Localink
LocaLink is a cool mobile app that connects travelers with locals, making it easy to dive into authentic cultural experiences. It’s all about discovering hidden spots, joining local events, and creating memories that go way beyond the usual tourist stuff. Whether you want a city tour from someone who knows it best, a homemade meal, or just new friends to hang out with, LocaLink hooks you up with real connections that turn your trip into an unforgettable adventure.
-
UX/UI Designer
-
6 weeks
why are we building this?
Problem
Traveling can be really tricky and stressful. Finding planes, places to sleep, and fun stuff to do can make people tired before their trip even starts. When they get there, they might feel too tired to have fun. Also, it’s hard to meet real local people and have cool, true experiences.
What if we helped travelers meet local friends who like the same things? That way, travelers can have fun, make memories, and feel happy on their trip!
Solution
creating a platform that hooks you up with locals to craft real, authentic experiences. Think personalized plans, insider tips, and cool activities you won’t find in any guidebook. It takes the stress out of trip planning so you can kick back and truly vibe with the place you’re visiting. No fluff, just genuine connections.
our plan of attack:
phases of this project
-
Research objective, Research validation, Target User identification
-
Early ideation, Low Fidelity prototypes, User feedback & Mid Fidelity prototypes
-
Mid-High Fidelity Interactive prototype
Research Objective:
I’m curious about how people usually plan their trips because decision fatigue often gets in the way of truly enjoying their travels. I want to create an app that makes planning super simple and fun, so everyone can focus more on the real holiday experience.
I intreviewed 10 people who travel regularly, here is some of the answers given by them:
I stayed in capsule hotels and one traditional ryokan. The ryokan was unforgettable, the tatami floors, hot spring bath were amazing
(a local recommended it)
Most memorable: rowing through quiet Venice canals at sunrise. Unexpected highlight: getting invited by locals to a small-town wine festival near Florence.
I used TikTok, Instagram reels, and travel blogs. The hardest part was finding non-touristy restaurants.
I’d spend less time in Tokyo and more in smaller towns. My advice: don’t overplan, Japan rewards curiosity.
If I did it again, I’d stay longer in Tuscany. My advice: book fewer cities, stay longer in each.
WHAT DOES OUR USER LOOK LIKE?
DEMOGRAPHICS
18-30 (Part/full time worker)
Loves to travel, enjoys different cultures
has a hobby which allows him to meet people all around the world
(In this context our persona is an rock climbing professional)
GOALS
Explore new rock climbing locations
Climb famous peak locations
Become a rock climbing professional
PAIN POINTS
Financial problems which restrict frequent travel for climbing adventures
Difficulty sourcing specialised climing gear when abroad
Dealing with injuries/setbacks while exploring unfamiliar terrain
Feeling isolated/ disconnected from global climbing community
Just imagine:
Imagine an app that hooks you up with locals who actually know their city—like, the real gems they love. Not just the usual tourist spots, but those secret cafés, hidden trails, and cool events you won’t find in any guidebook. It’s all about authentic experiences made by the people who live there. Perfect for travelers wanting the real deal and locals stoked to show off their hometown. Basically, it turns every trip into one epic, shared adventure.
Phase 2: Design
Rough idea of the home page of LocaLink
Sketches of the login/signup screens
Mid-Fidelity Wireframes
At this point, I just called it “Travel App” because branding wasn’t really on my radar yet. Being pretty new to UX/UI design, I hadn’t really wrapped my head around stuff like branding, color theory, or typography. So, I put together a simple black-and-white version of the app in Figma.
First concept of LocaLink
Project was called “Travel App” at this stage
What are users saying?
Great idea, just needs to be executed a little better
The concept app is good, i just wish there was more colour and effort put into making it seem more official
The fonts are boring, alongside the colour palette of black white and grey it seems very basic
Super Easy concept to understand, just looks like no effort was put into it.
the colours are really killing the app
Branding: Giving the app some life
Going through user feedback, it was clear the black-and-white scheme didn’t resonate—people wanted more color. Taking this as a creative challenge, I approached it like a real client project for a logo refresh. With my graphic design background, I mapped out my thought process in a quick, focused case study. Honestly, once the concept clicked, the ideas just flowed, and the redesign came together faster than I expected.
Future Opportunities
Settings
Adding a dettings feature within the app would help the app become “more official”
Advanced features
Features such as a map with “distance” features would level up this app
User testing
Usability testing allows the app to function better as tweaks can be made to imorove the user experience
Collect opinions
Sending out the app to more potential users and collecting ideas and opinions can really creatively accelerate the development of this app
UI principles
Implementing more UX/UI Principles within my work can take the app from where it is to where it has the potential to be
high fidelity protoype
LocaLink is a cool mobile app that connects travelers with locals, making it easy to dive into authentic cultural experiences. It’s all about discovering hidden spots, joining local events, and creating memories that go way beyond the usual tourist stuff. Whether you want a city tour from someone who knows it best, a homemade meal, or just new friends to hang out with, LocaLink hooks you up with real connections that turn your trip into an unforgettable adventure.