We Swap App Design

Madison College

Sustainable point-based swapping app for the Madison College community

Role: UX researcher, UX/UI designer

Tools: Figma

Focus: app design, UX research

Overview

WeSwap is a point-based swapping app that helps Madison College members give away items they no longer need and earn points to get other second-hand items — all without money. Designed to promote sustainability and affordability, the platform simplifies the process of decluttering and reusing everyday items within a trusted campus environment.

I led the end-to-end UX/UI design process, conducting user interviews to understand motivations, safety concerns, and logistical barriers to swapping with strangers. These insights informed the design of structured pickup events, a clear point-based reward system, and streamlined user flows that make exchanging items simple and reliable.

Problem Statement

Community members struggle to get rid of items they no longer use in a conscious and seamless way and, at the same time, to access affordable alternatives to new things.

Goal

Design a simple, safe, and efficient mobile platform that allows Madison College students to exchange items using a point-based system, while reducing uncertainty around logistics and encouraging sustainable reuse within a trusted campus environment.

UX Research

User surveys

A 9-question screener survey was distributed on campus and online to reach potential interviewees who fit the app’s target audience.

Target: Madison College members
Responses: 29

User interviews

I conducted 4 interviews with students and sustainability-focused staff, which helped identify their key motivations, current behaviors, and major concerns.

Users made me realize that I hadn’t fully defined the logistics or point system yet, since they all asked about it or believed it was not clear.

One insight directly influenced the app dynamics: There was a strong preference for a school-backed pickup location.

Insights

Users need:

A simple, low-effort way to discard unwanted items
Safety and trust when meeting people - verified users
Minimal uncertainty around item condition - ability to inspect
Clear logistics for swaps - streamlined process
In-person pop-up location or regular events for an interactive swap experience

Features and functionalities

To resolve the most important user needs, I defined the product’s MVP with the basic features available for a first version of the app

List an item option

Feed with listed items

User verification

Reward system

Claim an item option

Save item option

Item condition check

Filter items option

User personas

Based on the user interview analysis, I defined
2 user personas who clearly represent the target users’ goals and needs. Both are members of Madison College but have distinct interests in using the app.

User flows

I mapped out one user flow per user persona with a task they would likely do, in alignment with their profile, goals, and needs.
These helped me determine the most important screens as well as the key flows and interactions I had to prototype.