Fourth Spaces
A digital platform that connects local business owners and residents through pop-up events, revitalizing shared spaces, and strengthening the local economy
Date
Fall 2024
Duration
2 Months
Role
UX Designer - Mobile
UX Researcher
Team member
Aakash Narayan
Odiso Obiora
YiChen Hu
Sibora Berisha
My Dao
Urja Kaushik
tools
Figma
CoStar
Miro
SKILLS
User Interview
Usability Testing
Ideation
Wireframing
Prototyping
Service Design
Overview
Background
In this project, my team collaborated with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), a public-private partnership agency that focuses on promoting tourism and supporting business relocation to Michigan. As they work to attract or retain residents to Michigan, our role was to reimagine and improve the “onboarding” experience of these newcomers, so that Michigan is not just a temporary stop, but a place where they can build a future.
“
How might we ...
improve the onboarding experience of newcomers to Michigan?
Research
Interviewing
🤔 But... what does “onboarding” even mean?
To explore this question, we began with preliminary research into what drives people’s decisions on where to live. Our team conducted 10 interviews with non-native Michiganders to understand the factors in choosing where to live.
‘’After being here for about 6 months , I haven't yet gotten a sense of belonging here’’
“Community is the most important to me when deciding whether to stay in my current location or move”
“Building a sense of community and network”
❗️ A consistent theme stood out: a sense of belonging.
Individuals who feel connected to their community are more likely to stay than those who feel isolated. For some, this meant being near family and friends, and for others, it was as simple as recognizing a familiar face at a favorite local spot.
Secondary research
Our team also dug deeper into the economic development efforts to examine the factors that contribute to people leaving the state. What we found was a major challenge in declining businesses:
35%
state office space are unused or unassigned
~ Crain’s Detroit Business
31,000
empty homes in Detroit
~ Abandoned Detroit, by Kyle Brooky
70,000
abandoned buildings in Detroit
~ New York Times
❗️Stores feel empty, because they literally are ...
While many businesses are losing hope about keeping their doors open long-term, plenty of infrastructure across the state remains underutilized, leaving parts of Michigan feeling “dead.”
These findings above led us to narrow down our problem statement.
“
How might we ...
reenergize existing spaces while incentivizing engagement in local spaces to build a sense of community?
Opportunity Space
Ideation
So, what can encourage people to meet each other in spaces and activate them with activities?
We found this opportunity in...
Pop-ups (noun):
A public event held by businesses and partnering organizations that operates for a limited period of time.
Why Pop-Ups?
Activates under-utilized spaces through temporary experiences that can grow into long-term establishments (think food truck → restaurant, bake sale → bakery)
Attracts young consumers Michigan aims to retain by offering informality, authenticity, and creative products
Leverages Michigan’s existing resources!
7
th
largest amount of vendors registered
$16.82 /ft2
monthly average rent for retail spaces (MI)
~ CoStar
$80 B
Design Ideation
Personas
The team identified 3 user types for our platform.
Aakash
the casual user
Age: 20
Hometown: Minneapolis, MN
Occupation: College Student
Goal: Find activities around town and meet new people
Frustration: He’s found it difficult to meet new people since moving
“I want to find community! ’’
Randa
the pop-up planner
Age: 32
Hometown: Detroit, MI
Occupation: Sells handmade floral accessories on online
Goal: Promote business in person to know her customers
Frustration: Difficulty finding available or appropriate spaces for hosting
“I want to host pop-up events! ’’
Ron
the storefront owner
Age: 53
Hometown: Portland, OR but relocated to Ann Arbor, MI
Occupation: Bookshop owner
Goal: Promote foot traffic and gather loyal customers
Frustration: Struggles to attract passersby due to low awareness of his shop
“I want to list my business!’’
Competitive Analysis
🧐 We needed inspiration...
So, we looked at how other platforms help people find activities and book public spaces. This gave us insights into common practices in the industry and how our design could stand apart.
This allowed us to map out some of our must have features for each of our users.
Casual User
browse events
RSVP
filter events
Storefront Owner
list amenities & provide pictures
location restrictions
contact info
verification process
Shared by all
rating systems to keep planners and location providers accountable
map of location
calendar of available events
categorize spaces
Concept - Testing
✏️ The design process begins...
We brainstormed and worked out two components as part of our solution.
1
📱A mobile app that would allow casual users to discover pop-ups in a more informal setting
2
🖥️ A desktop website that would allow pop-up planners and storefront owners complete administrative tasks with event and store set-up
I primarily focused on the mobile app!
🧪 After low-fidelity prototyping on Figma, 6 usability sessions and 16 surveys were conducted to test our concept. What we found was...
Final Solutions
Lets officially introduce...
✨ Fourth Spaces ✨
The Casual User
Let me walk you through our designs.
First, we have the casual user, Aakash. He heard about our app while on campus and decided to give it a try to discover nearby events.
The Pop-Up Planner
Next, let’s look at how our pop-up planner, Ronda, registers for an event.
1
Registers an event
Add descriptions: changes the pop-up name, adds a time and date, some images, and maybe even a website
2
Request for a Location
Explore new options or revisit favorites.
Filter search or play with map.
Check out details like hours, policies, and storefront visuals to find the perfect match.
Finally, connect with the storefront owner to continue planning.
The Storefront Owner
Lastly, we have Ron, the storefront owner, who just received the request to rent his space.
1
Registers the business
Add descriptions: changes the pop-up name, adds a time and date, some images, and maybe even a website
2
Register space for pop-up
Include how much of the space to be lent and the types of pop-ups interested in collaborating with
Futuring
Potential for Impact
So, why Fourth Spaces?
1
Strengthen community connection: Find belonging in places that feel isolating or overlooked
2
Pop-ups can boost local economies: Pop-ups generate 20-30% more revenue than brick-and-mortar (Storefront)
3
Serve as a stepping stone for small business to build their network and customer base
Reflection and Takeaway
Personal Learnings
1
Communication: In a multidisciplinary team where not everyone shares the same design focus, maintaining clear communication around design reasoning and decisions is crucial for alignment.
2
Keep a Design System: Every designer has their own style and preferences. Establishing a shared design system helped our team maintain visual and functional consistency across platforms.
3
Power of Low-fi: Low-fidelity wireframes enable quick usability testing and spark discussions that uncover needs surveys may overlook.
Impact
Lastly, while this platform never actualized, we had the opportunity to present this work to state government and city innovators at Michigan Central in Detroit, MI. We hope that our project inspires others to make Michigan a better place to call home!
