UI/UX Design
Hackathon
Generative AI
Overview
As soon as we open the door to our home, it's second nature to seek out our furry companions, sharing with them the events of our day and inquiring theirs. Engaging in these conversations, though they may be one-sided, brings a sense of connection as if our pets comprehend our words as much as we understand their silent (or not-so-silent) gestures. There's a unique comfort in confiding in our loyal friends who love us unconditionally, their presence warming our hearts in ways only they can.
How might we build a creative application that utilizes Google's Generative AI tools to push the boundaries of what Gen AI apps can achieve with Gemini?
Contribution
UX Design Lead
UI Design Lead
Team
Justin Rabe
Tools
Figma
Adobe Photoshop
Duration
1 month
Introduction
We affectionately refer to all our pets as "Buddies," which inspired the name of the app, HELLO BUDDY! Just as we greet our pets with a warm "hello" when we return home, our app embodies that same spirit of connection and companionship.
HELLO BUDDY! goes beyond mere conversation—it's a tool for empowerment. With features like Buddy customization and virtual companionship for pets who have passed on, we're committed to ensuring that every user can experience the joy of connecting with their furry friends, both present and past.
Color Palette
As the Lead UI/UX Designer for this hackathon project, I strategically curated a pastel color palette to evoke a calming and relaxing ambiance.
Typography
Additionally, opting for handwritten fonts in both headers and paragraphs aimed to establish a welcoming and friendly atmosphere for users.
The Buddies
Each Buddy icon, created with Adobe Photoshop, embodies the distinctive features of their real-life counterparts, ensuring a personalized touch. These creative decisions were made to enhance the user experience, bringing comfort and a deeper connection with the Buddies we brought to life through the app.
Takeaways
This was the second hackathon I participated in, and it was an fulfilling process from start to finish, because it was all about my beloved Buddies. Being able to talk with both past and present pets, sharing thoughts and reactions, added a profound layer of enjoyment to the process. I'm very happy to share my Buddies with others, and hope users also have fun talking to them. I also enjoyed diving into the code, where I created and refined prompts to help develop distinct personas within our app.
For next steps, conducting usability testing is a priority to gather valuable feedback and identify areas for refining the UI/UX design. Subsequently, iterating on the app's features based on this feedback will be essential for enhancing the overall user experience.
Our future plans include the implementation of customization features, allowing users to recreate their own pets faithfully and engage in meaningful conversations with them.
