Unimate
A one-stop solution for international students, this app empowers them with essential resources—housing, banking, jobs, healthcare, and local support. It simplifies the transition, offering guidance, community connections, and tools to thrive in a new country.
Overview
Arriving in the United Kingdom as an international student is both exciting and daunting at the time. Navigating a new country, culture with the absolutely different education system is a major challenge. Discovering the developed teaching style and adjusting to a new life in a foreign land is scary and mostly uncertain. And for some language and the financial burden of tuition fees and living expenses adds another level of stress.
Problem
Navigating a new country, culture with the absolutely different education system is a major challenge. Discovering the developed teaching style and adjusting to a new life in a foreign land is scary and mostly uncertain. And for some of us Language and the financial burden of tuition fees and living expenses adds another level of stress. Beyond our academics, lot of students scuffle through homesickness and mostly feel isolated without our families and familiar surroundings.
Solution
Aim is to simplify the journey of international students coming to the UK, offering a comprehensive and seamless one stop solution. We understand the challenges and complexities of studying abroad, and we're committed to providing unparalleled support and resources to ensure every student's success. solution to all their problems at one place, from events happening around them, to find places for their hobbies and interest, basic information pages, and information on near by part time jobs available.
Stanford Design Process
Stanford’s Design Thinking is ideal for my app as it’s human-centered and begins with empathy. It helps define core student challenges, generate diverse ideas, and create low-fidelity prototypes. Testing, feedback, and iteration ensure the final solution is effective, user-driven, and truly meets students’ real needs.
Primary and Secondary Research
Background research, Literature Review, User Interviews and Focus Group
Understanding the diverse needs of international students coming to the UK and prioritising features and services within this app accordingly.
Affinity, Competitor Analysis, Personas & Customer Journey Map
The design process uses Affinity and Empathy Maps to extract key insights from user interviews, organising pain points, emotions, and struggles. Themes such as accommodation, cultural shock, and socialising guide ideation. Personas and customer journey maps were created to visualise real user needs and behaviours. This structured process ensures a human-centered, research-driven approach that identifies genuine challenges faced by international students. It supports the development of thoughtful, effective solutions rooted in empathy and user experience—making the app not just functional, but truly relevant, supportive, and impactful for its users.
Key Features
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Information Page: Central hub for valuable insights.
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Navigation System: Easy access to various functionalities.
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Food Page: Curates unique culinary experiences in London.
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Event Page: Highlights local activities and events.
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Part-Time Jobs Feature: Addresses job search needs, filling a market gap.
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Counselling Page: Considered but deemed non-essential based on user feedback.
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Search Bar: Simplifies navigation across the app.
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Notification Bar: Keeps users updated on events and community connections.
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Privacy Policy: Protects user information, enhancing security.
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Account Tab: Customizable based on user interests.
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Review and Rating Systems: Helps users make informed decisions.
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Bookmarking: Allows users to save preferences.
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Chat Box: Facilitates user engagement and connection with others.
Mood board, Style Guide and Branding
The style guide and mood board define the app’s visual identity using vibrant brand colors, Poppins typography, and symbolic icons. Together with carefully selected imagery and brand values like curiosity and ambition, they ensure a cohesive and emotionally engaging design that resonates with international students and enhances usability.
Lo-fi and Mid- Fi Prototype
The prototypes showcase the app’s evolution from hand-drawn wireframes to refined digital layouts. They reflect a user-focused design approach, emphasizing intuitive navigation, key features like events, blogs, and job listings, and accessibility. Iterative testing helped refine interactions, ensuring the app effectively supports international students’ needs and experiences.
1. Blog
2. Events
3. Jobs
1. Communities
2. Navigation
3. Connections
Impact
This App significantly eases the transition for international students arriving in the UK by addressing academic, emotional, and financial challenges. It provides centralized access to essential resources, from cultural adaptation support and events to job listings and housing. By reducing isolation and uncertainty, the app fosters a smoother integration into university life, helping students feel supported and connected.