This project was developed as the final delivery of my master's degree in Digital Experience Design, under the given theme of vulnerability in minority groups. Alongside my teammates Cèlia, Karina and Natalia, we decided to focus on the experiences of immigrants. Through in-depth research of their experiences, based on multiple surveys and interviews, we discovered that the most prominent challenges immigrants face are emotional – specifically loneliness and the longing for their loved ones.
From our research, we also identified a key communication barrier: time difference. 93% of respondents cited different time zones as the main difficulty in staying connected, and over 50% believed that improving time coordination could help strengthen their relationships. This insight shaped the direction of our design solution.
From our research, we also identified a key communication barrier: time difference. 93% of respondents cited different time zones as the main difficulty in staying connected, and over 50% believed that improving time coordination could help strengthen their relationships. This insight shaped the direction of our design solution.
We designed an app where users can sync their personal calendars, set up their time zones, and add contacts they want to stay close with. The algorithm identifies overlapping availabilities and suggests moments of connection, allowing users to send requests and set up calls that are automatically added to both calendars. In addition, the app also shows who is currently available to chat.
Bondu was made to ease the emotional labor of managing long-distance communication. To reduce friction, we chose WhatsApp as the default communication method for the calls scheduled through the app, since 99% of our respondents noted this is their main method for contacting their loved ones.
Bondu was made to ease the emotional labor of managing long-distance communication. To reduce friction, we chose WhatsApp as the default communication method for the calls scheduled through the app, since 99% of our respondents noted this is their main method for contacting their loved ones.
Bondu is a gentle, friendly assistant designed to help people maintain meaningful relationships across the world. It automates scheduling and makes emotional connections feel lighter. Alongside the app, we also created a landing page to introduce our concept, values, and features in a warm and inviting tone. You can visit it here.
This project taught me the value of a thorough and human-centered research process — one that fostered real empathy and concern for the people we were designing for. Collaboration was key — the team’s full involvement directly shaped the quality of the outcome. It was also a chance to apply agile methodology in practice, iterating in cycles through research, development, testing and refinement. Bondu is a product rooted in purpose, with the potential to bring positive and tangible impact to people’s lives.
This project taught me the value of a thorough and human-centered research process — one that fostered real empathy and concern for the people we were designing for. Collaboration was key — the team’s full involvement directly shaped the quality of the outcome. It was also a chance to apply agile methodology in practice, iterating in cycles through research, development, testing and refinement. Bondu is a product rooted in purpose, with the potential to bring positive and tangible impact to people’s lives.
To promote the product, I created a short promotional video using Jitter, bringing the app to life and inviting people to discover how Bondu can support emotional connection across distances.