UX Case Study:
PostUp
December 2025
Final Design
Project Description
I designed a user interface for remote workers to quickly find ideal places to work. The goal was to make it faster and easier to locate nearby spots that meet their needs, while addressing common pain points people encounter when searching for workspaces.
Team & Role
I was the UX designer for this project. I ran a design sprint to find out what problems remote workers face and how we could make the experience smoother for them.
DAY 1: Understanding/ Map:
I began by interviewing remote workers to understand the friction points they face when trying to find suitable workspaces.
​
From these interviews, I learned that many people struggle to find good work spots nearby. Most rely on maps, but they often have to scroll through countless photos and reviews to determine if a location truly meets their needs.
“Distance is pretty important. Seeing how close I am matters. Maps make it easier to visualize.”
Chelsea Smith
Remote Worker
After the interviews, we drafted several possible end-to-end user experiences to explore different ways users might find a workspace, helping us identify the most effective flow to focus on.
The third option was the strongest choice, as it enabled users to achieve their goal—finding a remote workspace—while requiring the fewest steps.
Day 2: Sketch
For the Lightning Demo, I wanted quick inspiration from other products with similar goals, including Work From Cafe, Let’s Work, and WeWork.
From Work From Cafe, I liked how the map took up most of the screen, making it easy and natural for users to browse nearby locations.
From Let’s Work, I liked the block-style layout, which clearly separated each workspace and made it easier for users to compare options.
From WeWork, I liked the clean map layout, the circles marking locations, and the simple navigation bar. I also appreciated the top placement of the search bar, which felt intuitive and easy for users to access.
Crazy 8s Exercise
After completing my research, I moved on to the Crazy 8s Exercise, sketching eight different design ideas in eight minutes to explore possible layouts.
Since users would primarily be searching for locations, I focused the exercise on designing the search screen, as it was the most critical part of the user flow.
chose the 6th option because it felt the most intuitive. It included a map, a search bar, and quick information about nearby shops, allowing users to easily tap on a location to learn more.
​
I then created a small flow with three screens: a pre-action screen, the main search screen, and a post-action screen.
Since the search screen would be the most used, it needed to appear first or very early in the flow. That meant a login page came before it to capture the user. After the search screen, the next screen would let users explore a location in more detail. I included features to help users feel confident in their choice, like ratings, a short description, and buttons to either go straight to the location or save it for later.
​
Through this process, I realized the flow didn’t need many screens — keeping it simple made the experience clearer and easier to use.
Day 3: Decide
Day 3 Focus: Deciding the wireframe and creating a flow that benefits the user. I kept the three screens from Day 2 — Login, Find Coffee, and Place Info Page — but fleshed them out more.
​
Search Page: Added a hamburger menu for additional options. Looking back, this was mostly because other apps have it, but user testing revealed it caused potential friction.
Map Design: Instead of names, I used numbers on the map with a corresponding list below. Users focus first on location, then on details. I wanted navigation to be quick and easy, with the most important info on top.
Tabs: Added Nearby and Popular so users can see locations close to them or those most frequented.
Location Info Screen: Included a quick list of important amenities — outlets, Wi-Fi, and opening hours — so users can immediately see if a place meets their needs.
Additional Features: Added a location sharing screen and an allow maps screen, delaying map access until the end to reduce friction and get users to what they wanted most — finding nearby places — as quickly as possible.
Day 4: Prototyping
To get the screens out quickly, I used Material Design assets in Figma to make buttons and other elements. I wasn’t worrying too much about making it look perfect — the goal was to get the idea across and make it feel real for testing.
I also used iOS design assets to quickly make the overlays that ask users if PostUP can use their location and maps, and ChatGPT to help generate a map image for the prototype.
I made sure all the buttons were clear and clickable so users could move through the flow without getting stuck.
Day 5: Interviews
I tested the prototype with five participants and learned a lot. Their task was to find a place to work that had outlets and Wi-Fi. Everyone reached their goal in under a minute, and overall, the prototype felt intuitive.
However, we uncovered a few areas for improvement:
-
Hierarchy matters: On the search screen, the search bar and hamburger menu at the top were clicked by 4 out of 5 users, even though they didn’t need to. For the next iteration, I’d either move the search bar to the bottom or remove it.
-
Filters: Users tried to find filters to narrow their locations. To make this more intuitive, in the next iteration I would add filters above the map, making it seamless and quick for users to add special requirements to their search.
Learnings
I learned a lot from doing this sprint. As a UX designer, I realized how important it is to trust first-impression decisions. Sometimes your initial instinct is the best one, and just because other apps use a certain layout — like the ubiquitous hamburger menu — it doesn’t mean it’s actually useful or intuitive for your users.
I also learned how important hierarchy is. Users often click on what they see first, just because it’s there, not because it’s necessary.
​
Finally, I learned that some solutions work best with the fewest screens possible. Keeping the flow simple can make the experience much smoother for users.
​
I look forward to doing more sprints in the future.
Prototyping
Through usability testing and prototyping, we discovered that users were confused by the label “Connect,” often assuming it referred to connecting with a trainer rather than other users. To reduce this confusion, we renamed the section to “Community,” making its purpose immediately clear.
​
We also replaced “Schedule” with “Trainer” to more clearly communicate that this section was dedicated to trainer-related features, including scheduling and client interaction.
Style Guide
Since the client wanted users to engage with the app first thing in the morning to set a positive tone for the day, we recommended a sunrise-inspired color palette. The colors were chosen to be inviting and approachable, appealing even to users who may be skeptical about fitness.
​
High Fidelity Designs
We applied the style guide to our high-fidelity mockups, translating our wireframes and user research insights into a polished, visually cohesive interface. The designs reflect our sunrise-inspired color palette, clear separation of Lifestyle, Fitness, and Trainer sections, and intuitive navigation informed by prototyping feedback.
Web Landing Page
The client wanted a central place for users to discover the app online, build credibility, and showcase success stories from clients in their target demographic. To support this, we incorporated a Testimonials section to highlight real user experiences.
​
I was responsible for the copywriting and slogan creation. The slogan, “Exercise, Restore, and Thrive at Any Age,” is animated to add visual appeal and emphasize the app’s core message.
Final Result
We successfully designed an app that the client plans to develop into a fully functional product. The solution integrates lifestyle, fitness, and trainer-focused features, providing a guided and approachable experience for the target demographic.
Big Takeaways
Start from the user’s perspective: Understanding user expectations and familiar interfaces helps ensure that your product aligns with their mental models and reduces friction.
Guidance matters: Users often prefer clear direction over unlimited choice. Providing structured guidance can improve usability and engagement, particularly for audiences who are less experienced with fitness apps.
Get in Touch
This is a Paragraph. Click on "Edit Text" or double click on the text box to start editing the content.