Community Finder is a web app that allows users to find interesting communities and network with people in their city. It was developed after evaluating existing Event platforms and other apps that provide information related to events and organizations, such as sports, hobbies, and professionals.
We aim to make the journey as smooth as possible for newcomers, helping them find what they need and connecting with other locals immediately. We want them to find their sense of belonging and be empowered to participate.
We aim to make the journey as smooth as possible for newcomers, helping them find what they need and connecting with other locals immediately. We want them to find their sense of belonging and be empowered to participate.
As part of a Hackathon challenge by HIVE Helsinki and Herizon, we were asked to innovate a solution to support newcomers in Finland in integrating and finding their path.
This project was co-created by the team members:
Kadriia Temirbulatova
Komal Azram
Chi Lee
Lingyi Kong
My contributions:
Ideation, problem-solving, UX research, competitors analysis, user journey mapping, wireframing, prototyping.
Theme: How do we make sure no one gets lost?
Kadriia Temirbulatova
Komal Azram
Chi Lee
Lingyi Kong
My contributions:
Ideation, problem-solving, UX research, competitors analysis, user journey mapping, wireframing, prototyping.
Theme: How do we make sure no one gets lost?
People moving to Finland to study, build a life and career, or spend a chapter of their lives here face the challenges of navigating the local work and leisure scene in a stereotypically introverted environment. Young people, especially, do not know how and where to build a future for themselves, and youth mental health is on the decline.
For this reason, we decided to create an inclusive, free-of-charge platform that allows people to seamlessly find events and communities or perhaps build their own.
For this reason, we decided to create an inclusive, free-of-charge platform that allows people to seamlessly find events and communities or perhaps build their own.
STEPS
1. Find a community or event
2. Join the community or register for an event
3. Find a buddy (to introduce you)
4. Enjoy and connect with locals
WHY?
Based on a small research (surveys) we learned some key points about our target audience:
-Users struggle to find events
-It is difficult to start as a newcomer and connect with Finns
- Some users don't feel comfortable when they don't know anyone at the event
-Users feel more confident attending small events with people they know
-Some users experience anxiety regarding the new place, new people or unknown atmosphere
-Users don't know what to expect, some might cancel the event last minute or simply not showing up
OUR SOLUTION 💡
LANDING PAGE
Type a keyword using the search tool to find events or communities, and use filters to customize your search.
Swipe through a list of upcoming events.
View featured communities near you.
EVENT PAGE
Learn relevant information about a specific event, register, and participate.
Find the organizer and open their page.
Find a buddy (yellow button). This connects you with a member of the community who is going to welcome you and show you around, they make sure you feel comfortable and confident on your first event.
FIND A BUDDY
We included this feature to support people in their onboarding journey, based on user research we discovered that many people experience anxiety or uncertainty when going to a new place with new people. This buddy is meant to be a host and introduce newcomers to the event, and the community.
They take you there so you don't feel alone.
COMMUNITY PAGE
Contains relevant info about the organization and links to its website and profiles on social media platforms.
TAKEAWAYS
Community Finder supports non-profit organizations to grow and reach more people.
Newcomers can feel welcomed and start interacting with other locals right away.
Our audience can be very diverse and intersectional, including not only foreigners (students, workers, spouses, etc) but also Finnish people who relocated or have been living abroad for a while.
Having a Buddy makes the experience more personal and supports well-being and belonging.
We don't focus on business or paid events, instead, we open opportunities for people to find meaningful experiences and allow communities to grow and develop.
We believe in community and embracing others to find our path.