Sift

FIND ADVICE YOU CAN TRUST





Sift
UI/UX Design, UX Research, Wireframes

Scout Client Project
Figma, Miro
Jan 2023 - Mar 2023




OVERVIEW

Sift is a social platform for friends to share and compare recommendations with each other and compile products, services, and more into one easy-to-use app. Sift is approachable but straightforward, helping busy people find what they need from trusted sources, in an era of information overload.

My team worked with Sift to establish a design system for their brand and mobile app that fit their brand personality and mission. Our team researched, brainstormed and iterated on wireframes, logos and mobile app icons to design a mobile app prototype. In addition, our team helped Sift define their brand identity and style to fit the client’s visions. After the design system was complete, our team carried out user research and testing.

The challenge: How might we help new parents find and organize trustworthy recommendations from friends without the clutter and confusion of typical social platforms?



RESEARCH + STRATEGY

  • User Interviews revealed frustration with disorganized group chats and impersonal online forums

  • Competitive Analysis identified gaps in platforms like Pinterest and Reddit — particularly around trust and usability

  • Brand Strategy emphasized warmth, clarity, and flexibility across a diverse parenting community



    UI DESIGN: MY WORK

    Through competitive analysis and user interviews, we discovered parents needed quick, relatable answers from people like them, not generic advice. My job was to design search and notification features that surface community-sourced responses efficiently. 

    Search Pages

    Notifications Page

                 




    VISUAL + BRAND SYSTEM

    • Collaborated on typography, color palettes, and UI components (cards, icons, buttons)

    • Integrated brand direction into final UI for a cohesive feel

    • Used modular layouts to support scalability

    You can view our Brand Book or our Final Prototype if you’d like to see more.



    CHALLENGES

    Working with a real-world client meant balancing shifting priorities, unclear direction, and frequent team handoffs. Internal alignment was tough, and arriving at a design system that satisfied everyone felt like a compromise. The process tested both our adaptability and communication skills.

    SOLUTIONS

    Amid shifting teams and evolving design directions, I focused on keeping the user experience clear and consistent. I refined navigation flows and page structures to reduce confusion, and applied accessibility best practices to ensure layouts were easy to scan and interact with. My priority was to make the product feel like a real, usable tool rather than a classroom prototype, while documenting decisions to support collaboration and continuity across the team.


    REFLECTION

    This project challenged me in ways that pushed my growth not just as a designer, but as a collaborator and communicator.

    Working with a real client through Scout Studio meant navigating ambiguity and adjusting our direction based on evolving client needs. The client had a broad vision but lacked clarity on execution, which required us to translate abstract ideas into concrete UI decisions — often iterating quickly based on feedback that wasn’t always specific or aligned across stakeholders.

    Additionally, our design team shifted mid-project, which meant taking on new responsibilities, realigning roles, and maintaining consistency across workstreams.

    Through this experience, I learned how to:
    • Ask the right questions to draw out client needs, even when they’re unsure
    • Compromise between user needs and stakeholder expectations
    • Collaborate within a dynamic team and maintain design cohesion
    • Own specific deliverables while contributing to a unified product vision





    DesignPhotoVideoAbout