PRODUCT DESIGN
FINAL PROJECT
2026
TIMELINE
10 weeks
TEAM
Katelyn Au
Kevin Manni
Cameron Do-Khanh
ROLE
Product Designer
SKILLS
Research, UX process, usability testing, prototyping
OVERVIEW
We investigated why existing resale platforms felt unsafe or inconvenient for students, then shaped a marketplace concept around verification, campus proximity, and generosity.
01 Problem
Defined trust and safety gaps in student-to-student exchanges.
02 Research
Synthesized marketplace pain points into product requirements.
03 Design
Created flows for posting, browsing, and completing exchanges within a verified campus network.
In 2025, back-to-college shoppers spent an average of $191.39 on dorm or apartment furnishings, while at the same time, the average college student produces about 640 pounds of waste each year, much of it during move-out.
RESEARCH + DISCOVERY
We compared peer-to-peer marketplace behaviors and interviewed users to understand their current pain points.
DESIGN THINKING
We throughly identified user needs through user interviews and journey mapping which we transformed into sketches and a paper prototype.
AI PROTOTYPE
After designing our own screens, we used Lovable, Claude, and Figma Make to see what AI would have done differently given our research. This was done for education purposes, but gave good insight on how we can potentially use it in potential workflows.
FINAL DIRECTION
The final direction makes student verification, item context, and exchange coordination visible throughout the flow. These screens are fully prototyped in Figma, and the design system was carefully crafted by the team using IOS regulations.
REFLECTION
This project sharpened my thinking around trust signals, marketplace behavior, and designing for community norms.
UP NEXT
Learn how I integrated AI into the design workflow and the research process behind it.