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ESTIMATED READING TIME
5 mins
Team
Shaina Desroches
Colin Mendoza
Ankita Narayan
Yuwei Huang
Adela Milkes
ROLE
UX Designer
UX Researcher
SKILLS
User Research
Articifial Intellegnce
Visual design
TIMELINE
Design-a-thon
48 Hours
Project Overview
The 'Message' That Got Away (cue Katy Perry)
“I swear I texted you that” has become my go-to excuse when I can’t find something in iMessage. The texts are always there, just impossible to dig back up.
The Challenge
The Friction of Keyword Search
Looking for an old message in iMessage often feels like digging through a messy attic, you know it’s in there somewhere, but finding it means endless scrolling, half-remembered keywords, and mounting frustration.
Apple’s native search forces users to recall exact words, making it nearly impossible to resurface texts based on memory or topic (“the time we talked about that funny dog video” or “the hotel name my mom sent last summer”). This gap creates unnecessary cognitive friction and leaves users struggling to navigate years of digital conversations.
USER RESEARCH
User Statements
We Remember Context, but Our Phones Only Hear Keywords.
When we looked at how people actually use the Messages app, we discovered a profound mismatch between the system's design and human nature.
The current search feature asks users to be precise, but human memory is fundamentally contextual, creating a cognitive gap.
“I can never remember the exact word, I remember the vibe of the conversation or random things.”
“If I can't find it in the first five seconds, I just give up. It’s easier to text my friend and ask them to send the address again than it is to scroll through two years of group chats.”
Problem Statement
Solution
Journey Map
Reflections
Metrics of Success
User Adoption Rate: Track the number of registered users over time.
Engagement: Monitor the frequency of rides taken and community chat activity.
User Feedback: Survey users on app ease and safety.
Retention Rate: Analyze how many users continue using the app after their first ride.
With more time...
Accessibility Enhancements
I would conduct A/B testing and usability studies to optimize navigation and refine features like trip ratings and profile management, ensuring a user-friendly interface.
A/B Testing & Usability
What I Learned
Working on GatoRyde wasn’t just another school project; it was something I personally related to. Getting home or traveling to events was always pricey, stressful, and sometimes didn’t even feel safe, and I knew a lot of other students felt the same way. That’s what pushed me to design the app with those real experiences in mind. By the end, GatoRyde felt less like a generic ride-share app and more like a student-focused community where rides are affordable, safer, and even a way to connect with people going the same way.