Welcome screen
Login / registration
Location permission
Search
Saved
Chat
Connect
Blogs
People
Add blog
Chat list
Blog
list
People
list
Add to chats button
Connect
button
Search
Date
Position
Map
Event
Filters
Add
event
Search
Event list
Join
Share
Publish
Home
Explore
User flow
Explore
User flow
A visual map of Lowkey’s structure, illustrating the hierarchy and relationships between the app’s screens
Profile
Settings
Edit
Groups
Add group
Search
Group list
Connect
button
Competitive analysis
No direct competitors exists in this niche, so I studied indirect ones to spot trends, user expectations, and design opportunities.
Poppin
Features
Dice
RA Advisor
Accessibility
User Flow
Navigation
Brand identity
Solution
Visuals
Need to speak underground, not mainstream.
Discover + connect
Small gig finder meets social hub.
Easy share
One-tap link to friends.
Feel the vibe
Instant visual previews.
Keep it real
Informal tone = trust.
User Centred Design
... what matters to my users?
They don’t read reviews...they feel the vibe
A lot go solo
89%
63%
People decide whether to go to an event or not mostly based on its visual look and style
Why? Few friends share their underground interests
Authenticity > Popularity
35%
1 in 3 fear the mainstream will kill the scene
Wants to dive into the scene but lacks connections or friends who share the same passions.
Loves underground culture but is far from home. Finding events abroad is hard and time consuming
Deeply rooted in the scene, but tired of the same circle. Craves new connections and fresh inspiration
45%
35%
The traveller
The Newcomer
20%
The Undergrounder
Who?
Meet the users
Project timeline
I structured the timeline into phases, with each one highlighting the tasks involved, their duration and the outcome
Research
Explore
Solution
User Research
Competitive Analysis
1 WEEK
1 WEEK
1 WEEK
Journey Mapping
Site Map
User Flow
Paper Sketching
Lo-Fi Wireframes
Design System
Lo-Fi Prototype
Gather Feedback
Hi-Fi Prototype
Micro-Interactions
Usability Test
Competitive analysis
Low Key
Low Key
Built for the ones off the radar
2 - Depth without complexity
2 - Depth without complexity
No existing model bridged underground culture and digital community, so the visual and interaction language had to be built from scratch
Creating a full experience that feels rich but stays intuitive and light
1 - Designing for a cultural void
Challenges
The challenge was to understand how underground communities naturally share and communicate, to translate that into an authentic, functional app feature.
4 - Social, but on underground terms
3 - Accessible, not mainstream
Underground scenes have their own slang, and codes of trust. The challenge was to make the app accessible without diluting its raw, authentic feel.
Tools - Figma, Procreate
Design process
UX/UI design process for Lowkey was carefully crafted to build an intuitive, engaging platform that makes discovering and connecting with underground culture simple and effortless.
Empathise with users
Information Architecture
Wireframing
Lo-Fi Prototyping
Usability Test
Hi-Fi Prototyping
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Research:
the topic
dance
skate
cultural
music
graffiti
A grassroots community built outside the mainstream, driven by shared values, art, and self-expression
the problem
Being deeply involved in underground scenes, I saw first hand how hard it is to access a city’s underground culture without insider connections
underground
Accessibility
Being deeply involved in underground scenes, I saw first hand how hard it is to access a city’s underground culture without insider connections
Meet BlanCat
Meet BlanCat
The legendary app’s mascot.
He guides the users through the app, keeping the experience fun and low-pressure
Qualitative research
... is the problem real?
Qualitative research
... is the problem real?
Participants - 47
Participants - 47
Nationalities - 7
Nationalities - 7
People currently find underground events by...
People currently find underground events by...
86%
86%
14%
14%
Impossible
Impossible
Really hard
Really hard
easy
easy
0%
0%
Finding underground gigs without having friends telling you about them is...
Finding underground gigs without having friends telling you about them is...
Participants - 42
Participants - 42
Nationalities - 6
Nationalities - 6
Word of mouth
Word of mouth
60%
60%
Street flyers
Street flyers
13%
13%
social
media
social
media
13%
13%
Find the event
Use the filters: you can search by category, location, or date — or explore directly from the map.
Join!
Events stay true to the underground vibe: informal and spontaneous — no tickets or formal structures
flow
search
c mmunity
connect
people
groups
blogs
people
groups
blogs
groups
blogs
Users can connect with groups, nearby individuals, and get inspired through shared blogs.
event
Built on the underground ethos, the app thrives through its users — each contribution keeps the community alive.
contribute
event
group
blog
event
prototype
colors
type
buttons
icons
Aa
Bb Cc Dd Ee Ff Gg Hh Ii Ll Mm Nn Oo Pp Qq Rr Ss Pp Qq Vv Ww Xx Yy Zz
15 Pt
18 Pt
22 Pt
28 Pt
30 Pt
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FEDE55
7E7B7B
D9D9D9
FDFDFD
Search a key word
meetup
settings
edit
other
dance
skate
graffiti
cultural
music
DATE
LOCATION
MAP
people
groups
blogs
style guide
Freedom first: users can also access the app skipping the login, staying true to its open, underground spirit.
skip
login
The legendary app’s mascot.
He guides the users through the app, keeping the experience fun and low-pressure
Usability Study:
re-iterating
I asked 7 partecipants to run though different scenarios in my prototype and test it freerly.
Here’s what I discovered:
success rate
drop off
misclick rate
Prototype Testing for section
90%
10%
10%
search
95%
0%
5%
Prototype Testing for section
success rate
drop off
misclick rate
connect
87%
10%
13%
Prototype Testing for adding an event
success rate
drop off
misclick rate
35%
Problem
User testing showed that some users associated the app with formal events.
35%
Problem
The community section made some users feel overwhelmed by how easily others could connect with them.
I used an old-school aesthetic and an informal register to highlight its underground, laid-back vibe.
I added an option allowing users to choose whether or not to appear in the Connect section.
Solution
Solution
For reading :)
Thank you
Meet BlanCat
Improving
Low Fidelity
wireframing
Early wireframes defined the app’s structure and flow, ensuring clarity, intuitive navigation, and full coverage of user needs
Service
Social discovery app
Role
End to End Designer
Tools
Figma, Procreate
Project
LowKey
Built for the ones off the radar
Service
Social discovery app
Role
End to End Designer
Tools
Figma, Procreate
Project
LowKey
Built for the ones off the radar
Service
Social discovery app
Role
End to End Designer
Tools
Figma, Procreate
Project
LowKey
Built for the ones off the radar
Low Key
Service
Social discovery app
Role
End to End Designer
Tools
Figma, Procreate
Project
LowKey
Built for the ones off the radar
Low Key
Service - Social Discovery App
Role - End to End Designer
Project - LowKey
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