Zeacon Mobile App Design

Bridging Local Businesses and Neighborhoods

Role & Project Background

Role: UX Researcher & UI Designer at Zeacon (Team of 9)

What is Zeacon?

Zeacon reimagines how people discover and engage with their local community. It's where neighborhood events meet digital convenience think of it as your pocket-sized community bulletin board and coupon book, but smarter and more personal.

Zeacon For Users

Imagine getting a friendly ping that a food truck festival just popped up two blocks away, or that your favorite coffee shop is offering a surprise discount for the next hour. Zeacon transforms how people experience their neighborhoods by surfacing the local gems hiding in plain sight.

Live events happening right now

Zeacon for Business

or the shopkeepers, restaurateurs, and entrepreneurs who give neighborhoods their character, Zeacon offers a direct line to nearby customers. More than just advertising, it's a platform for authentic community engagement.

Business owners can:

Zeacon for Users – UX Highlights

When designing Zeacon’s user app, my guiding principle was simplicity and delight. We wanted users to effortlessly find things to do or deals to use.

Live Mockups Below!

Go Ahead, Scroll the news Feed

Local Event Feed

Users see a feed of things happening “right now” or coming up soon around them

Interactive Map

Click & Explore Zeacons around Seattle

users see a feed of things happening “right now” or coming up soon around them

Interactive Coupon Wallet

A convenient collection of your saved deals, ready to use without the paper clutter or forgotten promo codes.

My Role & Methods

As the UX researcher/designer, I wore multiple hats

Research Studies

As the UX researcher and designer, I approached this project with equal parts curiosity and empathy, determined to create something that truly served both sides of our community marketplace.

Wireframing

Customer Persona

Business Owner Persona

Howe many rounds post -Wireframes?

Round 1: Concept Validation
Early mockups helped gauge general sentiment and answer fundamental questions: "Would you use this? What immediately appeals or concerns you?"

Round 2: Interactive Testing
As prototypes evolved, we observed users completing specific tasks like "Find a lunch deal nearby" or "Post an event for your business," noting points of confusion or delight.

Round 3: Real-World Beta
With a working version in hand, we monitored how people used the app in their daily lives over a week, uncovering practical insights about notification timing and feature priorities.

Key Outcome

Our user-centered approach meant we built only what enhanced the core connection between locals and their neighborhood businesses. This focus on essentials kept the product lean while maximizing its community value.

For users, this translated to a discovery tool that felt personal rather than promotional. For businesses, it created a direct channel to interested customers without the cost barriers of traditional advertising.

Zeacon For Desktop

Zeacon Ads

Zeacon allows Businesses to schedule ads with targeted users.

Zeacon Analytics

Zeacon connected Business Owners with Users. With ad supported scheduling

Reflection

Designing Zeacon taught me the profound impact thoughtful UX can have on real communities. We weren't just pushing content or chasing engagement metrics—we were facilitating genuine connections that strengthened neighborhood bonds and local economies.

Every design decision carried this weight of purpose: Could this feature bring someone joy in discovering their neighborhood? Might it help a small business owner keep their doors open another year?

This project reinforced my belief that the most meaningful design doesn't just solve digital problems—it enhances how people experience the world around them.

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Role & Project Background

Role: UX Researcher & UI Designer at Zeacon (Team of 9)

What is Zeacon?

Zeacon reimagines how people discover and engage with their local community. It's where neighborhood events meet digital convenience think of it as your pocket-sized community bulletin board and coupon book, but smarter and more personal.

Live Mockups Below!

Go Ahead, Scroll the news Feed

Research Studies

As the UX researcher and designer, I approached this project with equal parts curiosity and empathy, determined to create something that truly served both sides of our community marketplace.

Wireframing

I created wireframes and eventually interactive prototypes

We tested these prototypes in 5 rounds. One round with 5 local users for feedback, another round with 5 business folks.

One early finding was that people wanted a map view (initially we just had a list feed), so we added that.

Another was that business owners were afraid of bad reviews/feedback, so we decided not to include a

Howe many rounds post -Wireframes?

Round 1: Concept ValidationEarly mockups helped gauge general sentiment and answer fundamental questions: "Would you use this? What immediately appeals or concerns you?"

Round 2: Interactive TestingAs prototypes evolved, we observed users completing specific tasks like "Find a lunch deal nearby" or "Post an event for your business," noting points of confusion or delight.

Round 3: Real-World BetaWith a working version in hand, we monitored how people used the app in their daily lives over a week, uncovering practical insights about notification timing and feature priorities.

Key Outcome

Our user-centered approach meant we built only what enhanced the core connection between locals and their neighborhood businesses. This focus on essentials kept the product lean while maximizing its community value.

For users, this translated to a discovery tool that felt personal rather than promotional. For businesses, it created a direct channel to interested customers without the cost barriers of traditional advertising.

Reflection

Designing Zeacon taught me the profound impact thoughtful UX can have on real communities. We weren't just pushing content or chasing engagement metrics—we were facilitating genuine connections that strengthened neighborhood bonds and local economies.

Every design decision carried this weight of purpose: Could this feature bring someone joy in discovering their neighborhood? Might it help a small business owner keep their doors open another year?

This project reinforced my belief that the most meaningful design doesn't just solve digital problems—it enhances how people experience the world around them.

Round 1: Concept Validation
Early mockups helped gauge general sentiment and answer fundamental questions: "Would you use this? What immediately appeals or concerns you?"

Round 2: Interactive Testing
As prototypes evolved, we observed users completing specific tasks like "Find a lunch deal nearby" or "Post an event for your business," noting points of confusion or delight.

Round 3: Real-World Beta
With a working version in hand, we monitored how people used the app in their daily lives over a week, uncovering practical insights about notification timing and feature priorities.