming, the project turned towards helping New Graduates adjust and establish their social circles in new cities through friends sourcing and reaching out to alumni.The group Design Research project was developed with Lucy Mou and Helen Hong.

How do young Millennials establish meaningful social circles?

Research Phase 1. Bar social study

We began the research by observing and shadowing college students socializing at local bars. We focused on how they interact with strangers, how to conversations begins. Then we followed up with interviews by approaching the observed groups/ individuals. Taking an account of their night out, what they did and who they met, we were able to identify some patterns in college night out social scene.

Research Phase 2. Engagement & Comfort

Through interviews with a Maketool Matrices exercise, we wanted to inquire what makes a pleasant/engaging interaction. Asking about conversation topics, atmospheres, and actions during interactions, we covered a wide range of components that happens in an interpersonal moment. Through this research, we were able to find out what kind of guidelines could increase the quality and engagement of interaction among strangers.

Research Phase 3. Interviews about creating social circles

Continuing with the Bar social study, we interviewed more millennials, college students and recent graduates, about their experiences in finding new friends through social night outs. However, we arrived at a conclusion that relationships that started at a night out is short lived. Without a definitive connection to eachother, they ‘fade out.’ Whereas, people who see eachother regularly in classes are naturally provided with enough time to discover and build a connection. For these reasons, establishing social circles were easier in a college setting. However, interviews with recent graduates all agreed that it was hard to adapt to a social life outside the college setting. They were more likely to try the bar social methods but, reflected it was unlikely to find a lasting connection. Whereas, both the currently attending students and recent graduates agreed that lasting social relationship often occurred through having an introduction through a mutual friend. In college campus setting,

Design needs: Mutual Friend + Engagement guide = Lasting Connection

Final Product Video