I have decided to develop this project because, during my study abroad in Sweden in 2020, it was apparent how isolated some students felt for various reasons. Therefore, I noticed an opportunity to create this innovative solution to an everyday problem that many students are facing. Additionally, I enjoy being creative, as I have a good eye for design and have always loved creating technical projects. I have always been passionate about bringing this idea to life, so this is one step forward.

I have thoroughly enjoyed developing this project as I am passionate about using design thinking to solve real-world business problems.

Initially, my skills and knowledge of Adobe XD were minimal. However, I have decided to step outside my Digital Media degree to acquire other design-based skills and build my portfolio. I believe my digital media skills are an enhancement and will be transferable to other fields. Thus, I think it is essential to be open-minded to learning other design platforms.

This application will be beneficial for all students within the university who are looking to extend their friendship circle. The application aims to bridge the gap of communication struggles between students. Whether it be a language barrier, difficulty understanding an accent or being too shy to talk, communication in a new country/environment can be difficult. I will achieve this by allowing students to get to know each other and make new friends online from their university. They can choose specific settings, for example, gender identities, specific faculties/programs, shared interests, nationalities or year level etc. This application will help students to feel more comfortable around their classmates and know whom to reach out to if they have questions about something specific.

Thus, the project title is ‘AMICI’ – an Italian translation for friends. This application is the best way for a new student to mingle with others and participate in the beautiful student life with other students who can hopefully become their lifelong friends or memorable part of their university experience.

For the development of my project, the application has four main features:

1.    CONNECT

2.   DISCUSSION

3.   MESSAGES

4.   EVENTS

I hoped to make an application that offers multiple services and functions while providing convenience and efficiency to students by having everything easily accessible in one location.