Cass Harding
Cass Harding

MEMO

— CHANNEL

Native App


— ROLE

UI/UX Designer


— DURATION

1 week


— YEAR

2022

As part of a prospective graduate program, I was given a design challenge to create a case study designed specifically for Android users. The brief required end‑to‑end UX thinking within a tight timeline: 7 days (woah)


Using Figma, I completed the full design process, from initial exploration to final visuals, resulting in a polished and functional concept for the messaging app, Memo.

The Mission

The mission for this challenge was to improve the design, functionality, and overall experience of instant‑messaging applications for Android users. To guide the direction of the solution, I set out to understand what makes leading apps like WhatsApp, WeChat, Telegram, and Snapchat both loved and disliked by their users.

The User Problem

Users frequently reported operational problems and bugs, interfaces that felt overly complex, and processes that were not intuitive or easy to learn. In addition, many users expressed frustration with missing features or limited functionality that didn’t fully support their everyday communication needs.


These insights highlighted clear opportunities to create a more stable, intuitive, and feature‑rich messaging experience for Android users.


The Solution

The focus was on creating a stable, intuitive platform that prioritized the features users rely on most. High‑priority functionality included: individual and group chats, voice and video calling, and more flexible voice messages that users could replay or delete before sending.


Additional capabilities such as attachments, screen‑specific search, localization, scheduling tools, and personalized interface options were incorporated to support a wide range of real‑world use cases. Together, these features formed the foundation for a messaging experience that felt powerful, modern, and genuinely user‑centered.

Research & Analysis

Competitive Benchmarking

Across the competitive set, I observed varying onboarding styles, established design conventions within the tech space, and unique, app‑specific functionality that often signaled the target audience each product was built for.


These learnings directly informed the direction of the new app. I aimed to minimize the number of onboarding screens to reduce friction from the outset and incorporate one or two beloved features from each major competitor to elevate the user experience without overwhelming the system.

Online Survey

The survey responses revealed several key trends:

  • - WhatsApp emerged as the most widely used platform among participants.
  • - 50% of respondents felt that the interface of their primary messaging app needed improvement, indicating a strong appetite for better design.
  • - Message editing surfaced as a highly desired feature.
  • - E‑wallet or payment functionality was not considered a priority, suggesting low demand for financial integrations.
  • - Scheduling tools were noted as a valuable potential feature.
  • - Status updates/stories were not seen as important, validating that this feature is secondary for most users.

These findings helped confirm user expectations and refine the direction of the solution.

Ideation

Personas

The personas represented both personal and professional communication needs, ensuring the final product addressed a broad yet realistic spectrum of user behaviors and expectations.

Interactive Flows

With a solid understanding of user expectations and key use cases, I moved into defining the interactive flows that would support the core functionality of the new messaging app.


Several high‑level flows were identified as essential:

  • - Signing up
  • - Chat interactions
  • - Adding contacts
  • - Scheduling meetings
  • - Creating group chats
  • - Personalization settings
  • - Localization and map‑based services

These flows formed the blueprint for the later wireframes and the high‑fidelity prototype, ensuring the final experience aligned closely with user needs and the mission of the project.

Design

High Fidelity Prototype

Participants expressed a preference for nude, calming color palettes in apps they use daily, which informed the foundation of Memo’s aesthetic.


For navigation, I relied on well‑established Android patterns to maintain familiarity and ease of use. This included a combination of tab navigation, floating action buttons, and off‑canvas menus.


Visual hierarchy was reinforced through thoughtful use of color, spacing, and digital affordances, creating a clean, organized experience that supports quick communication and reduces cognitive load.


Click here to view the prototype



Welcome Screen

Sign Up

Verify

Create Profile

Home

Groups

Contacts

Chat

Chat Options

Chat History

Add Contact

Calendar

Schedule

Create Group

Location

Profile

Settings

Key takeaways


Although the 7‑day timeframe limited the amount of research and analysis I could conduct, the process still offered meaningful insight into the features and patterns users value in an instant‑messaging app.


I’m proud of the final prototype, and this project reminded me how much I continue to grow as a designer. I still have plenty to learn, and I’m genuinely excited for every opportunity to keep refining my craft.