Let's Ride

For my final project at Ironhack, I designed a concept mobile app to improve the quality of life of older immigrants and help them feel more connected and active.

Role

UX/UI Design

Project Overview

Background and Context

Older adults are often overlooked by digital products, especially when language, cultural barriers, and unfamiliar technology come into play. For immigrants, these challenges are even greater.

In the 1990s, approximately 60,000 Soviet immigrants arrived in Israel each year. Many are now over 60 and continue to face social and practical difficulties. Motivated by experiences in my own family and community, I spoke with both acquaintances and strangers to better understand their day-to-day challenges and unmet needs.

My Role

Created the concept, identified user needs, and designed the full experience. Responsible for UX, UI, visual language, and custom illustrations, with a strong focus on accessibility.

Business Objective

UX Approach

Accelerate client conversion

🎯 Immediate insights & value through landing pages & visualizations

Reduce training costs

🎯 Simplified workflows & streamlined navigation

Enhance sales demo effectiveness

🎯 Improved data visualizations to showcase sustainability insights

Ensure frustration-free user flows

🎯 Task-oriented design for a smoother, intuitive experience

Outcomes

Built an accessible, intuitive prototype that resonated with older immigrants. Many participants said they would love to have such an app, highlighting the need for inclusive, age-friendly digital services.

Inclusive Design

Designed for older adults with clear text, big touch targets, and minimal steps.

Visual Comfort

Used warm visuals and custom illustrations to create a welcoming feel.

Positive Feedback

Participants expressed strong interest in using the app.

Social Connection

Encouraged independence and helped users feel more connected and active.

Research Methods

Secondary research:
Focused on older adults’ relationship with technology, and statistical data on older immigrants in Israel.
User interviews:
Conducted with older immigrants, as well as their family members and caregivers, to understand both direct experiences and external observations.
Survey:
Completed by participants from the target group and their surrounding community to gather broader input.

Insights

Social Circle

Many older immigrants live alone or see family rarely. Cultural and language barriers make it difficult to form new connections.

Interestingly, when asked about their social lives, users often presented themselves as content - but family members revealed signs of isolation and loneliness.

Managing Daily Life

Older immigrants often face challenges with online tasks like banking or scheduling appointments. Language barriers, limited income, and unfamiliarity with services make daily life more difficult.

Culture and Hobbies

Participants enjoy arts, literature, and lectures, but cultural engagement has declined - especially after COVID-19 - leading to reduced stimulation and connection.

Technology

Older users engage with tech differently due to unfamiliarity, physical changes, and trust issues. They mostly use apps like Odnoklassniki to stay in touch but often rely on family for support and guidance.

Accessibility

Age-related changes like reduced vision, hearing, or memory can make interfaces harder to use. However, older users often read instructions thoroughly and focus better than younger audiences — if the design is clear and respectful of their pace.

I followed A11Y accessibility standards where applicable and adapted additional practices to better support this audience.

Insights were grouped using an affinity diagram to reveal core themes.

Persona

Tatyana’s Day — Key Moments & Needs

Defining the Problem

Older immigrants want to stay active and socially engaged, but face barriers like limited finances, a shrinking social circle, and unfamiliar technology. Many are hesitant to ask for help or admit they need more connection.

How might we help them enjoy social activities without financial strain - while expanding their social circle in a gentle, unobtrusive way?

Ideation

From several directions, I decided to create a free car-sharing app in the users’ native language.

These insights, combined with the unique transportation challenges in Israel, shaped the concept:

Public transport in Israel is inactive on weekends, leaving many dependent on private vehicles.
The Russian-speaking community tends to be conservative; many older women don’t drive. Often divorced and living alone, they lack affordable transport options.
The app could provide an affordable, volunteer-based, practical tool - and perhaps, through shared rides, quietly help foster community and connection.

Early Exploration

I explored key flows and microcopy in Russian, focusing on welcoming and human tone and clarity for older users. These quick sketches helped define screen content and build confidence before wireframing.

Wireframes

I created user flows and wireframes for two key user paths: offering a ride and finding a ride - ensuring both were intuitive and accessible for older adults.

Final UI screens, shown in Russian to reflect the target audience.

Prototype: Find a Ride

Visual Direction

To support older users, I developed a warm, friendly interface that balances clarity with approachability. The goal was to create a sense of trust and simplicity, while still feeling modern and intuitive.

Color Palette

I chose muted blues and soft neutrals for their calming effect and strong legibility. The darker contrast ensures readability for users with vision changes, while warm accent colors add a friendly, human touch that softens the interface and guides attention.

Typography

A round, sans-serif typeface communicates clarity and friendliness, and larger font sizes were used consistently for accessibility.

Iconography

Icons are simple and universal, always accompanied by text to reduce ambiguity.

Illustration Style

Illustrations add warmth and a personal touch. I designed a character that is like a helpful neighbor rather than a system prompt- essential for users who may feel overwhelmed by apps.

Additional Visual Explorations

To reflect the idea of togetherness, I explored the name “Vmeste” ("together" in Russian). This direction emphasized community, trust, and cultural familiarity. While the final design took a more straightforward and accessible form, this exploration reflected the same values: warmth, human connection, and local relevance.

Learnings

Designing for older adults challenged me to prioritize clarity, empathy, and accessibility: lessons that have reshaped how I think about product design.

Designing for clarity

Designing for older adults taught me how important it is to reduce friction: details like font size and wording make a difference. I also learned that emotional comfort matters just as much as usability.

Extracting honest insights

User interviews often revealed indirect or understated feedback. I learned to listen between the lines and ask deeper questions to uncover real challenges that users didn’t always verbalize.

A human-first interface

Warm visuals, conversational tone, and a helpful character helped reduce intimidation. I explored how visual language can make a product feel like a companion, not a tool, especially for hesitant or isolated users.

Next Steps

Further usability testing with older adults to validate flows and uncover friction.
Custom experiences for passengers and drivers, addressing their unique needs.
Safety enhancements, such as emergency contact sharing or ride verification.
Onboarding refinements to better support new users navigating the app for the first time.