CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY
Making it easier
to meet somewhere
in the middle.
Making it easier
to meet somewhere
in the middle.
A location-based meetup app that helps friends find the perfect place to meet in the middle
A location-based meetup app that helps friends find the perfect place to meet in the middle
Home
Discover
Map
Activity
Profile
Create New Meetup
ACTIVE
RECENT
Lunch with Team
El Vez
Today, 12:30 PM
Confirmed
AJ
SK
MT
Drinks with Friends
Midtown Central
Friday, 8:00 PM
Pending
SB
DD
Coffee Catch-up
Sunday - Brew House
Date Night
May 2 - El Pescador
College Gang Meetup
May 9 - Escape Room & Drinks
See All
You
Find the perfect spot for a meetup
Get Started
Log in
Home
Discover
Map
Activity
Profile
Create New Meetup
ACTIVE
RECENT
Lunch with Team
El Vez
Today, 12:30 PM
Confirmed
AJ
SK
MT
Drinks with Friends
Midtown Central
Friday, 8:00 PM
Pending
SB
DD
Coffee Catch-up
Sunday - Brew House
Date Night
May 2 - El Pescador
College Gang Meetup
May 9 - Escape Room & Drinks
See All
You
Find the perfect spot for a meetup
Get Started
Log in
PROJECT TYPE
PROJECT TYPE
End-to-End Mobile
End-to-End Mobile
ROLE
ROLE
Product Designer
Product Designer
Duration
Duration
5 weeks
5 weeks
tools
tools
Figma, Figjam, Fathom, Dribbble, Claude, ChatGPT
Figma, Figjam, Fathom, Dribbble, Claude, ChatGPT
01 — The Problem
01 — The Problem
Coordinating a meetup is more complicated than it should be.
Coordinating a meetup is more complicated than it should be.
Coordinating plans with friends often requires multiple conversations, searching across platforms, and negotiating locations. Halfway simplifies the planning process by helping users find convenient meetup spots based on everyone’s location and preferences
Coordinating plans with friends often requires multiple conversations, searching across platforms, and negotiating locations. Halfway simplifies the planning process by helping users find convenient meetup spots based on everyone’s location and preferences
How might we make finding a fair meetup location feel effortless?
How might we make finding a fair meetup location feel effortless?
73%
73%
of people report frustration coordinating group meetups
of people report frustration coordinating group meetups
3+
3+
apps used on average to plan an outing
apps used on average to plan an outing
20min
20min
average time spent negotiating a
meetup location
average time spent negotiating a
meetup location
Target Audience
Target Audience
Socially active people who frequently coordinate meetups with friends, family, or partners who live in different locations. Through early problem exploration and competitive research, I identified a need for a simpler way to find convenient meeting locations that fairly balance travel time between people.
Socially active people who frequently coordinate meetups with friends, family, or partners who live in different locations. Through early problem exploration and competitive research, I identified a need for a simpler way to find convenient meeting locations that fairly balance travel time between people.
Hypothesis
Hypothesis
Planning meetups with friends often involves a frustrating back-and-forth process. Existing tools help users find places, but they do not solve the problem of choosing a location collaboratively
Planning meetups with friends often involves a frustrating back-and-forth process. Existing tools help users find places, but they do not solve the problem of choosing a location collaboratively
Goal
Goal
Business Goals:
Helping to solve a real-world, common coordination problem
Drive user engagement
Create opportunities for partnerships
User Goals:
Quickly find fair and convenient locations
Easily share, compare, and finalize meetup options within one platform
Business Goals:
Helping to solve a real-world, common coordination problem
Drive user engagement
Create opportunities for partnerships
User Goals:
Quickly find fair and convenient locations
Easily share, compare, and finalize meetup options within one platform
Solution
Solution
Design a mobile experience that reduces friction when planning social meetups by helping groups quickly discover a convenient meeting location
Design a mobile experience that reduces friction when planning social meetups by helping groups quickly discover a convenient meeting location
02 — user research
02 — user research
Users were excited to talk about their experiences
Users were excited to talk about their experiences
Meetups are a common occurrence for most people. Whether it’s a dinner with friends, a family outing, or a date, people are constantly trying to coordinate.
In each interview, users were excited to talk about
their experiences and what they found to be difficult.
Meetups are a common occurrence for most people. Whether it’s a dinner with friends, a family outing, or a date, people are constantly trying to coordinate.
In each interview, users were excited to talk about
their experiences and what they found to be difficult.
Survey
Survey
8 participants - I learned how people currently coordinate meetups and which tools they rely on
8 participants - I learned how people currently coordinate meetups and which tools they rely on
Interviews
Interviews
4 participants - Explored the frustrations behind choosing where to meet
4 participants - Explored the frustrations behind choosing where to meet
Competitive
Analysis
Competitive
Analysis
average time spent negotiating a meetup location
average time spent negotiating a meetup location
OC
OC
Olivia Chen
Olivia Chen
29 · Philadelphia
29 · Philadelphia
Social Media Coordinator
“It feels like we spend more time deciding where to go than actually hanging out.”
“It feels like we spend more time deciding where to go than actually hanging out.”
Needs
Needs
Easy coordination
Easy coordination
Good activity options
Good activity options
Fair travel time
Fair travel time
MR
MR
Marcus Rivera
Marcus Rivera
31 · New Jersey
31 · New Jersey
Project Manager
“I just want to find somewhere that makes sense for everyone without spending so long figuring it out.”
“I just want to find somewhere that makes sense for everyone without spending so long figuring it out.”
Needs
Needs
Convenience
Convenience
Clear recommendations
Clear recommendations
Minimal back-and-forth
Minimal back-and-forth
03 — Research Insights
03 — Research Insights
What I learned
What I learned
01
01
Planning requires too many tools
Planning requires too many tools
Users commonly switch between:
Maps
Text messages
Social media
Calendar apps
Users commonly switch between:
Maps
Text messages
Social media
Calendar apps
02
02
Fairness matters
Fairness matters
Users want meetup locations that feel balanced rather than choosing a location based on one person’s convenience
Users want meetup locations that feel balanced rather than choosing a location based on one person’s convenience
03
03
Users value real connection
Users value real connection
Users want to spend less time planning and more time actually connecting
Users want to spend less time planning and more time actually connecting
Top Pain Points in Meetup Coordination
Top Pain Points in Meetup Coordination
Deciding on a fair location
Deciding on a fair location
77%
77%
Coordinating schedules
Coordinating schedules
68%
68%
Choosing venue type
Choosing venue type
59%
59%
Getting consensus
Getting consensus
54%
54%
Figuring out navigation to location
Figuring out navigation to location
62%
62%
05 — The Gap in the Market
05 — The Gap in the Market
Existing products solve individual pieces of the problem, but none combine location, activity and coordination in one experience.
Existing products solve individual pieces of the problem, but none combine location, activity and coordination in one experience.
Competitor Analysis
Competitor Analysis
Features
MeetWays
What’s Halfway
Google Maps
Calculates an optimal midpoint
Recommends nearby venues
Real-time traffic
Supports multiple transportation modes
Group-decision making
Shared planning
Easy guided workflow
Results & Outcome
Results & Outcome
No competitor fully supports collaborative meetup planning, with users still relying on external messaging apps
Midpoint-focused tools prioritize simplicity over flexibility, offering quick calculations but limited personalization
Navigation platforms provide rich location data and real-time traffic, but lack dedicated features for finding fair meeting points or facilitating shared decision-making
No competitor fully supports collaborative meetup planning, with users still relying on external messaging apps
Midpoint-focused tools prioritize simplicity over flexibility, offering quick calculations but limited personalization
Navigation platforms provide rich location data and real-time traffic, but lack dedicated features for finding fair meeting points or facilitating shared decision-making
06 — from research to opportunity
06 — from research to opportunity
Key themes
Key themes
Fairness
Fairness
Users want a location that works for everyone.
Users want a location that works for everyone.
Simplicity
Simplicity
People want less back-and-forth and fewer apps.
People want less back-and-forth and fewer apps.
◎
◎
Connection
Connection
It’s not just about the place — it’s about the experience.
It’s not just about the place — it’s about the experience.
A simple, intuitive flow from start to finish
A simple, intuitive flow from start to finish
I structured the experience around three core tasks:
I structured the experience around three core tasks:
1
1
Set your locations
Set your locations
→
→
2
2
Find your midpoint
Find your midpoint
→
→
3
3
Explore activities
Explore activities
USER FLOW
USER FLOW
Open App
Open App
→
→
Plan Meetup
Plan Meetup
→
→
Enter Information
Enter Information
→
→
Invite participants
Invite participants
→
→
Set locations
Set locations
→
→
Generate halfway point
Generate halfway point
→
→
Explore options for halfway point
Explore options for halfway point
SITEMAP
SITEMAP
Welcome Screen
Sign Up
Input Info to create new profile
Select app preferences
Location permission request
Log in to existing account
Log In
Map
Homepage
Meetups
Active Meetups
Confirmed Meetups
Confirmed Meetups
Discover/Explore
Search Places
Browse Categories
View Nearby Locations
Saved/Bookmarks
Notifications/Activity
Chat
Meetup Invite
Voting Updates
Plan Confirmations
Reminders
Profile
User Info
Preferences
Saved Locations
Meetup History
Create New Meetup
Add Participants
Input Locations
Set Preferences
07 — Designing the core experience
07 — Designing the core experience
From research to wireframes
From research to wireframes
What worked?
Users understood the overall purpose of the app
The flow felt straightforward, with users able to move through the steps from choosing a location to confirming the meetup
The map and venue screens gave users useful context when comparing potential meeting locations
What worked?
Users understood the overall purpose of the app
The flow felt straightforward, with users able to move through the steps from choosing a location to confirming the meetup
The map and venue screens gave users useful context when comparing potential meeting locations
What needed work?
Some users were unsure where to begin when creating a meetup and needed clearer guidance around the first step
Users wanted more context when viewing suggested locations
Some screens contained multiple actions and navigation options, making it less clear what the primary next step should be
What needed work?
Some users were unsure where to begin when creating a meetup and needed clearer guidance around the first step
Users wanted more context when viewing suggested locations
Some screens contained multiple actions and navigation options, making it less clear what the primary next step should be
Designing a seamless user experience
Designing a seamless user experience
01
Set your preferences
Set your travel move, distance you want to travel, and your budget.
02
Find your midpoint
See the best, most convenient
locations for everyone.
03
Explore activities
Discover restaurants, events, and
more near your midpoint.
08 — visual direction
08 — visual direction
Warm. Social. Approachable.
Warm. Social. Approachable.
Logo
Logo
Color palette
Color palette
Primary (Coral) #C56D5A
Primary (Coral) #C56D5A
Secondary (Mauve) #755158
Secondary (Mauve) #755158
Accents (Blue) #3B4355
Accents (Blue) #3B4355
Off-white / Cream #F9F9F8
Off-white / Cream #F9F9F8
Dark #191C21
Dark #191C21
Typography
Typography
Chennai
Chennai
Display — Bold, Black
Display — Bold, Black
Headlines - Lato
Headlines - Lato
Body - Poppins
Body - Poppins
UI ELEMENTS
UI ELEMENTS
Buttons
Buttons
Primary Button
Primary Button
Get Started
Get Started
Secondary Button (Disabled)
Secondary Button (Disabled)
Continue
Continue
Text Link
Text Link
Skip for now
Skip for now
Inputs
Inputs
Text Input
Text Input
Full Name
Full Name
Text Input Active
Text Input Active
Sarah Jenkins
Sarah Jenkins
Search Bar
Search Bar
Search for a location…
Search for a location…
Preference Tiles
Preference Tiles
Walking
Walking
Driving
Driving
Cycling
Cycling
Budget Selector
Budget Selector
$
$
$$
$$
$$$
$$$
Meetup Card (Active)
Meetup Card (Active)
Lunch with Team
Lunch with Team
Confirmed
Confirmed
El Vez - Mexican Restaurant
El Vez - Mexican Restaurant
Today, 12:30 PM
Today, 12:30 PM
AJ
AJ
SK
SK
MT
MT
Meetup Card (Recent)
Meetup Card (Recent)
Coffee Catch-up
Coffee Catch-up
Sunday • Brew House
Sunday • Brew House
Date Night
Date Night
May 2 • El Pescador
May 2 • El Pescador
Avatars & Chips
Avatars & Chips
Sizing
Sizing
SA
SA
DA
DA
MA
MA
Selected Friend Chip
Selected Friend Chip
SA
SA
Sara
Sara
09 — the final product
09 — the final product
A complete experience,
designed for real-life meetups.
A complete experience,
designed for real-life meetups.
Every screen intentionally designed to reduce friction and create clarity.
✓ Find a fair meetup location
✓ Reduce planning conversations
✓ Make decisions together
✓ Spend more time connecting
Every screen intentionally designed to reduce friction and create clarity.
✓ Find a fair meetup location
✓ Reduce planning conversations
✓ Make decisions together
✓ Spend more time connecting
View Prototype
View Prototype
10 — user testing
10 — user testing
Real feedback. Meaningful changes.
Real feedback. Meaningful changes.
4 user interviews and usability testing with the prototype
4 user interviews and usability testing with the prototype
Finding #1
Users wanted more personalized recommendations
Users wanted more personalized recommendations
Solution: Expanded filtering options for budget, cuisine, activities, and atmosphere so users could tailor recommendations to what they actually wanted to do
Solution: Expanded filtering options for budget, cuisine, activities, and atmosphere so users could tailor recommendations to what they actually wanted to do
→
→
Before
Before
Limited/general recommendations
Limited/general recommendations
After
After
Expanded preference filters
Expanded preference filters
Finding #2
Participants wanted the ability to compare multiple meeting locations before making a decision
Participants wanted the ability to compare multiple meeting locations before making a decision
Solution: Added comparison views so users could evaluate multiple destinations before making a decision
Solution: Added comparison views so users could evaluate multiple destinations before making a decision
→
→
Before
Before
One destination at a time
One destination at a time
After
After
Multiple destinations compared side-by-side
Multiple destinations compared side-by-side
Finding #3
Users needed more context before choosing a location
Users needed more context before choosing a location
Improved the map interface with clearer travel information and location details to help users make a more informed decision.
Improved the map interface with clearer travel information and location details to help users make a more informed decision.
→
→
Before
Before
Basic location information
Basic location information
After
After
Travel times, parking, and public transportation context
Travel times, parking, and public transportation context
12 — what i learned
12 — what i learned
Designing for groups is different.
Designing for groups is different.
This project taught me that finding a midpoint isn’t the same as finding the right meetup. People also need enough context to understand how convenient each option will be and enough flexibility to choose what works for the group.
Testing also showed me that seemingly small details—like location settings, travel information, and the number of steps in the flow—can have a big impact on how confident users feel making a decision.
This project taught me that finding a midpoint isn’t the same as finding the right meetup. People also need enough context to understand how convenient each option will be and enough flexibility to choose what works for the group.
Testing also showed me that seemingly small details—like location settings, travel information, and the number of steps in the flow—can have a big impact on how confident users feel making a decision.
◎
◎
Design for people, not just users.
Design for people, not just users.
Meetups involve multiple perspectives, and the design needs to work for everyone.
Meetups involve multiple perspectives, and the design needs to work for everyone.
✦
✦
Context helps people make better decisions
Context helps people make better decisions
Users wanted more information before choosing a location.
Users wanted more information before choosing a location.
→
→
Small changes make a big impact.
Small changes make a big impact.
Testing helped refine the flow and make the experience more effortless.
Testing helped refine the flow and make the experience more effortless.
What I would do differently
What I would do differently
01
01
Test the location-setting experience earlier
Test the location-setting experience earlier
Users found parts of setting the location preferences confusing. If I were doing another iteration, I would test this part of the flow earlier, before investing heavily in the visual design.
Users found parts of setting the location preferences confusing. If I were doing another iteration, I would test this part of the flow earlier, before investing heavily in the visual design.
02
02
Prioritize comparison earlier in the process
Prioritize comparison earlier in the process
I initially focused on helping users find the midpoint. Testing showed that finding a location was only the first step: users also wanted to evaluate their options before committing.
I initially focused on helping users find the midpoint. Testing showed that finding a location was only the first step: users also wanted to evaluate their options before committing.
03
03
Think about real world travel constraints
Think about real world travel constraints
Testing showed a need for information such as travel time, parking, and public transportation. In a future version, I would explore how real time map and transportation data, as well as other travel apps like Google Maps and Apple Maps, could be integrated.
Testing showed a need for information such as travel time, parking, and public transportation. In a future version, I would explore how real time map and transportation data, as well as other travel apps like Google Maps and Apple Maps, could be integrated.
Let's Work
Together.
Let’s Work
Together.
Have a project in mind or just want to say hello?
I'd love to hear from you.
Have a project in mind or just want to say hello?
I’d love to hear from you.
katiewmcdonnell@gmail.com
