MTL Quest
Turning loneliness into connection for newcomers in Montreal
MTL Quest
Turning loneliness into connection for newcomers in Montreal
MTL Quest
Turning loneliness into connection for newcomers in Montreal
Role
UI/UX Designer
Work
Product design, user research,
visual design
Tools
Figma & Miro
Duration
10 weeks
Project Overview
01 | Objective
Design a mobile app to help newcomers in Montreal overcome loneliness and build
a sense of belonging.
Design a mobile app to help newcomers in Montreal overcome loneliness and build
a sense of belonging.
02 | Role & Deliverables
I did the full design process from research to final prototype, delivering onboarding flows, event discovery, and social features,
I did the full design process from research to final prototype, delivering onboarding flows, event discovery, and social features,
03 | Challenges
I needed to solve functional and emotional barriers while balancing simplicity with social context, removing gamification to focus on trust cues.
I needed to solve functional and emotional barriers while balancing simplicity with social context, removing gamification to focus on trust cues.
04 | Outcome & Impact
The final design offered personalized events, social trust features, and intuitive browsing, helping newcomers feel connected.
The final design offered personalized events, social trust features, and intuitive browsing, helping newcomers feel connected.
Background
Starting over in a new city is harder than it looks
Starting over in a new city is harder than it looks
Starting over in a new city is harder than it looks
How can I help newcomers turn loneliness into connection, without feeling out of place?
How can I help newcomers turn loneliness into connection, without feeling out of place?
The project began from my own experience of moving to Montreal.
I felt the challenges of starting over in a new place, not just navigating the city,
but also building a sense of belonging.
''I want to meet people and explore new activities,
but it’s hard to find the right community without feeling out of place.''
— Lin, a newcomer in Montreal
The project began from my own experience of moving to Montreal.
I felt the challenges of starting over in a new place, not just navigating the city,
but also building a sense of belonging.
''I want to meet people and explore new activities, but it’s hard to find the right community without feeling out of place.''
— Lin, a newcomer in Montreal
The project began from my own experience of moving to Montreal. I felt the challenges of starting over in a new place, not just navigating the city, but also building a sense of belonging.
This inspired me to create MTL Quest that helps newcomers feel at home through shared experiences and meaningful local events.
Solution
A personalized and easy way to explore and connect
A personalized and easy way to explore and connect
A personalized and easy way to explore and connect
MTL Quest makes it easier to explore a new city, meet people, and discover events that reflect interests and comfort level.
MTL Quest makes it easier to explore a new city, meet people, and discover events that reflect interests and comfort level.
Personalized Recommendations
MTL Quest suggests events based on users’ interests, schedules, and lifestyle. This reduces overwhelm from endless options and helps newcomers quickly find activities that feel relevant and approachable.
MTL Quest suggests events based on users’ interests, schedules, and lifestyle. This reduces overwhelm from endless options and helps newcomers quickly find activities that feel relevant and approachable.
Social Trust Before Events
Users can see host bios, reviews, and who else is attending, and even join group chats before showing up. These social cues build trust and ease the anxiety of going to an event alone.
Flexible Exploration
Events can be browsed by map or list, with filters for language, timing, and social vibe. This gives newcomers the freedom to explore in a way that matches their comfort level and personal pace.
Research
Understanding the real challenges
Understanding the real challenges
Understanding the real challenges
Contextual observation
I started by checking out social media and online forums to see what newcomers in Montreal were really going through. This way, I could notice their struggles without interrupting or influencing them.
I found a lot about feeling lonely, cultural differences, and overwhelmed by too many event options.
I started by checking out social media and online forums to see what newcomers in Montreal were really going through. This way, I could notice their struggles without interrupting or influencing them.
I found a lot about feeling lonely, cultural differences, and overwhelmed by too many event options.
The project began from my own experience of moving to Montreal. I felt the challenges of starting over in a new place, not just navigating the city, but also building a sense of belonging.
This inspired me to create MTL Quest that helps newcomers feel at home through shared experiences and meaningful local events.
Where:
Reddit threads, TikTok videos and comments, Facebook groups, Local vlogs and blog comment sections
Reddit threads, TikTok videos and comments, Facebook groups, Local vlogs and blog comment sections
The project began from my own experience of moving to Montreal. I felt the challenges of starting over in a new place, not just navigating the city, but also building a sense of belonging.
This inspired me to create MTL Quest that helps newcomers feel at home through shared experiences and meaningful local events.
What I found:
Complaints about signage
Events overwhelm
Expressing loneliness
Cultural confusion
Language hesitation
Complaints about signage
Events overwhelm
Expressing loneliness
Cultural confusion
Language hesitation
The project began from my own experience of moving to Montreal. I felt the challenges of starting over in a new place, not just navigating the city, but also building a sense of belonging.
This inspired me to create MTL Quest that helps newcomers feel at home through shared experiences and meaningful local events.
Interviews
I talked with a few new residents about their daily struggles and how they felt about joining events.
These conversations helped me understand their worries like not knowing the vibe of an event
or which language people would be speaking.
Those details shaped features to make the experience feel safer and more welcoming.
I talked with a few new residents about their daily struggles and how they felt about joining events.
These conversations helped me understand their worries like not knowing the vibe of an event
or which language people would be speaking.
Those details shaped features to make the experience feel safer and more welcoming.
The project began from my own experience of moving to Montreal. I felt the challenges of starting over in a new place, not just navigating the city, but also building a sense of belonging.
This inspired me to create MTL Quest that helps newcomers feel at home through shared experiences and meaningful local events.
Their concerns:
Event tone, unclear expectations, or lack of “who else is going” info created hesitation
Social media helped them find events, but rarely provided enough context to feel safe joining
Language anxiety made them avoid unfamiliar spaces
Event tone, unclear expectations, or lack of “who else is going” info created hesitation
Social media helped them find events, but rarely provided enough context to feel safe joining
Language anxiety made them avoid unfamiliar spaces
The project began from my own experience of moving to Montreal. I felt the challenges of starting over in a new place, not just navigating the city, but also building a sense of belonging.
This inspired me to create MTL Quest that helps newcomers feel at home through shared experiences and meaningful local events.
Affinity Mapping
I gathered over a hundred ideas, feelings, and questions from my research and sorted them into a few clear themes. This step helped me see the real patterns behind all the scattered information.
It also showed me which problems to tackle first and who I should design for.
I gathered over a hundred ideas, feelings, and questions from my research and sorted them into a few clear themes. This step helped me see the real patterns behind all the scattered information.
It also showed me which problems to tackle first and who I should design for.
What I found:
6 recurring themes emerged:
🧭 Exploration & Navigation
🗣 Cultural Adjustment
🤝 Social Connection
🎉 Recreation & Activities
🤯 Information Overload
😬 Emotional & Social Barriers
6 recurring themes emerged:
🧭 Exploration & Navigation
🗣 Cultural Adjustment
🤝 Social Connection
🎉 Recreation & Activities
🤯 Information Overload
😬 Emotional & Social Barriers
6 recurring themes emerged:
🧭 Exploration & Navigation
🗣 Cultural Adjustment
🤝 Social Connection
🎉 Recreation & Activities
🤯 Information Overload
😬 Emotional & Social Barriers
Why it Mattered:
This process revealed that emotional blockers like fear of rejection and decision fatigue were deeply entangled with functional pain points, such as scattered event info or unclear expectations.
This process revealed that emotional blockers like fear of rejection and decision fatigue were deeply entangled with functional pain points, such as scattered event info or unclear expectations.
Empathize
What Newcomers Felt, Feared, and Needed
What Newcomers Felt, Feared, and Needed
What Newcomers Felt, Feared, and Needed
Research Synthesis
By looking at online spaces and talking with newcomers, I saw the same struggles come up again and again, such as feeling lonely, unsure about the language or vibe, and overwhelmed by too many options. Clear patterns showed through affinity mapping that emotional worries and practical issues were deeply connected. In the end, I realized newcomers need clarity, trust, and a sense of safety before showing up.
By looking at online spaces and talking with newcomers, I saw the same struggles come up again and again, such as feeling lonely, unsure about the language or vibe, and overwhelmed by too many options. Clear patterns showed through affinity mapping that emotional worries and practical issues were deeply connected. In the end, I realized newcomers need clarity, trust, and a sense of safety before showing up.
1
Emotional Friction from Isolation
Emotional Friction from Isolation
Showing up alone causes hesitation and discomfort.
Newcomers need emotional
cues to feel safe joining.
Showing up alone causes hesitation and discomfort.
Newcomers need emotional
cues to feel safe joining.
2
Overwhelm & uncertainty
Overwhelm & uncertainty
Endless event options with little context leave users stuck.
They want curated, relevant, and low-effort discovery.
Endless event options with little context leave users stuck. They want curated, relevant, and low-effort discovery.
Endless event options with little context leave users stuck. They want curated, relevant, and low-effort discovery.
3
Fragmented discovery
Fragmented discovery
Most platforms promote business networking, not belonging. Newcomers struggle to find events that match their interests and comfort levels.
Most platforms promote business networking, not belonging. Newcomers struggle to find events that match their interests and comfort levels.
User Segmentation
I did user segmentation to move beyond designing for a vague “newcomer” and instead focus on real patterns of needs and mindsets. By grouping users based on their motivations and struggles, I realized not everyone faced the same barriers.
This helped me design features that made sense for specific groups, instead of trying to solve everything for everyone. They also guided how I prioritized features like onboarding, filters, and social elements to support emotional as well as practical needs.
Persona
To bring the segments to life, I created personas that represent the real needs and emotions of newcomers. I prioritized newcomers who feel anxious about joining events alone and unsure about language or social vibes as the primary focus for my design.
To bring the segments to life, I created personas that represent the real needs and emotions of newcomers. I prioritized newcomers who feel anxious about joining events alone and unsure about language or social vibes as the primary focus for my design.
Ideation
Turning Insights into Ideas
Turning Insights into Ideas
From the insights of Rosa needing clarity and Liam needing social confidence, I explored early concepts that could ease newcomers’ struggles. My focus was on reducing overwhelm, building trust, and giving users more control when joining events.
From the insights of Rosa needing clarity and Liam needing social confidence, I explored early concepts that could ease newcomers’ struggles. My focus was on reducing overwhelm, building trust, and giving users more control when joining events.
Early Concepts
These early concepts guided how I structured the first wireframes. I translated them into user flows that focused on personalization, trust, and flexibility.
These early concepts guided how I structured the first wireframes. I translated them into user flows that focused on personalization, trust, and flexibility.
Personalized Onboarding
Tailored event suggestions based on interests and lifestyle to reduce decision fatigue.
Tailored event suggestions based on interests and lifestyle to reduce decision fatigue.
Social Trust Before Events
Visible host profiles, group chats, and attendee info to make showing up feel safe.
Visible host profiles, group chats, and attendee info to make showing up feel safe.
Flexible Discovery
Explore events by map or list, with filters for preferences to match comfort levels.
Explore events by map or list, with filters for preferences to match comfort levels.
Explore events by map or list, with filters for preferences to match comfort levels.
Wireframes
These early concepts guided how I structured the first wireframes. I translated them into user flows that focused on personalization, trust, and flexibility.
These early concepts guided how I structured the first wireframes. I translated them into user flows that focused on personalization, trust, and flexibility.
Iteration
Making the Right Trade-Offs
Making the Right Trade-Offs
After building the wireframes, I tested and reflected on what worked and what didn’t. These iterations helped me refine the design to better support newcomers’ needs.
After building the wireframes, I tested and reflected on what worked and what didn’t. These iterations helped me refine the design to better support newcomers’ needs.
Removing Gamification
I explored badges to boost engagement, but users found them unnecessary and even juvenile.
Instead, they told me what mattered was knowing if an event felt welcoming.
I explored badges to boost engagement, but users found them unnecessary and even juvenile.
Instead, they told me what mattered was knowing if an event felt welcoming.
User feedback on the gamification feature:
“Badges feel a bit forced... I’d rather know if the event is relaxed or welcoming.”
“Badges feel a bit forced... I’d rather know if the event is relaxed or welcoming.”
“I’m not here to earn points. I just want to meet people and feel like I belong.”
“I’m not here to earn points. I just want to meet people and feel like I belong.”
What I did instead:
I shifted the focus to warmer cues like host bios, and reviews that built trust instead.
I shifted the focus to warmer cues like host bios, and reviews that built trust instead.
The project began from my own experience of moving to Montreal. I felt the challenges of starting over in a new place, not just navigating the city, but also building a sense of belonging.
This inspired me to create MTL Quest that helps newcomers feel at home through shared experiences and meaningful local events.
Redesigning Profiles to Build Social Context
In the first version, profiles only showed a plain list of past events. Users felt this was boring and didn’t help them decide whether to connect. They wanted to see what they had in common with others before saying hi.
User feedback on the previous design:
“Just showing what people attended feels a bit boring.”
“Just showing what people attended feels a bit boring.”
“I want to see what we have in common before I say hi.”
“I want to see what we have in common before I say hi.”
What I did instead:
To address this, I redesigned the profile to replace the plain event list with visual records and added interest and language tags.
These changes give users a richer social context at a glance and make profiles feel more engaging and relatable.
To address this, I redesigned the profile to replace the plain event list with visual records and added interest and language tags.
These changes give users a richer social context at a glance and make profiles feel more engaging and relatable.
The project began from my own experience of moving to Montreal. I felt the challenges of starting over in a new place, not just navigating the city, but also building a sense of belonging.
This inspired me to create MTL Quest that helps newcomers feel at home through shared experiences and meaningful local events.
1
Adding Social Context to Profiles
The first profile version only listed past events, which felt too plain and impersonal. I redesigned it with interest and language tags, plus visual records of past activities. This gave users richer social context and made profiles more relatable.
The first profile version only listed past events, which felt too plain and impersonal. I redesigned it with interest and language tags, plus visual records of past activities. This gave users richer social context and made profiles more relatable.
2
Making Follower Counts Subtle
Unlike Instagram or TikTok, where follower counts are central, I reduced their visual weight. Inspired by platforms like Twitter threads, this keeps the focus on shared interests, languages, and event records.
Unlike Instagram or TikTok, where follower counts are central, I reduced their visual weight. Inspired by platforms like Twitter threads, this keeps the focus on shared interests, languages, and event records.
Event Tags Placement
At first, I considered showing all tags (like “Newcomer Welcome”, language, vibe) directly in the main event feed. But testing showed it made the feed visually heavy, and newcomers still felt overwhelmed by too much information at once.
At first, I considered showing all tags (like “Newcomer Welcome”, language, vibe) directly in the main event feed. But testing showed it made the feed visually heavy, and newcomers still felt overwhelmed by too much information at once.
What I changed:
I kept the feed cleaner, showing only the essentials (title, time, place). Detailed tags were moved into the event detail page, where users go when they’re already interested.
This reduced information overload at the first glance, while still giving enough context once users decided to explore further. It balanced clarity with reassurance, sonewcomers don’t have to parse too much info all at once.
I kept the feed cleaner, showing only the essentials (title, time, place). Detailed tags were moved into the event detail page, where users go when they’re already interested.
This reduced information overload at the first glance, while still giving enough context once users decided to explore further. It balanced clarity with reassurance, sonewcomers don’t have to parse too much info all at once.
The project began from my own experience of moving to Montreal. I felt the challenges of starting over in a new place, not just navigating the city, but also building a sense of belonging.
This inspired me to create MTL Quest that helps newcomers feel at home through shared experiences and meaningful local events.
Reflection
What This Project Taught Me
What This Project Taught Me
What I Learned:
Personas as guides
Rosa and Liam reminded me of the real voices I heard in interviews. They kept me grounded when I was tempted to add features just for the sake of it. Next time, I’d like to bring their voices in earlier during ideation, not only at validation.
Rosa and Liam reminded me of the real voices I heard in interviews. They kept me grounded when I was tempted to add features just for the sake of it. Next time, I’d like to bring their voices in earlier during ideation, not only at validation.
Validate earlier
Some design choices, like the profile redesign, only got feedback when I already had mid- or hi-fi screens. That made changes slower. In the future, I want to test with users at the sketch stage, so I can catch issues earlier and iterate faster.
Some design choices, like the profile redesign, only got feedback when I already had mid- or hi-fi screens. That made changes slower. In the future, I want to test with users at the sketch stage, so I can catch issues earlier and iterate faster.
Small details shape big feelings
I realized things like tags, filters, and how much space follower counts take up can change the whole feel of the product. Making the follower number smaller, for example, shifted the focus away from “status” and towards common interests. These little details really influenced whether the app felt welcoming or intimidating.
I realized things like tags, filters, and how much space follower counts take up can change the whole feel of the product. Making the follower number smaller, for example, shifted the focus away from “status” and towards common interests. These little details really influenced whether the app felt welcoming or intimidating.
Less is more
At one point I explored gamification, but it didn’t fit the context. Removing badges and extra features helped me focus on what users really needed: clarity, trust, and a sense of belonging. It was a good reminder that cutting features can sometimes make the design stronger.
At one point I explored gamification, but it didn’t fit the context. Removing badges and extra features helped me focus on what users really needed: clarity, trust, and a sense of belonging. It was a good reminder that cutting features can sometimes make the design stronger.
What I Can Do Better:
Bring users in earlier
Some changes, like the profile redesign, happened too late because I didn’t test early sketches. Next time, I want to bring users into the process from the start of ideation, so feedback shapes the design earlier and iterations feel lighter.
Some changes, like the profile redesign, happened too late because I didn’t test early sketches. Next time, I want to bring users into the process from the start of ideation, so feedback shapes the design earlier and iterations feel lighter.
Expand the research lens
Most of my participants were international students, which limited the range of perspectives. In the future, I’d like to talk to families, workers, and long-term newcomers as well. A wider research lens could reveal needs that I didn’t capture this time, like childcare, work-life balance, or community support for older adults.
Most of my participants were international students, which limited the range of perspectives. In the future, I’d like to talk to families, workers, and long-term newcomers as well. A wider research lens could reveal needs that I didn’t capture this time, like childcare, work-life balance, or community support for older adults.