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Designing a real-time navigation app

Designing a real-time navigation app

Overview
My Role

UX/UI Design, User Research + Synthesis, IA, Prototyping, Visual System, Usability Testing

Context

AggiePulse began as a student-led passion project driven by a shared frustration: finding a spot on campus shouldn’t be a guessing game. Our goal was to design a tool that gives students fast, trustworthy visibility into campus busyness right when they need it.

Across the project, I helped transform our PM’s initial concept into a research-grounded, student-centered MVP, ensuring the design aligned with real student behaviors, needs, and decision-making patterns.

Team

1 Project Manager
3 Developers
3 Designers

Duration

5 Months

Tools

Figma, Notion. Slack, User Testing

Background

Background

Research

Research

Insights

Insights

Process

Process

Final Designs

Final Designs

Reflections

Reflections

Background

Background

So what is AggiePulse?

So what is AggiePulse?

So what is AggiePulse?

An app that helps UC Davis students see how busy key campus spaces (study, dining, fitness) are in real time, so they can stop guessing and quickly decide where to go next.

An app that helps UC Davis students see how busy key campus spaces (study, dining, fitness) are in real time, so they can stop guessing and quickly decide where to go next.

An app that helps UC Davis students see how busy key campus spaces (study, dining, fitness) are in real time, so they can stop guessing and quickly decide where to go next.

Establishing a shared vision

Establishing a shared vision

Establishing a shared vision

PRODUCT GOALS

PRODUCT GOALS

PRODUCT GOALS

  • Check campus busyness in seconds

  • Avoid wasted trips to full spaces

  • Make AggiePulse a daily “before I head out” check

  • Check campus busyness in seconds

  • Avoid wasted trips to full spaces

  • Make AggiePulse a daily “before I head out” check

  • Check campus busyness in seconds

  • Avoid wasted trips to full spaces

  • Make AggiePulse a daily “before I head out” check

STAKEHOLDER GOALS

STAKEHOLDER GOALS

STAKEHOLDER GOALS

Design an MVP that:

  • Feels safe and trustworthy (clear data + moderation)

  • Is useful in under 10 seconds per session

Design an MVP that:

  • Feels safe and trustworthy (clear data + moderation)

  • Is useful in under 10 seconds per session

Design an MVP that:

  • Feels safe and trustworthy (clear data + moderation)

  • Is useful in under 10 seconds per session

RESEARCH

RESEARCH

Defining what to explore and build

Defining what to explore and build

Defining what to explore and build

Research Framing

Research Framing

Methods

Methods

To understand how students actually choose where to go, we ran:

  • Survey (~25 students)

  • 1:1 interviews (5 students)

  • Competitive analysis

To understand how students actually choose where to go, we ran:

  • Survey (~25 students)

  • 1:1 interviews (5 students)

  • Competitive analysis

To understand how students actually choose where to go, we ran:

  • Survey (~25 students)

  • 1:1 interviews (5 students)

  • Competitive analysis

INsights

INsights

Students were “just showing up” hoping for the best

Students were “just showing up” hoping for the best

Students were “just showing up” hoping for the best

HOW STUDENTS CHOOSE

HOW STUDENTS CHOOSE

HOW STUDENTS CHOOSE

“Students rely on habit, friends, and proximity

“Students rely on habit, friends, and proximity

“Students rely on habit, friends, and proximity

CAMPUS PAIN POINTS

CAMPUS PAIN POINTS

CAMPUS PAIN POINTS

“Students waste time because they lack visibility into availability"

“Students waste time because they lack visibility into availability"

“Students waste time because they lack visibility into availability"

WHAT BUILDS TRUST

WHAT BUILDS TRUST

WHAT BUILDS TRUST

“Students will only trust busyness data if it's transparent and accurate"

“Students will only trust busyness data if it's transparent and accurate"

“Students will only trust busyness data if it's transparent and accurate"

How Might We…

How Might We…

How Might We…

help students find the closest available spot in under two taps, with busyness data that feels trustworthy and easy to scan?

help students find the closest available spot in under two taps, with busyness data that feels trustworthy and easy to scan?

help students find the closest available spot in under two taps, with busyness data that feels trustworthy and easy to scan?

Process

Process

Designing for decisions made in under ten seconds

Designing for decisions made in under ten seconds

Designing for decisions made in under ten seconds

Creating the IA!

Creating the IA!

Creating the IA!

find fast: 1-2 taps

  • trust the data

  • retain: favorites + alerts

  • dual functionality: browsing and searching

find fast: 1-2 taps

  • trust the data

  • retain: favorites + alerts

  • dual functionality: browsing and searching

find fast: 1-2 taps

  • trust the data

  • retain: favorites + alerts

  • dual functionality: browsing and searching

We explored…and designed…and redesigned…and redesigned

We explored…and designed…and redesigned…and redesigned

We explored…and designed…and redesigned…and redesigned

What we tried…
and what happened

What we tried…
and what happened

What we tried…
and what happened

Busyness Signals

Busyness Signals

Busyness Signals

Simpler 3-point ratings replaced confusing icons, making space for images and key details to be understood instantly.

A/B: Map vs List First?

A/B: Map vs List First?

A/B: Map vs List First?

Finding the sweet spot: Students had a few go-to places and loved the map-first view, but wanted favorites and search at their fingertips.

Quick Filters

Quick Filters

Quick Filters

Following user habits: During testing, users reached for quick filters first and most often, so we made them easier to access.

Following user habits: During testing, users reached for quick filters first and most often, so we made them easier to access.

Social vs Utility

Social vs Utility

Social vs Utility

Lean and focused: Social features conflicted with our goals, so we prioritized lightweight live updates.

FINAL DESIGNS

FINAL DESIGNS

And now… the reveal ✨

Onboarding

Onboarding

Get started in seconds: log in, set your preferences, and you’re good to go.

Get started in seconds: log in, set your preferences, and you’re good to go.

Discovery

Discover your campus: through curated lists, category browsing, and live updates

Discovery

Discover your campus: through curated lists, category browsing, and live updates

Onboarding

Get started in seconds: log in, set your preferences, and you’re good to go.

discovery

Discover your campus: through curated lists, category browsing, and live updates

Next steps

Next steps

Next steps

To be continued…

To be continued…

To be continued…

  • Expand data coverage beyond ARC/Library

  • More social focused. With MVP first model we decided to keep the app mainly a utility app.

  • More delightful details (micro-animations on status change, friendly empty states, mascot?)

  • Onboarding nudge to set first 2–3 favorites for stickiness.

  • Refine the discover, profile, and onboarding pages.

  • Expand data coverage beyond ARC/Library

  • More social focused. With MVP first model we decided to keep the app mainly a utility app.

  • More delightful details (micro-animations on status change, friendly empty states, mascot?)

  • Onboarding nudge to set first 2–3 favorites for stickiness.

  • Refine the discover, profile, and onboarding pages.

  • Expand data coverage beyond ARC/Library

  • More social focused. With MVP first model we decided to keep the app mainly a utility app.

  • More delightful details (micro-animations on status change, friendly empty states, mascot?)

  • Onboarding nudge to set first 2–3 favorites for stickiness.

  • Refine the discover, profile, and onboarding pages.

TAKEAWAYS

TAKEAWAYS

TAKEAWAYS

Lessons Along the Way

Lessons Along the Way

Lessons Along the Way

  • MVP > pixels: Early usability on the real problem

  • Design × Dev partnership. Containers, reusable patterns, and clear notation

  • Clear and constant communication between all members to keep designs aligned. One way to do this is consistently setting goals for each task.

  • User-centered prioritization. Stakeholder vision was strong; research helped sequence features students actually valued

  • Better research = better design. Our first survey was too generic. Being able to tighten questions lead to more intentional designs


There is always room to grow and learn!!

  • MVP > pixels: Early usability on the real problem

  • Design × Dev partnership. Containers, reusable patterns, and clear notation

  • Clear and constant communication between all members to keep designs aligned. One way to do this is consistently setting goals for each task.

  • User-centered prioritization. Stakeholder vision was strong; research helped sequence features students actually valued

  • Better research = better design. Our first survey was too generic. Being able to tighten questions lead to more intentional designs


There is always room to grow and learn!!

  • MVP > pixels: Early usability on the real problem

  • Design × Dev partnership. Containers, reusable patterns, and clear notation

  • Clear and constant communication between all members to keep designs aligned. One way to do this is consistently setting goals for each task.

  • User-centered prioritization. Stakeholder vision was strong; research helped sequence features students actually valued

  • Better research = better design. Our first survey was too generic. Being able to tighten questions lead to more intentional designs


There is always room to grow and learn!!

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LINKEDIN

RESUME

Thanks for stopping by!

2025 ® SUMMER SUEKI

stsueki@ucdavis.edu * summersueki@icloud.com

LINKEDIN

RESUME

Thanks for stopping by!

2025 ® SUMMER SUEKI

stsueki@ucdavis.edu * summersueki@icloud.com

LINKEDIN

RESUME

Thanks for stopping by!

2025 ® SUMMER SUEKI

stsueki@ucdavis.edu * summersueki@icloud.com