Project Brief
A mobile app that turns bucket list dreams into reality through social accountability and gamified progress tracking.
timeline
24 hours (WeHack 2023)
ROLE
UI/UX Designer
TEAM
1 Designer + 3 Developers
tools
Figma
Overview
People dream of adventures but struggle to act on them due to decision paralysis, lack of accountability, and difficulty coordinating with friends. Escapade combines curated discovery, friend challenges, and gamification to transform bucket lists from passive notes into interactive, community-powered journeys.
Impact at a Glance
🏆
1st Place Winner WeHack 2023: General Design Challenge
Leaderboard
Challenge
My List
Feed
Discovery
Design Process
We followed the Double Diamond framework to structure our 24-hour sprint:
DISCOVER
Research & Discovery
Secondary Research
Understanding the Problem
We began by exploring why people often dream of adventure but rarely pursue it. Secondary research revealed common patterns:
91%
Have Bucket Lists
Most Americans have created bucket lists, but many struggle to act on them without external motivation.
Stanford Medicine, 2016
35%
Declining Social Engagement
Since the pandemic, Americans say socializing and going out have become less important, showing a decline in spontaneous social engagement.
Pew Research, 2020
41%
Top Bucket List Priority
Getting healthier or losing weight is the #1 bucket list item, showing people prioritize self-improvement goals but often need accountability to achieve them.
YouGov, 2021
24-Hour Hackathon
Research Constraints
With limited time, we conducted structured internal team discussions (n=4) to quickly validate these patterns. While not a substitute for extensive user research, these discussions confirmed our hypothesis: people need both inspiration AND accountability to turn bucket list dreams into reality.
With more time, we would:
Conduct external user interviews (n=8-10) and usability testing
Survey 100+ users to quantify pain points statistically
Meet Emily: Our Primary Persona
Based on our research insights and team discussions, we created Emily to represent our core user: ambitious professionals who crave adventure but struggle with decision paralysis and lack of follow-through. Emily became our north star throughout the design process—every decision was filtered through her needs.
Research Synthesis
Key Insights
From our research, we identified three critical insights that shaped Escapade's design strategy
💡
Inspiration Without Action
People don't lack ideas—they lack the push to act on them. Decision paralysis and procrastination prevent bucket list dreams from becoming reality.
competitive Analysis
What's Missing from Current Solutions
DEFINE
From Insights to Action
Our research revealed a clear opportunity: people don't lack bucket list ideas—they lack the push to act on them.
Our Solution Approach
2
Friend Challenges
Swipe-based challenge invitations create social accountability while keeping commitments casual and judgment-free.
develop
Ideation & Design
With only 24 hours, we moved quickly from insights to sketches, exploring multiple approaches to balance feature richness with execution feasibility.
⏱️ Design Constraints
24-hour timeline meant rapid iteration with limited user testing. We prioritized core features that directly addressed our research insights while staying technically feasible for our 3-person dev team.
Discovery Screen Exploration
Our persona Emily's biggest pain point was decision paralysis. I explored three different approaches to help her discover adventures without feeling overwhelmed.
List-Based Discovery
✗ Endless scrolling increases overwhelm
✗ No clear entry point or structure
✗ Lacks visual hierarchy
Variation A
Card-Based Browse
✗ Cards reduce visual density
✗ Still lacks clear categorization
✗ Decision paralysis remains
Variation B
Search + Category Tiles
✓ Clear paths reduce decision paralysis
✓ Search enables quick goal-driven discovery
✓ Categories organize exploration
✓ Categories organize exploration
✓ Selected
Why We Chose Variation C
Category Tiles Directly Address Emily's Problem
→ Addresses both decisive moments (search) AND exploratory moods (tiles)
→ Search respects time; tiles inspire curiosity—flexibility without forcing one approach
→ Reduces decision paralysis while maintaining serendipitous discovery
Challenge Screen Exploration
Next, we addressed Emily's fear of social pressure. She wanted accountability but worried about judgment when declining challenges or making commitments.
All Challenges at Once
✗ List of multiple challenges creates decision paralysis
✗ Overwhelming when friends send many invites
✗ Forces comparison between options instead of individual consideration
Variation A
Conversational Format
✗ Chat-style feels personal and familiar
✗ Takes too many taps to respond
✗ Feels formal and high-pressure, like declining a direct message
Variation B
Swipe Single Card
✓ One card at a time removes comparison anxiety
✓ Swipe left/right feels casual and judgment-free
✓ Quick interaction reduces friction to saying "yes"
✓ Tap buttons offer alternative for users who prefer explicit choices
✓ Selected
Why We Chose Variation C
Single-Card Swipes Make Commitments Feel Casual
→ Single-card focus eliminates list-view decision paralysis
→ Swipe or tap options let users choose their preferred interaction
→ Feels casual and judgment-free, unlike formal messaging formats
→ Quick responses keep commitments lightweight, encouraging frequent engagement
Complete User Flow
After locking in the discovery pattern, I designed the remaining screens to create a cohesive journey from exploration to achievement.
1
2
3
4
5
deliver
Final Designs
With wireframes validated by the team, I moved into high-fidelity design, focusing on three core features that directly addressed our research insights.
Feature 1
Curated Discovery
Category tiles and search work together to reduce decision paralysis. Emily can browse by theme when exploring or search directly when she knows what she wants.
Search Bar
Quick access for goal-driven discovery when users know what they want
Category Tiles
Visual themes organize adventures into manageable, browsable options
Featured Adventures
Curated suggestions spark inspiration without overwhelming choice
Feature 2
Social Challenges
The swipe-based challenge system was our breakthrough. It makes commitments feel casual and judgment-free—transforming social pressure into positive accountability.
Swipe left to decline, swipe right to accept, or tap buttons for explicit choice
Feature 3
Progress & Motivation
Gamification elements sustain engagement. Users track their bucket list progress and see how they compare to friends through leaderboards—creating healthy competition.
My Adventures
Personal dashboard shows in-progress and completed adventures with visual progress tracking
Leaderboard
Friend rankings and achievement streaks foster friendly competition and motivation
Complete Experience Flow
🏆
WeHack 2024 — General Design Challenge
Escapade's intuitive UX and innovative engagement model successfully transformed bucket lists from passive notes into interactive, community-powered journeys.
Competition
59 Teams
Award
1st Place Winner
Judge Recognition
Outstanding UI/UX, Innovation & Storytelling
reflection
Reflections & Learnings
This 24-hour sprint taught me valuable lessons about rapid decision-making, strategic prioritization, and designing under constraints. Here's what I took away:
✓
What Worked
→ User-centered approach kept decisions focused
→ Swipe mechanic resonated with judges and users
→ Team collaboration balanced ambition with feasibility
📚
What Worked
→ Constraints force creative problem-solving
→ Good research accelerates design decisions
→ Innovation often comes from simplifying, not adding
→
Next Steps
→ User testing to validate swipe interaction patterns
→ Accessibility audit for inclusive design
→ A/B test leaderboard impact on motivation
→ Explore AI-powered adventure recommendations