002/SOCIAL APP
kiki
How user research and iterative design shaped an app that unifies drag discovery
2024 (8 WEEKS)
The drag scene is electric—full of creativity, passion, and incredible talent. But here's the reality: if you want to find a show, follow your favorite queen, or connect with other fans, you're juggling Instagram, Facebook, venue websites, and word-of-mouth just to stay in the loop.
After interviewing six drag community members, one thing became crystal clear: this amazing community deserved a space as vibrant and connected as the culture itself.
SERVICES
SPRINGBOARD CAPSTONE PROJECT, UX DESIGN, INTERACTION DESIGN, UI/VISUAL DESIGN, DESIGN RESEARCH, DISCOVERY, IDENTITY BRANDING, MOBILE APP DESIGN
NORTH STAR PRINCIPLE
The Challenge: Despite drag's mainstream popularity, fans and performers remain scattered across fragmented platforms, making discovery frustrating and community connection unnecessarily difficult. My Solution: KIKI—a mobile app that unifies drag discovery and community connection in one beautifully designed space built specifically for how this community actually engages.
KIKI brings everything drag-related into one app designed around how this community actually works. YOU: Personal Drag Hub Customize profiles, connect with friends, follow favorite queens. Everything currently scattered across apps now lives in one organized space. EVENTS: Effortless Discovery Interactive map showing all local drag events with performer details, schedules, venues, and pricing. Save shows, set reminders, never miss performances whether home or traveling. QUEENS: Direct Connection Comprehensive performer profiles with galleries and exclusive content. Fans follow queens directly, performers showcase work and grow audiences without fighting algorithms.
Impact: No more platform-hopping for fans. Efficient promotion for performers. A unified community as connected as drag culture itself.
APPROACH: THE PROBLEM
I sat down with six drag community members for in-depth conversations about how they currently navigate the drag world. These included fans, performers, and people who are both. What I discovered was both surprising and frustrating: every single person was juggling 3-5 different platforms just to stay connected, spending valuable time bouncing between apps and websites for basic information about shows and events.
I transcribed each 30-45 minute interview and used AI-assisted affinity mapping to identify patterns across all conversations. Through post-it sorting and thematic grouping, the real problem became clear: the drag community wasn't lacking passion or talent—they were drowning in digital chaos.
Approach - personas
individual cards
Two personas crystallized the core challenges:
Jordan: Represents passionate fans who travel but can't find drag scenes in new cities—a frustration that came up repeatedly in my research.
Vivian: Embodies the performer struggle I heard consistently—talented artists working day jobs while exhausting themselves promoting across scattered platforms. "I just want people to know I exist," captured the visibility challenge perfectly.
Reframing Problems as Opportunities Instead of just listing frustrations, I turned them into "How Might We" questions that sparked creative solutions:
"How might we make event discovery effortless for traveling fans?"
"How might we help performers build authentic connections with fans?"
"How might we create sustainable promotion tools for drag careers?"
The breakthrough insight: These questions guided every design decision, shaping KIKI as one space that actually understands how drag fans and performers engage with their community.
PROCESS: DESIGN
My design process centered on translating user research insights into design decisions that honor drag culture while meeting practical user needs. Each choice was grounded in how the drag community actually engages with events and performers, creating an experience that feels both authentic and functional:
Information Architecture: I organized the app around three needs from research: personal connection, event discovery, and performer engagement. This directly matches how people think about drag—connecting with community, finding shows, following performers.
Visual Identity: Developed a design system celebrating drag's bold aesthetic while prioritizing accessibility. Vibrant purples and pinks capture the energy, expressive typography balances personality with readability, and high contrast ratios ensure outdoor usability.
User Flow Design: Identified "red routes"—essential actions users perform regularly—and optimized core flows. For fans: discovering events and following performers. For performers: creating profiles and promoting shows.
Final Design
Product Images
"Designing KIKI taught me that the best solutions come from truly understanding people's real struggles. What started as scattered frustrations across multiple platforms became a unified space that celebrates drag culture while solving practical problems. This project reinforced why I love UX design—it's about making communities stronger through thoughtful problem-solving." — Adam Winegar
Achievements
"Collaborating with Mark Ashton and his team was a seamless experience. Their expertise in web design beautifully showcased Oliver Hayes' photography, creating a stunning and intuitive portfolio that perfectly reflects his artistic vision."
— Sarah Mitchell, Creative Director at Lumina Creative
The website project achieved a visually captivating online presence, enhanced user engagement through intuitive navigation, implemented a fully responsive design for optimal performance across devices, effectively reinforced the studio’s brand identity, and garnered positive feedback for showcasing Oliver Hayes' work and attracting potential clients.
The portfolio successfully enhanced the studio's online presence, increased user engagement with intuitive navigation, ensured optimal performance with a responsive design, reinforced brand identity, and received positive feedback for effectively showcasing Oliver Hayes' work.
Audience engagement
Satisfaction Rate
