Designing for Human Connection: Summon
Social media has increased connectivity but people feel lonenier than ever
Studies, such as one by the Prince’s Trust, revealed a startling 30% of young people admitting to feeling more alone than ever, underscoring a growing disconnect in an age where digital interactions dominate. This emerging crisis of loneliness was not just a byproduct of the pandemic but a deeper societal issue, reflecting the challenges in forming meaningful connections in an increasingly online world. Here is an article by Vice.
How might we help people find their communities
During our research, we uncovered a striking insight: people often lacked the confidence to forge new connections, tending to stick with their existing relationships. This tendency became more pronounced with age, making it increasingly challenging to develop meaningful bonds. Interestingly, our findings also revealed that the most robust connections with strangers typically emerged when they shared mutual friends or common interests. This insight was pivotal in shaping our approach. We aimed to create an app that could evolve into a vibrant community hub, beginning with the most fundamental and intimate community unit: individual friend groups.
Simplicity and blank spaces
By designing an environment that evokes a sense of spaciousness, we aim to help you concentrate on the essentials. We leverage Hick's Law to enhance the user experience by simplifying choices and reducing cognitive load.
A single event for many groups
Since communication is needed, we opted for a comment-based communication in each of your plans where people who go can make sure everything is clear but can serve as source of truth.
Conclusion and Next steps
Summon is a dynamic and ongoing project, fueled by our dedication to positively influence how society interacts. Our focus is on being a facilitative tool, aiding people in organically discovering and joining communities—whether they are newcomers, relocating individuals, or simply those looking to broaden their social network.
As our next steps, we are prioritizing social growth, concentrating on the core aspects of adding, inviting, and discovering new friends. This initial focus lays the groundwork for our subsequent phase: investing in community creation. We recognize that distribution is a crucial challenge for a project of this nature, and our strategic approach is designed to address this, ensuring Summon evolves into a vibrant, inclusive platform for community engagement.