Reviving the Weekly Ritual of Sending Friends a Postcard
Postcards is a group-based social app, where a close circle of friends each submit one photo and caption a week, then "open" each other's postcards together as a themed delivery. I led needfinding through a 3-week diary study, designed the full system in Figma, and built a functional React Native/Expo prototype using Claude Code.
try out on expo go →
check out my FIGMA FILE →
MY ROLE
Product Designer
Mobile Developer
TEAM MEMBERS
Independent project
TOOLS USED
Figma
Claude Code
React Native
Expo Router
TypeScript
TIMELINE
13 weeks
CONTEXT
Most of what friends share with each other lives scattered across camera rolls, group chats, and social media — captured in the moment but rarely revisited together. I wanted to understand what a more intentional, recurring ritual of sharing could look like for close friend groups.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
People document their lives but don't revisit them together
Across interviews, a consistent tension came up: people take photos to remember moments, but rarely go back and share them meaningfully with the friends who'd care most. Two participants in particular — one talking about physical polaroids, another about photo strips — described physical, shared artifacts as the closest thing they had to real memory-making, which became the creative brief for the whole project.
SOLUTION OPPORTUNITY
Turn "document but don't revisit" into a weekly group event
I designed Postcards around a simple weekly loop: everyone in a group submits one photo and caption, and on a set day, the group "opens" each other's postcards together — turning solo photo-hoarding into a shared, recurring ritual instead of a one-off share.
NEEDFINDING + USER INTERVIEW
Grounding the concept in behavioral research
Grounded the concept in ritual and nostalgia research before sketching anything. Rituals bond people through repetition, not content. Nostalgia is a social emotion. That shaped the weekly prompt structure and the group-based archive.
[image: literature review notes / citations]
Built one persona, Jasmine, anchored in her own words: "I don't want the little moments I could share with my friends to disappear into my camera roll." Her week maps a familiar collapse: excitement fading into guilt by the time she'd consider sharing.
[image: literature review notes / citations]
Empathy map + KEY INSIGHTS AND NEEDS FOR EVERY PARTICIPANT
FRAMING THE PROBLEM
Defining primary users
To look deeper into the insights, I defined three primary user and created POV statements to frame their key needs.
And this revealed that the core issue wasn’t just remembering medications, but the uncertainty of whether doses were taken and the sense of isolation of managing them alone.
THREE PRIMARY USERS DEFINED IN POV STATEMENTS
Crafting HMW questions
I then brainstormed 10+ “How Might We” questions per user to explore potential solutions.
I narrowed 10+ HMW questions into three design priorities that addressed the most critical user needs and guided the rest of the design process.
TESTING DESIGN CONCEPTS
Brainstorming solutions
I brainstormed 10+ solutions per HMW and selected the top three to develop into experience prototypes:
- a game-like interface to boost motivation
- voice-based conversational interactions for humanlike support
- caregiver-recorded voice clips and texts for extended connection
Through user testing of each prototype, I decided on core features:
An eye-catching streak display to reinforce progress and build momentum.
Address the "did I take this already" problem with log/history feature for completed doses
Quick voice interactions within their care network without requiring visual attention or disrupting workflow.
brainstormed solutions for each three HMWs
thinking outside the box for solution ideas
WIREFRAMING + USER TESTING
Iterating prototypes
I sketched out the three core user flows:
- logging medication
- sending text/voice reminders to someone in Care Circle
- joining a Community Circle
I also explored supporting screens like the notification center and calendar view. From there, I built out medium-fidelity prototypes in Figma to test the interactions.
low fidelity wireframing sketches
paper prototype and lightweight usability testing
MAIN CHANGES + MED-FI
Main feedbacks
Users wanted...
Clearer primary action on home screen
Confirmation feedback screens
Distinct visual cues for completed vs. upcoming dosage
Keeping this in mind, I translated the three tasks into interactive flows while improving based on the previous user testings.
medium fidelity in Figma
DESIGN SYSTEM & STYLE GUIDE
Defining visual direction
I was gravitating towards incorporating swirling line elements to represent connection and community, which I wanted to reference the shared accountability aspect of the product.
building the moodboard
Building complete visual system
I overall considered the color psychology and I found that green symbolizes the color of growth and health. Hence that became my primary color.
Component system for consistency and efficiency
For the actual app interface, I looked at my competitors to see how they formatted their UI.
Taking all these into perspective I created a bunch of different sketches and this component system to stay consistent within my own app design.
HI-FI MOCKUP
Interactive prototype
I developed 42 screens covering core interaction flows (lecture selection, section toggling, multi-course comparison) and interaction states (hover, active, disabled, loading).
Check out my figma prototype →
USABILITY TESTING
Usability testing
I defined usability goals before conducting testing with 12 participants:
- can users log medications without errors?
- does voice interaction feel natural for reminders?
- can they intuitively navigate community features?
- does the design foster encouragement after task completion?
I included ethical considerations specific to health technology to Nielsen's Heuristics to improve accessibility in addition to evaluating visual and functional inconsistencies.
heuristic evaluation of 40+ design features using spreadsheet-based analysis
Main design + functional improvements
Based on user testing, I made these design changes below:
improved the visibility of system status
ensured the interface met WCAG color contrast + touch target sizing standards
sharing preferences for who might feel uncertain sharing medication data
refining home screen visual hierarchy
DEVELOPMENT & LAUNCH
wizard of oz prototyping
I implemented Wizard of Oz approach for the streak tracker to test whether visual progress motivates users. The progress element appear live but it doesn't actually store or track data.
front-end implementation
A software engineer teammate and I collaborated using React Native and Next.js. Link to github repository embedded within text
— Application Framework : React Native
— Navigation : Expo Router
View github repo →
marketing deliverables
In addition to the working prototype in Expo Go, we built a promotional website using HTML/CSS, created pitch slide deck and script, and produced a concept video.
Check out pill pal's website →
FINAL DESIGN SOLUTION
Onboarding experience
One major concern from user testing was privacy. Participants noted that users with stigmatized health conditions—such as depression or mental health medications—might feel uncomfortable sharing their medication status even with trusted caregivers in their Care Circle.
This is very important issue to address in the Pill Pal app. It ties back to its brand identity of inclusivity and accessibility.
I addressed this by adding sharing preferences during onboarding and allow users to control exactly what medication data is visible. This improves both privacy and accessibility for those hesitant to share sensitive health information.
Log dosage manually or
via voice
Users have two logging options: a voice-assisted feature for hands-free entry, or manual input where they can type the date, dosage, and medication name.
I implemented voice assistance specifically to reduce cognitive load when users are physically or mentally fatigued. They can quickly log their medication without breaking their routine or requiring more attention.
Once logged, users can access detailed adherence analytics and track their streak over time to monitor consistency.
Extended social support system
Users can invite friends, family, or caregivers to form a personal Care Circle. Once invited—and based on each user's sharing preferences—they can view each other's dosage schedules and send reminders via text or voice.
Beyond personal networks, users can join Community Circles—similar to Reddit groups—where they can connect with others managing the same condition and engage with supportive content.
I designed these features to reinforce that medication adherence should not be an isolated experience and make users to feel community support by building a reliable support system around adherence.
CONSTRAINTS AND LIMITATIONS
Backend implementation
Backend was intentionally deferred. The whole prototype runs on mock data, with Supabase integration planned for a later phase.
LEARNINGS AND FUTURE THINKING
Formalize motion across the app
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Wire up the backend
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