UX Research · Social Design · Mobile App
HEAR
ME
OUT
"Social interaction is a basic human need, just like food and water." — Rebecca Saxe, MIT
UX Research · Social Design · Mobile App
"Social interaction is a basic human need, just like food and water." — Rebecca Saxe, MIT
The Brief
As a lead designer, I navigated designing Hear Me Out — a service designed to revolutionize the way we engage and connect in the digital era. As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, the need for meaningful social interactions is more crucial than ever.
We are solving for social connectedness by developing effective and accessible means of communication that allow individuals to maintain social connection, access necessary support, and combat the negative effects of isolation.
View Prototype →The Problem
Research Findings
Highest among young adults and lower-income households. Being married or having a domestic partner lowers the chances of experiencing loneliness.
Social isolation raises cardiovascular risks and accelerates dementia and cognitive decline. Social support lowers the risk of health problems significantly.
Stigma can devastate individuals, leading to social exclusion and depression. Trust is the main barrier in open discussion about loneliness.
Social isolation in youth impacts academic and cognitive development. Social media and peer pressure fuel anxiety around body image in teens.
Adults who always or often feel anxious, depressed, or lonely — a growing percentage across all age groups, with young adults most affected.
Individual and community factors shape social connections. Young city dwellers are at higher risk of loneliness despite being surrounded by people.
Research Scale
This wasn't surface-level research. We went deep — into academic papers, observational studies, expert interviews, diary studies, and live field research across New York.
Field Research
We placed a simple sign in public inviting open conversation and observed for 3 hours. Key finding: trust is the main barrier. People wanted to talk but feared judgment. The presence of an invitation alone prompted significant engagement.
Observed socializing behaviors at a live music event over 4 hours. Found that shared experiences lower the barrier to conversation. People gathered at focal points hoping to connect but struggled to initiate.
Attended a concert specifically designed to promote mental wellbeing. Discovered that music is the universal connector — especially for elderly people living alone. When the artist asked people to interact with their neighbor, it worked immediately.
Social contact alone is not the cure to social isolation. It's meaningful social contact.
Howard Steele · Clinical Psychologist & Professor
The Solution
Hear Me Out uses the music created by users to foster connection — sending it as a pop-up when a new user signs up. Instead of a generic "welcome" message, new members receive a personal audio message from an existing member of the community.
This transforms a cold digital onboarding into a warm, human moment — the kind of meaningful social contact that research shows actually combats loneliness.
Diary Study
Understanding the user and their motivations — getting an idea of their current routine and social habits.
Understanding how the user feels about carrying out tasks that require effort to socialize — the friction points.
Getting an understanding of their idea of social isolation and how they currently tackle it on their own.
"Errand hang — it breaks the monotonous cycle and makes my work a little interesting. Interactions with alumni and peers give a sense of belonging, connection, knowledge, and most importantly hope."
Diary Study Participant
Key Learnings
People want to connect but don't know how to start. The app needed to remove this friction by creating a warm, low-stakes first moment of connection.
Across all three field observations, music consistently lowered social barriers. It became the natural medium for the app's connection mechanism.
Howard Steele's insight proved true in user research — quality of connection matters far more than quantity. Hear Me Out prioritizes depth over volume.