Designing Low-Pressure Community Experiences for Millennial Belonging
Role: Product Designer
Scope: UX Research · Synthesis · Interaction Design · Prototyping · Usability Testing
Duration: 8 weeks - Class project
Platform: Mobile
Tools: Figma, FigJam, Google Docs, Zoom, Calendy, Fathom
Problem
Millennials want real-world connection but avoid social platforms due to cost, unpredictability, social anxiety, and lack of continuity. Existing tools optimize for event discovery, not sustained belonging.
What I did
Conducted moderated interviews and anonymous surveys with Millennials (ages 25–44) and synthesized insights through affinity mapping
Identified emotional friction, not lack of interest - as the primary barrier to participation
Defined design principles focused on emotional safety, structure, and continuity
Designed and tested end-to-end flows for discovery, booking, and participation
Iterated based on usability testing to reduce cognitive load and anxiety
Key insight
People weren’t asking for more social features, they wanted reassurance before committing
This reframed the problem from “help people meet” to
“reduce the emotional and cognitive cost of showing up.”
Concept/ The solution
A’Milli is a community discovery and booking platform centered on:
Clear previews of vibe, structure, and expectations
Flexible, drop-in pricing for unpredictable schedules
Host-led sessions and light structure to reduce first-time anxiety
Recurring events that build familiarity over time
Understanding the user
The target audience, Millennials ages 25–44 seeking affordable, inclusive, low-pressure social and wellness experiences that fit unpredictable schedules and shared life stages.
Outcome
Usability testing directly showed clearer understanding, reduced hesitation, and greater confidence navigating events.
Key decisions & trade-offs
Prioritized continuity over novelty, focusing on recurring rituals instead of one-off events
Reduced feature scope to refine core flows deeply rather than designing broadly
Deferred advanced AI and reward systems to avoid over-automation and preserve human-centered connection
Reflection & next steps
What I learned
Belonging is a systems problem, not a feature problem
Structure can reduce anxiety without removing agency
Calm, intentional interfaces build trust
What I’d do next
Test with more diverse community types
Explore moderation and long-term trust signal
This project reinforced the importance of designing for emotional states, not just functionality. With more time, I would expand testing, pilot real-world partnerships, and explore deeper continuity mechanisms like community credits.