WorkPal - iOS App
What's the Problem Space?
We were given a 24 hour challenge to help BC’s working professionals come out of the pandemic stronger than before. We quickly began the ideation process with research and brainstorming.
- Duration: 24hrs (Hackathon)
- Project Type: School Project
- Role: Research, Wireframing, Branding
- Team: 3 developers, 3 UX designers
- Tools: Figma, InVision, Adobe Illustrator
The Team
UX Designers
Simone Landa, Jasna Baksa and myself
Web Developers
Selam Hailemariam, Yuxian Xu, Zhen Wang
What is it?
WorkPal is a mobile iOS application designed to help new employees build meaningful connections in remote work environments.
In a 24-hour design sprint, our team explored how to reduce friction in workplace introductions by creating an intuitive, approachable, and scalable mobile experience.
I focused on UX design, UI patterns, and building consistent, reusable components to ensure a cohesive experience across the app.
Platform Considerations
The app was designed specifically for iOS, following Apple Human Interface Guidelines to ensure familiarity and usability.
Key considerations included:
- Use of native navigation patterns (tab bar, hierarchy)
- Clear visual hierarchy aligned with iOS typography and spacing
- Touch-friendly interactions and intuitive gestures
- Consistent use of system-aligned UI behaviors
Key Research Insights
We talked to people who had recently changed jobs in the pandemic. They felt isolated and lonely at their new remote job. What would have made a difference in their life?
Reaching out to new coworkers felt nerve wracking and intimidating. They also worried that when they were called back into the office it would feel uncomfortable without relationships in place.
Persona
Meet Sarah, a new employee at an animation studio.
She's 32 years old and lives in Victoria, BC.
She wants to get to know her team and build genuine connections with her new coworkers through mutual interests. She feels socially isolated and intimidated at building new workplace relationships.
Motivations
- Get to know my team
- Build relationships
- Connect with coworkers
Pain Points
- Feeling socially isolated
- Hard to build genuine connections with new coworkers
With that in mind, we started working on the task flow.
Design Systems & Components
To maintain consistency across the app, I designed a set of reusable UI components and interaction patterns that could scale as the product evolves.
This included:
- Standardized buttons, cards, and input fields
- Defined spacing, typography, and layout rules
- Consistent interaction patterns for onboarding and messaging flows
These components ensured a cohesive user experience and enabled faster iteration during the design process.
