Problem Statement

Social media users today face a fragmented and distracting digital experience, switching between multiple platforms while dealing with intrusive advertisements, algorithm-driven feeds, misinformation and AI-generated content. There is a growing need for a more transparent and user-controlled social experience that brings multiple platforms together in one place, reduces unnecessary distractions, and helps users distinguish authentic content from AI-generated or misleading information. Sociall aims to solve these challenges through a unified social media hub, an ad-free browsing experience, user-controlled content feeds and an AI-powered Reality Check feature.

Key Challenge

The primary challenge was to bring multiple social media experiences into one unified application without compromising the unique browsing habits and interaction patterns users associate with platforms like Instagram and YouTube. Each platform serves different user needs, content formats, and engagement behaviors, making it essential to create a consistent yet flexible experience that feels familiar across different use cases. As the end-to-end Product Designer, I was responsible for balancing these diverse behaviors within a seamless, visually engaging interface tailored to Gen Z and a broader digital audience. This included designing intuitive platform switching, developing a distinctive custom dragon mascot named Alan from scratch to establish a recognizable brand identity, and creating engaging interactions and animations using Adobe After Effects and Rive.

My Role

As the Lead UX/UI and Product Designer, I led product discovery and UX research by brainstorming business requirements, identifying user pain points, and understanding user behaviors. I designed end-to-end user journeys, information architecture, wireframes, high-fidelity UI mockups, and intuitive screens to unify multiple social media experiences with seamless platform switching. I also developed a scalable design system with reusable components, typography, colors, and consistent UI patterns to maintain a cohesive experience across the application.

Character Design: Alan, Sociall’s Mascot

Alan is Sociall’s custom-designed dragon mascot, created to give the platform a distinctive personality and serve as a friendly guide throughout the app. Inspired by Sociall’s brand logo and the expressive charm of animated characters, Alan was designed to make the digital experience feel more approachable, engaging, and memorable, particularly for Gen Z and a wider social media audience. I developed Alan from scratch, beginning with hand-drawn concepts and expressions in a notebook before refining the character digitally in Adobe Illustrator. I explored different facial expressions, emotions, poses, and gestures to make Alan adaptable to various user scenarios. These variations allow the mascot to communicate different moods, provide visual feedback, and guide users through key interactions across the application.

Outcome & Impact

Contributed to product design improvements as Sociall surpassed 45K+ downloads, supporting approximately 45% growth in product adoption. Sociall was designed to create a healthier, more intentional relationship with social media by giving users greater control over the content they consume. By reducing intrusive advertising, moving away from tracking-driven recommendations, and prioritizing content users actively choose to follow, the platform aims to minimize digital distractions, reduce information overload, and support a more positive browsing experience. Its AI-powered Reality Check feature further encourages digital awareness by helping users assess whether online content may be AI-generated or human-created.