This was my first time leading an AppJam team, driving everything from initial ideation to rapid app design on a tight, startup-style timeline while also accounting for real technical feasibility. Unlike a traditional case study, this one was more experimental and narrative-driven; I built a cohesive persona-based story and walked the audience through my problem-solving process step by step.

As the only designer, I owned all UI/UX and branding, balancing my creative instincts with team input and regular check-ins with our product lead to validate my feature ideas and ensure alignment with AppDev expectations.

During the dry-run, the leads challenged us on user retention and implementation feasibility. I quickly conducted a second round of user research with upperclassmen and club e-board members to understand how to keep them engaged long term. I revised the design and pitch deck within two days—while studying for a midterm—and by the final presentation, we received no follow-up questions from the ~70 AppDev members, only positive feedback on our clarity and design direction.

This experience strengthened my ability to lead under pressure, iterate fast, integrate feedback, and deliver a polished, well-reasoned product concept within a short timeframe.