BUDDYUP+ SOCIAL WELLNESS APP WITH FRIENDS

A four-feature social loop — Photo Proof, Social Feed, Streak Calendar, Custom Challenges — built around Feed-style proof, the format A/B testing picked over group chat. Live as a high-fidelity Figma prototype.

BuddyUp+ is a social wellness app that turns daily habits into fun challenges with friends. Originally built as an MVP during a 24-hour Hackathon at UX Open 2025, this project didn't stop there — refined through mentor feedback, rigorous user research, and data-driven iterations.

Solo tracking is boring. Motivation drops without real accountability. We designed BuddyUp+ for Gen Z and young adults who want healthier habits with quick setup, low friction, and clear progress they can see with friends.

Core loop: Challenge → Proof → Verify → Share → Repeat. The critical unknown — what's the lowest-friction way to prove a habit is done? Group chat creates notification fatigue. A shared feed organizes posts but might feel passive. We needed to put it in front of real users.

A/B tested two approaches with 5 users to find the most engaging way to prove a habit. Option A (Feed Board) — users post photos to a shared feed. Option B (Live Chat) — users send photos to a group chat. Feed won. Users reported 'group chat fatigue' from other apps and preferred the organized, less intrusive feed with comments. Shipped as the core verification model.

Defined core problems and assumptions under the 24h time constraint.

Designed high-fidelity screens for the initial hackathon pitch.

Conducted user testing post-hackathon to validate the 'Proof' mechanism with real users.

Iterated on UI/UX based on A/B test results — tightened spacing, simplified the proof submission flow, and rebuilt the feed card.