MFA Thesis · Digital UX

乐邻 JoyNeighbour

Connecting elderly Chinese immigrants with their local communities through nearby social activities.

RoleLead UI/UX Designer
TypeMobile App Design
ScopeResearch / Information architecture / User flow / Visual design / Prototype
Joyber community app concept
01 / OVERVIEW

Overview

乐邻 JoyNeighbour

Connecting elderly Chinese immigrants with their local communities through nearby social activities.

通过邻里活动,帮助华人长者融入本地社区、重拾社交的快乐。

02 / OVERVIEW

Overview

JoyNeighbour is a community-driven app that helps elderly Chinese immigrants discover nearby events and reconnect with others through familiar, intuitive, and inclusive experiences. 乐邻 JoyNeighbour 是一款专为在美华人长者打造的社交活动App,旨在通过熟人陪伴、附近活动推荐、导航与语音等功能,鼓励长者走出家门,融入邻里社区。

03 / PROJECT DETAILS

Project Details

Type : Mobile App Design

Role : Lead UI/UX Designer

04 / SCOPE

Scope

Research, Data Analysis, Data Visualization, Information Architecture, User Flow, Visual Design, Prototype, Wireframes

05 / THE PROBLEM

The Problem

Many elderly Chinese immigrants experience social isolation due to language barriers, digital illiteracy, and lack of culturally relevant social spaces. 许多年长华人移民在美国面临孤独、语言障碍和文化割裂,难以主动参与社区生活。

Key Challenges

Digital Gap : Many seniors are unfamiliar with modern mobile apps and interfaces, making it difficult for them to access digital social platforms.

长者缺乏数字工具操作经验,难以使用主流社交平台

Social Isolation : Physical distance from family and cultural communities leads to loneliness and disconnection.

受语言与文化差异影响,长者往往缺乏同龄交流机会,容易陷入孤独情绪。

Navigation Anxiety: Fear of getting lost or not understanding the local environment discourages seniors from attending events.

害怕走丢、不熟悉周边环境,限制外出意愿

Lack of Motivation: Without platforms tailored to their needs, seniors feel less motivated to organize or join group activities.

失去动力组织活动或参与集体娱乐

06 / ELDER-FRIENDLY DESIGN SYSTEM

Elder-Friendly Design System

To address the unique needs of elderly Chinese immigrants, we developed a comprehensive design system focused on accessibility, cultural relevance, and ease of use.

Color Palette

High-contrast colors were used to enhance visibility, especially for users with low vision or age-related vision decline.

Typography

Text elements were designed with a minimum of 24pt font size to accommodate users with presbyopia and ensure readability without strain.

Source Han Sans CN VF

Raleway

Accessibility-First Design System

Safe spacing, Color contrast — 4.51:1 ,Font size check