Project Brief

Look into a topic, find problems, and design a simple solution.

Solution

Our app helps first-time movers feel ready and less stressed. It includes simple budget tools, helpful guides, and a progress tracker to support each step. A friendly mascot also helps users feel less alone during the moving process.

Design

See Current Phase and Progress

Users can see their current phase and track their progress. The app shows what tasks are done and what is next. Users can tap into a task to see steps and stay on track.

Packguin app demonstrating navigation through the roadmap and switching viewing task information.

View Task description & tutorials

Users can view a task and learn how to complete it. The app provides simple guides and video tutorials to help them understand each step. Users can then try the task themselves.

Two smartphone screens showing Packguin app UI for adding important moving dates, including task details, tutorial content, and a video guide.

Create a Personalized budget with support

Users can create a budget step by step with support. The app guides them through needs, wants, and savings. It also shows their balance and gives feedback to help them stay within their budget.

Packguin app showing the process of creating a budget and viewing budgeting information.

Problem Statement

First-time movers often do not have a clear budget or the skills they need to live on their own. Because of this, they can feel stressed and unprepared during the moving process.

Research

Survey

We created a survey to learn about first-time movers. It included simple questions and was shared with students and the public. We received 75 responses. This helped us find common problems and understand how people prepare for moving.

Interview

We did 10 interviews to learn about people’s moving experiences. We spoke with first-time movers and a professional. We asked about how they prepare and learn new skills. This helped us understand their feelings and real-life challenges.

Findings & Insights

1. Shocks & Fears

First-time movers often feel scared and unsure. The emotional side of moving can be harder than expected.

2. Comfort of Home

People often focus on basic needs when choosing a place. This can make it harder for them to feel at home.

3. Budgeting

Many people do not know how much things will cost when moving out. This is because they do not have a clear budget or enough information.

4. Trial & Error

When living alone for the first time, people often learn by trial and error. This can take lots of time and be wasteful.

Persona

User persona for the Packguin app showing a first-time mover’s background, goals, pain points, and behaviours related to planning a move.

Sketches

Early sketches of the Packguin app exploring layout ideas and feature structure.
Early sketches of the Packguin app exploring user flow.

Style Guide

Typography system for the Packguin app showing selected fonts and type scale used across the interface.
Packguin app design system showing colour palette with contrast ratios and icon set used across the interface.
Packguin app layout grid showing column structure, rows, and spacing measurements used to organize the interface.

Reflection

This project was a valuable learning experience that strengthened both my design and collaboration skills. Working within a team over an extended period allowed me to better understand how iterative feedback and open communication contribute to stronger outcomes. One of the key challenges was translating complex research insights into a solution that felt simple and approachable for users. Through this process, I learned the importance of prioritizing clarity, especially when designing tools intended to reduce stress. If I were to continue developing this project, I would further test and refine the budgeting features to ensure they are as intuitive and supportive as possible. Overall, this experience deepened my understanding of the UX process and reinforced the importance of designing with empathy and intention.

Thank You For Reading!

Special Thank You To My Team

Design done by: Avery Brodeur, Sara Hurst, and Thomas Gagne.

Research done by: Avery Brodeur, Sara Hurst, Thomas Gagne, and Tom Eccles

Packguin project mascot: Poppy the Penguin.
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