omar khalil

Starting college can feel like stepping into the unknown, especially without someone to guide you. As a transfer student at UC San Diego myself, I know that feeling all too well. From navigating academics to building a social network, every decision can feel like a high-stakes gamble when you're trying to find your place.

That deeply personal experience became the foundation and inspiration for this project. I set out to design an app that could serve as a trusted companion for students: one that supports both their individual growth and long-term aspirations throughout their college journey.

Solution

PEEPS is a platform that helps college students tackle academics, involve themselves in extracurriculars, and find fun and unique social activities.

💡 — Transformed user research into designs that fostered stronger student connection to campus life.

Solution

PEEPS is a platform that helps college students tackle academics, involve themselves in extracurriculars, and find fun and unique social activities.

💡 — Transformed user research into designs that fostered stronger student connection to campus life.

Dive into new & fresh experiences — find your path, find your people

Search and filter clubs, departments, volunteer roles, and activities to find engagement opportunities and events both on-campus and locally.

View detailed listings with descriptions, related events, and RSVP options tailored to your interests.
Access extra info and links to stay connected and deepen involvement beyond PEEPS.

Your campus life made easier — plan smarter, not harder

Sync your UCSD TritonLink account to see RSVP’d events alongside classes for easy, conflict-free planning.
Get smart event recommendations with quick RSVP and shareable details based on your interests.
Switch between daily, weekly, or monthly views to see your full schedule without juggling multiple platforms.

Track your personal progress — see how far you've come!

Easily access your student ID for seamless check-in at RSVP events requiring campus verification.
Explore personalized event recommendations and weekly polls to boost engagement and community.
Track past events and saved searches to continue supporting ongoing student exploration and accessibility.

Empathize

Coming out of the pandemic, I noticed a quiet but growing issue on campus—many students were struggling to find community and adjust to college life. The isolation of remote learning, coupled with UC San Diego’s decentralized campus culture, left students feeling unanchored.

Motivated by both research and personal experience, I set out to design a digital solution that could ease the transition into campus life. I envisioned an app that not only supported students at school but also encouraged them to connect with the broader cultural and social fabric of San Diego. I mapped out stakeholders, key features, and experience pillars—focusing on inclusivity, exploration, and empowerment. What emerged was more than just a guide; it was a tool to help students feel at home.

The goal was simple: reduce the stigma around the UCSD experience and reframe it as an exciting, opportunity-filled journey. This app became our way of showing students what’s possible—on campus and beyond.

Understanding the Disconnect

To better understand why students struggled to engage on campus, I led 12 structured interviews with a range of UC San Diego students. I was intentional with the questions I asked, careful not to project my own assumptions as a fellow student. I wanted to truly empathize and understand how each person’s unique experience shaped their outlook, perception, and sense of value from college.

What I found was consistent — students felt overwhelmed by the number of options, unsure where to start, and unaware of what opportunities were even available. Many mentioned that resources felt scattered or hard to find, which made taking the first step feel harder than it needed to be.

I also noticed patterns based on living situations. On-campus students often described feeling more plugged in, while those living off-campus felt isolated and wanted easier ways to connect. Across the board, students preferred mobile access to campus info, emphasizing the need for convenience and real-time updates.

Despite these challenges, almost every student mentioned putting in the effort to participate in at least one meaningful activity each week. That drive stuck with me—and it shaped how I approached solving the gap between intent and access.

User Personas

I created two distinct student personas to reflect the diverse experiences and challenges UCSD students face when navigating campus life. These personas served as grounding reference points throughout the product roadmap, helping me design with empathy and intention.

Lola is actively seeking different ways to enhance her participation and engagement within various facets of the student community.

Luca is trying to find ways to explore the city of San Diego to better acquaint himself to not only his environment but the community as well.

Dive into new & fresh experiences — find your path, find your people

Search and filter clubs, departments, volunteer roles, and activities to find engagement opportunities and events both on-campus and locally.

View detailed listings with descriptions, related events, and RSVP options tailored to your interests.
Access extra info and links to stay connected and deepen involvement beyond PEEPS.

Your campus life made easier — plan smarter, not harder

Sync your UCSD TritonLink account to see RSVP’d events alongside classes for easy, conflict-free planning.
Get smart event recommendations with quick RSVP and shareable details based on your interests.
Switch between daily, weekly, or monthly views to see your full schedule without juggling multiple platforms.

Personalized campus companion — stay connected, stay involved

Easily access your student ID for seamless check-in at RSVP events requiring campus verification.
Explore personalized event recommendations and weekly polls to boost engagement and community.
Track past events and saved searches to continue supporting ongoing student exploration and accessibility.

Empathize

Coming out of the pandemic, my team and I noticed a quiet but growing issue on campus—many students were struggling to find community and adjust to college life. The isolation of remote learning, coupled with UC San Diego’s decentralized campus culture, left students feeling unanchored.

Motivated by both research and personal experience, we set out to design a digital solution that could ease this transition. We envisioned an app that not only guided students through campus life but also helped them tap into the rich cultural and social fabric of San Diego. We mapped out stakeholders, key features, and experience pillars—focusing on inclusivity, exploration, and empowerment. What emerged was more than just a guide; it was a tool to help students feel at home.

Understanding the Disconnect

I uncovered recurring frustrations—students felt overwhelmed by choices, unsure where to start, and unaware of available opportunities. Using these insights, I pinpointed key user needs and began sketching solutions that could make campus life feel more approachable and connected.

I also conducted a focused competitive analysis, identifying features from existing platforms that aligned with our mission—and noted where they fell short. This helped me determine which elements could be adapted to give PEEPS a unique edge while staying student-centered.

User Personas

Luca is trying to find ways to explore the city of San Diego to better acquaint himself to not only his environment but the community as well.

Lola is actively seeking different ways to enhance her participation and engagement within various facets of the student community.

Luca is trying to find ways to explore the city of San Diego to better acquaint himself to not only his environment but the community as well.

Storyboarding

To bring my ideas to life, I illustrated a storyboard that captured the user journey and showed how someone might interact with key features in real-world scenarios. The storyboard didn’t just visualize possibilities but it grounded the vision in real student experiences.

It became my compass as I transitioned into wireframing and building low-fidelity designs, acting as a constant reminder of the positive outcomes I was designing for and the impact I hoped to create.

User Flow

Before diving into design iterations, I mapped out a detailed end-to-end user flow to nail down a vision. I focused on simplifying the experience, breaking down each step a user would take and outlining what they'd see on every page.

This rough blueprint became my north star, helping me identify the essential features to prioritize and provide clear direction as I began shaping the interface, allowing me to craft a journey that felt intuitive and intentional from the very start.

Wireframing + Lo-Fi Prototyping

I designed an interconnected app experience that helps students feel more immersed in campus life. Each page offers unique functionality but works together to support real student needs, from planning their week to finding their place.

Home: Access weekly challenge polls and featured events personalized based on onboarding preferences
Discover: Browse departments, clubs, volunteer opportunities, and local activities through curated categories
Calendar: Track RSVP’d events and sync with MyTritonLink so class schedules auto-populate for seamless planning
Profile: View saved and past events, enable Face ID, and toggle anonymous mode for private browsing

Everything was built with intention—clear, useful, and inviting—so students could focus less on logistics and more on connecting.

Design System & Style Guide

To build trust and maintain visual consistency, I created a style guide directly inspired by UCSD’s existing brand system and color palette. By aligning typography, color, and layout with the university’s identity, the app felt like a natural extension of campus life—fostering familiarity, legibility, and connection.

We named the app PEEPS as a nod to building a tight-knit, supportive student community. The name, along with references to campus culture like our mascot Fluffy the Sun God, helped ground the app in a tone that felt warm, familiar, and uniquely UCSD.

Hi-Fi Prototyping

Iterating for clarity & connection

Emphasized importance of hierarchy and flow, prioritizing what students would need most: a scannable student ID, quick event access, and personalized suggestions.

Balanced functionality with warm visual cues and clean spacing to guide users through their day, encouraging students to really put themselves out there.
Refined the placement of elements to ensure core actions like RSVP’ing or voting felt natural and didn’t overwhelm the screen.

A search page that inspires exploration

Organized key categories like departments, orgs, and volunteer opportunities while keeping search straightforward and focused.

Tested early versions with students to understand how they browse for meaningful involvement and adjusted layouts to surface long-term, interest-based opportunities.
Focused on empowering and encouraging users to explore both campus and greater San Diego, because sunny adventures shouldn’t stop at school boundaries.

Building a smarter, more elastic calendar

Showcases RSVP’d events, suggested events, and flexible views by day, week, or month, catering to various workflows and enhancing productivity and proactivity.

Integrated an option to sync MyTritonLink so users could see class schedules alongside campus events, helping them avoid conflicts and plan more intentionally.
Polished final designs with an intuitive layout that makes scheduling feel effortless, while keeping suggestions personalized to each student’s goals and interests.

Iterating for clarity & connection

Emphasized importance of hierarchy and flow, prioritizing what students would need most: a scannable student ID, quick event access, and personalized suggestions.

Balanced functionality with warm visual cues and clean spacing to guide users through their day, encouraging students to really put themselves out there.
Refined the placement of elements to ensure core actions like RSVP’ing or voting felt natural and didn’t overwhelm the screen.

Iterating for Clarity and Connection

Emphasized importance of hierarchy and flow, prioritizing what students would need most: a scannable student ID, quick event access, and personalized suggestions.

Balanced functionality with warm visual cues and clean spacing to guide users through their day, encouraging students to really put themselves out there.
Refined the placement of elements to ensure core actions like RSVP’ing or voting felt natural and didn’t overwhelm the screen.

A search page that inspires exploration

Organized key categories like departments, orgs, and volunteer opportunities while keeping search straightforward and focused.

Tested early versions with students to understand how they browse for meaningful involvement and adjusted layouts to surface long-term, interest-based opportunities.
Focused on empowering and encouraging users to explore both campus and greater San Diego, because sunny adventures shouldn’t stop at school boundaries.

Building a smarter, more elastic calendar

Showcases RSVP’d events, suggested events, and flexible views by day, week, or month, catering to various workflows and enhancing productivity and proactivity.

Integrated an option to sync MyTritonLink so users could see class schedules alongside campus events, helping them avoid conflicts and plan more intentionally.
Polished final designs with an intuitive layout that makes scheduling feel effortless, while keeping suggestions personalized to each student’s goals and interests.

A search page that inspires exploration

Organized key categories like departments, orgs, and volunteer opportunities while keeping search straightforward and focused.

Tested early versions with students to understand how they browse for meaningful involvement and adjusted layouts to surface long-term, interest-based opportunities.
Focused on empowering and encouraging users to explore both campus and greater San Diego, because sunny adventures shouldn’t stop at school boundaries.

Building a smarter, more elastic calendar

Showcases RSVP’d events, suggested events, and flexible views by day, week, or month, catering to various workflows and enhancing productivity and proactivity.

Integrated an option to sync MyTritonLink so users could see class schedules alongside campus events, helping them avoid conflicts and plan more intentionally.
Polished final designs with an intuitive layout that makes scheduling feel effortless, while keeping suggestions personalized to each student’s goals and interests.

Projected Impact & Takeaways

Sharpening my toolkit

During final usability testing, students showed an 80% improvement in task efficiency and completion speed when navigating the platform. Even better? They shared how the app made them feel more connected, sparking a 60% increase in interest around campus resources, organizations, and new communities they hadn’t explored before. That sense of curiosity and fulfillment reminded me that good design isn’t just usable—it’s meaningful.

People first, always

I deepened my design skills by getting hands-on with components, auto layouts, and consistent standardization. Figma became less of a tool and more of a playground—exploring its features helped me work faster and smarter while maintaining a thoughtful visual system that aligned with UCSD’s identity.

Iteration is everything

Working closely with my team and users taught me the power of collaboration and feedback. I became more confident in presenting my design decisions and backing them up with research. Looking ahead, I plan to run A/B tests, implement a lightweight notification system, and continue iterating to make the platform feel even more personal and engaging—because the work doesn’t stop at launch, and neither does the learning.

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