New York City is going through various rapid changes that are dramatically shifting the culture of the city. High living costs and gentrification have quickly shifted the skateboarding presence in the five boroughs, making it harder for skaters to connect in order to create memories and content. While there is a wealth of skateboarders in New York City, there is no straightforward way of meeting new skaters in NYC digitally.
Hypothesis
By connecting local skateboarders through a digital platform dedicated to them, it will help expand the local skate community which enables skaters to skate, socialize, and create content more frequently with ease.
Research Goals
Learn if skateboarders want to engage in a digital community that can translate to physical meetings. Learn what experiences and topics do skateboarders want to engage in.
Interviews
I interviewed a total of four people that had a keen interest in the skateboarding and streetwear scene in New York City. Three of the four interviewees are current skateboarders or have skated in the past.
Research Highlights
The users described a need to engage digitally with local skaters to create dope content with more ease. Reclaim the style and lifestyle New York skateboarders created. A needed effort to help spark the fire New York City skateboarding is somewhat missing.
Age: 18–25
Needs & Goals:
Wants to meet new skateboarders, designers, and content creators locally, but doesn’t have time to skate around the city often due to his work habits. Andrew is making time to attend more social events, but wants to find more experiences that cater to his demographic and interests. He wants a platform where he can share content and view others people content related to local skate and streetwear culture.
Round 1: Home/Personal Feed
Round 2: Home/Personal Feed
Round 2: Upcoming Events Page
Mobile App Screen User Flow
Sign Up Screen
Interactive Prototype
SkateJunto App Mobile Interaction