BIRD App

BIRD is a mobile app concept for the educational platform “Bildungsraum Digital”. The project was developed in the fourth semester as part of the Application Design course.

The task was to design a learning and orientation app for users who are looking for universities, degree programs and suitable educational paths. Since there was no existing design system or visual direction, the project required both conceptual development and a new visual foundation.

The project started as a team of two. A persona and user story map were provided as a starting point. Together, we developed the initial moodboard, defined the app’s character and established shared design goals for the visual direction.

After this initial concept phase, I independently developed the search area of the app. The sketches, user flow, Figma prototype, custom components and interaction ideas shown in this case study were created by me.

The main challenge was making a complex decision-making process feel clear and manageable. Choosing a university or degree program can quickly become overwhelming, especially when users have to compare many different options, locations and requirements.

The interface needed to guide users step by step without limiting their freedom. It had to feel structured, supportive and trustworthy while still allowing users to explore independently.

My main responsibility was the conceptual and visual development of the search experience. While the moodboard and initial design direction were developed together, the complete search prototype was my own work.

My tasks included:

• developing the search concept and interaction logic
• creating low-fidelity sketches for the search flow
• designing the search, filter and map experience
• creating the clickable Figma prototype
• building custom UI components
• designing the screen layouts and visual system
• translating the concept into a consistent mobile interface

The process started with the provided persona and user story map. Together with my teammate, I defined design goals such as clarity, guidance, autonomy and confidence. These goals became the conceptual foundation for the app’s tone and visual direction.

I then focused on the search user flow. Before moving into high-fidelity design, I created low-fidelity sketches to explore how users could move from initial orientation to filtered results, map views and detailed information.

Based on these sketches, I developed the final Figma prototype. Since there was no existing design system, I created the necessary components, interface elements and screen layouts myself. The final prototype combines search, filters, map-based exploration and detail pages into one coherent mobile experience.

Before moving into the final interface, I used hand-drawn sketches to map out the core interactions. This helped me to visualize the flow and ensure a seamless experience.

The final result is a clickable Figma prototype for the BIRD app’s search experience. It includes a complete user flow from initial search to filtered results, location-based map views and detailed educational information.

The prototype shows how users can explore universities, degree programs and educational paths in a structured but flexible way. It also demonstrates a visual direction and custom component system for a possible future BIRD mobile app.

This project taught me how important structure is in application design. I learned how to turn an abstract user need into a concrete user flow and how early sketches can help test interaction ideas before investing time in high-fidelity screens.

I also gained experience in building a mobile interface from scratch, creating custom components and designing an experience that supports users through complex decisions without overwhelming them.