The Michigan Daily: Missed Connections

As a product designer on The Michigan Daily Web Team I help lead the newspaper's digital-first future. I work with developers, product designers, and editorial teams to develop article layouts, websites, and write data-driven stories.
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Missed Connections was an idea pitched by Anushka on the Web Team, and I led its design from kickoff to handoff. The visual design was spearheaded by me, but the features and user flows were decided on through discussions on usability and feasibility between me, Jeffrey, and Anushka.

Role
Product Designer
Timeline
Sep 2024–Dec 2024
Skills
System design
Interaction design
UI design
Team
Anushka Raheja (SWE)
Kathy Wang (UX Lead)
Jeffrey Qiu (UX)
Tools
Figma
Figjam



Overview

What is Missed Connections?

Share stories of almost-moments

Sometimes, it’s the almost-moments that stay with us—a smile across the library, a quick glance in the elevator. If you ever met someone and wondered “what if?”, you can share your story on a Missed Connections site to reminisce and connect with others who have felt a similar spark.

What I created:

Platform to share, read, and discover Missed Connections

The goal was to create a platform for people within and beyond Ann Arbor, Michigan, to browse, post, and read “Missed Connections”.

What I did:

Collaborated with developers to launch

We finished designs and handoff in less than 3 months, and had weekly conversations with developers and stakeholders at The Michigan Daily to ensure designs aligned with capacity and regulations. The platform is now launched and free for everyone to enjoy!

Background

Problem: Current user journey

User asks admin to upload

Most current solutions for sharing Missed Connections rely on Instagram pages or other manual systems.

Solution: New user journey

User can upload themselves

My solution would be hands-free, the posting process removes the need for a person verifying and posting it. It can all be done on the platform.

Limitations: Data protection challenges

Adapting to company policies

While the ideal outcome of a Missed Connections post might be to reconnect two individuals, The Michigan Daily prioritized user safety and compliance with internal policies.

To avoid the risks associated with account creation and personal data storage, we shifted focus to the joy of storytelling—appealing to the broader audience who delights in sharing and reading engaging narratives.

Designs

Helping users find heartwarming stories

Users want to read and explore those heartfelt, funny, and bittersweet stories shared by their community.

The top upvoted stories are in the trending section, which helps users find the most interesting ones to read about!

Giving users an outlet to share their experiences

Users want to share their story as well.

Filling out a simple form that includes title, location, and story, helps other users filter for stories that interest them.

Posts are submitted directly through the platform, eliminating the need for admin approval.

Upvoting grants users autonomy and helps with screening

Readers can engage with posts they enjoy by upvoting, helping meaningful or engaging stories rise to the top. This way, everyone can enjoy them together!

Sort and filter that personalize the experience

Readers can explore stories based on location or sort by recency or popularity.

This way, they can find stories that interest them more easily!

Design System

The design system helped streamline the development process, but it also had to match the "cuteness" of Missed Connections. I had fun making it because I got to push the visual design through exploring a pixelated "old computer" aesthetic, but reimagined with a modern twist.

By establishing consistency and maintaining strong accessibility standards for text size and color contrast, this approach meant developers could easily implement components and users could get a cohesive experience.

Reflection

Style and flair
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I had ownership over this project– building a design system from the ground up, leading its visual aesthetic development, and complementing functionality with style.

Systems thinking
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In addition to visual design, I practiced systems thinking through considering character count limits, how information would populate into the cards, and responsive design.

Collaboration
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I worked closely with developers throughout, which helped us identify constraints and their workarounds quickly, ultimately leading to a smooth handoff. We are all excited for it to launch to the residents of Ann Arbor and beyond!

Impact

Currently, this site has the potential to reach many users. I would consider the below metrics to measure performance, and use insights to guide iterative design updates!
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Unique Visitors: Measure how many people are landing on the site.
Time on Site: Track how long users stay to gauge interest and content stickiness.
Submission & Browsing Rates: Look at how many people post or search for missed connections.
Drop-off Points: Identify where users are leaving the site or abandoning tasks.

I’ll be back to update this page when it launches :)
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