Study-Buddy Mobile Application
CONTEXT
What is Study-Buddy?
StudyBuddy is a mobile app built to help university students balance academics, social life, and personal wellbeing. Designed in collaboration with another UX enthusiast, this was our very first deep dive into product design. Our vision was to create a platform that blends productivity tools with social connections, reducing the stress of student life and making collaboration easier.
THE PROBLEM
Balancing school, friendships, and wellness often feels impossible.
| “When can we finally study together? It feels like forever.”
“I wish I could, but I have a meeting… maybe next time?” |
Conversations like this are common for students juggling multiple priorities. Between lectures, assignments, clubs, and part-time jobs, maintaining both academic success and friendships becomes overwhelming. Research shows that over 80% of Canadian college students experience ongoing stress related to work–life balance.
Our challenge became clear:
How might we design a product that helps students feel more in control of their time, while still nurturing their social connections?
THE PROBLEM
Balancing school, friendships, and wellness often feels impossible.
| “When can we finally study together? It feels like forever.”
“I wish I could, but I have a meeting… maybe next time?” |
Conversations like this are common for students juggling multiple priorities. Between lectures, assignments, clubs, and part-time jobs, maintaining both academic success and friendships becomes overwhelming. Research shows that over 80% of Canadian college students experience ongoing stress related to work–life balance.
Our challenge became clear:
How might we design a product that helps students feel more in control of their time, while still nurturing their social connections?
USER RESEARCH
How are college students currently managing their work-life balance?
We began by interviewing students at Wilfrid Laurier University across different study spaces and social environments. The goal was to understand how they currently manage balance, what frustrates them most, and what support they wish they had.
From our research, two personas emerged—each reflecting common goals, pain points, and daily struggles.
Key Insights
Students crave tools that make scheduling around busy timetables simpler.
Social motivation is a big factor—working together boosts productivity.
Overly “social-media-like” features can become distractions rather than help.
From this, we distilled the findings into two core pain points that would guide our design direction.
USER RESEARCH
How are college students currently managing their work-life balance?
We began by interviewing students at Wilfrid Laurier University across different study spaces and social environments. The goal was to understand how they currently manage balance, what frustrates them most, and what support they wish they had.
From our research, two personas emerged—each reflecting common goals, pain points, and daily struggles.
Key Insights
Students crave tools that make scheduling around busy timetables simpler.
Social motivation is a big factor—working together boosts productivity.
Overly “social-media-like” features can become distractions rather than help.
From this, we distilled the findings into two core pain points that would guide our design direction.
In analyzing user research, we developed two main user personas that best embodied our target audience’s needs, painpoints and goals.
After compiling user interview data and key insights, we were able to better comprehend the problems that students faced while balancing
academics and social life. Our analysis led us to condense the overarching issue into 2 major pain points in need of address:
After compiling user interview data and key insights, we were able to better comprehend the problems that students faced while balancing academics and social life. Our analysis led us to condense the overarching issue into 2 major pain points in need of address:
IDEATION
Exploring key features to address the complexities of the college experience
Upon taking our user research and noting key pain points to address, we brainstormed and mapped out the preliminary information architecture through which our product would be structured.
IDEATION
Exploring key features to address the complexities of the college experience
Upon taking our user research and noting key pain points to address, we brainstormed and mapped out the preliminary information architecture
through which our product would be structured.
I created low-fidelity sketches to consolidate our potential ideas and envision the core features of the application. These included the Home Page, a Personal Profile, Productivity, Nutrition (which we later removed to narrow our project scope), and Friends.
ITERATION & USER TESTING
Designing with the goal of optimizing work-life balance & mutual productivity
After sketching preliminary lo-fis, we created mid-fidelity wireframes to develop flows, build our vision of StudyBud, and accordingly, conduct user testing. During this process, I took ownership over the home, profile, and social sections of the application, ideating features that would enhance a user’s ability to stay productive while also having the option to stay connected with their social circle.
Home Page Iterations
When creating iterations of the home page, I explored various potential features through which StudyBuddy’s main functions could be highlighted. These included a mood tracker for the user’s personal reflection, calendar previews and focus statuses to encourage productivity, as well as a friends section with motivating interactions. Because the inclusion of all such features could be potentially overwhelming, I decided to narrow the home page scope to the following options.
I ultimately chose Option 3, where I removed the friend activity/notification feature, as these interactions could pose to be more distracting than encouraging. Furthermore, upon user testing, we found that the first two options were more visually dense and potentially confusing to navigate for users. Option 3 allows for a divide of user’s space between personal (calendar preview) and mutual (friends preview) productivity. In between these sections is the focus status feature, which allows the user to choose their state of focus and share it with friends, furthering a sense of reciprocal motivation.
Profile Iterations
While iterating on displays of the friend profile, we were left to analyze the extent to which leaving encouraging comments and reactions for a friend could maximize their productivity. The following are some designs created to showcase a friend’s profile, which a user may view to stay connected with their social space.
I decided to go with Option 3 because of its emphasis on finding matched availabilities and focus sharing with friends, rather than the potentially distracting interaction features. The preview to the matched availabilities feature of the app allows for insight into when the user is able to connect with friends while being mindful of both parties’ respective schedules, thus assisting the goal of work-life balance.
I ultimately chose Option 3, where I removed the friend activity/notification feature, as these interactions could pose to be more distracting than encouraging. Furthermore, upon user testing, we found that the first two options were more visually dense and potentially confusing to navigate for users. Option 3 allows for a divide of user’s space between personal (calendar preview) and mutual (friends preview) productivity. In between these sections is the focus status feature, which allows the user to choose their state of focus and share it with friends, furthering a sense of reciprocal motivation.
I decided to go with Option 3 because of its emphasis on finding matched availabilities and focus sharing with friends, rather than the potentially distracting interaction features. The preview to the matched availabilities feature of the app allows for insight into when the user is able to connect with friends while being mindful of both parties’ respective schedules, thus assisting the goal of work-life balance.
Friends List Iterations
The friends list is a comprehensive view of a user’s friends, where a user can click further to their friends’ profiles (iterated on above). Below are a few iterations, where we reflected on ways to incorporate this social feature without driving the application to be reminiscent of a traditional social-media platform.
Friends List Iterations
The friends list is a comprehensive view of a user’s friends, where a user can click further to their friends’ profiles (iterated on above). Below are a few iterations, where we reflected on ways to incorporate this social feature without driving the application to be reminiscent of a traditional social-media platform.
I ultimately chose Option 3, because it best represented a social feature that prioritized the app’s dedication to mutual encouragement and productivity. Instead of placing more visual weight on friend names and profile pictures, this friends list view gives the user efficient access to the matched availabilities and focus features - both of which serve to motivate the user’s productivity while also leaving space for shared connection.
I ultimately chose Option 3, because it best represented a social feature that prioritized the app’s dedication to mutual encouragement and productivity. Instead of placing more visual weight on friend names and profile pictures, this friends list view gives the user efficient access to the matched availabilities and focus features - both of which serve to motivate the user’s productivity while also leaving space for shared connection.
FINAL DESIGNS
After many rounds of ideation, iteration, and testing, we present StudyBuddy!
FINAL DESIGNS
After many rounds of ideation, iteration, and testing, we present StudyBuddy!
Personalize Your Profile & Track
Your Progress
Create a personalized account for a one-stop hub
to staying productive, tracking your task progress,
and interacting with friends, all with the perk of a
healthier work-life balance.
Create a personalized account for a one-stop hub
to staying productive, tracking your task progress,
and interacting with friends, all with the perk of a
healthier work-life balance.
Find & Schedule Matched
Availabilities w/ Friends
Find & Schedule Matched
Availabilities w/ Friends
Find & Schedule Matched
Availabilities w/ Friends
Stay in tune with your social circle and
encourage mutual productivity through
progress and focus sharing. Find times outside
of your busy schedule to match and meet with
friends.
Stay in tune with your social circle and
encourage mutual productivity through
progress and focus sharing. Find times outside
of your busy schedule to match and meet with
friends.
Stay Productive with Tasks & Calendar, Integrated with Google
With tasks and calendar features integrated with Google, StudyBuddy is unique in that it merges social elements with personal productivity. In doing so, it aims to further enhance the work-life balance experience for the average college student.
REFLECTIONS
A newfound meaning to communication, collaboration, and iteration.
The ideation and creation of StudyBuddy was my personal introduction to the world of product design, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Through this process, I learned the invaluable nature of communicating with my partner to brainstorm diverse possibilities and in turn, iterate until we accomplished our best work.
REFLECTIONS
A newfound meaning to communication, collaboration, and iteration.
The ideation and creation of StudyBuddy was my personal introduction to the world of product design, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Through this process, I learned the invaluable nature of communicating with my partner to brainstorm diverse possibilities and in turn, iterate until we accomplished our best work
The design journey is far from linear, yet I enjoyed every step of the way!
Developing an application concept from the ground up was definitely a challenge, but the journey was what made the experience incredibly gratifying. I’ve learned an unfathomable amount about the power of Figma (auto layout, components, etc.), and the value of design as a vehicle for creating human good.
If I had more time...
If time allows, I hope to conduct further research to expand our user base beyond the college student pool, focusing on a wider range of teenagers and adults. I would also like to explore features such as a more comprehensive progress tracker for users to see tangible results, as well as a gamified system with incentives for reaching certain progress milestones, to further encourage the goal of productive work-life balance.
You Made to the Bottom !!!!
While you're here, let's connect:)))
You Made to the Bottom !!!!
While you're here, let's connect:)))
Email : samriddhi.makasare@gmail.com
Email : samriddhi.makasare@gmail.com
Linkedin :https://www.linkedin.com/in/samriddhimakasare/
Linkedin :https://www.linkedin.com/in/samriddhimakasare/
Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/samriddhimakasare/
Made with lots of love and espresso
SAMRIDDHI MAKASARE | 2025
IDEATION
Exploring key features to address the complexities of the college experience
Upon taking our user research and noting key pain points to address, we brainstormed and mapped out the preliminary information architecture
through which our product would be structured.
