Hyperlocal Community Platform for Students
coA Facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration among Aalto University students. With coA, Student can able to find like-minded people and start a dream projects.
Social Media
Research 20%+,
UX/UI Design 90%+
Illustration 100%
Design Thinking, Product Design, UX/UI Design,
Project Summary Overview
Problem
Students feel limited by their skills to execute their dream projects but lack an easy way to collaborate across departments.
Solution
coA is a hyperlocal collaboration platform that connects students across disciplines, helping them find team members or contribute their skills effortlessly
Problem
Collaboration Across Departments is Challenging at Aalto
Aalto promotes interdisciplinarity, yet most classes remain within departments, limiting students to working with peers from the same major. When students initiate their own projects, finding like-minded collaborators with complementary skills becomes a major challenge.
To validate this issue, we conducted survey & Guerilla interviews. 55 students polled to assess collaboration challenges.
49.1%
Students feel the need to collaborate on projects and limited by the skills to do the dream projects
75.5%
87.3% students want to have a more centralized way to find like-minded people at Aalto
Research
Meeting students, Aalto communication team, and competitors.
To gain a comprehensive understanding of interdisciplinary collaboration at Aalto, we interviewed experts, competitors, and students. These insights shaped our approach to designing coA
Insights from Stakeholders:
Students – Extroverts rely on personal networks; introverts struggle to find opportunities. Language barriers and digital tool familiarity impact usability.
Professors – Emphasized the need for diverse teams (2-5) and structured support for interdisciplinary collaboration.
Aalto Communication Managers – Aalto’s interdepartmental communication systems are complex and inefficient, making cross-department collaboration difficult.
Competitors (Kiuas & Posted) – Kiuas confirmed that online platform for collaboration are effective in Finland.
Ideation & Concept Development
Aalto needs a more inclusive and flexible collaboration system
A New Collaboration System to Break Existing Barriers
Barrier 1: Personality – Introverted students struggle to find like-minded collaborators due to reliance on personal networks.
Barrier 2: Time – Limited access to collaboration courses; many students can’t enroll due to time constraints and competitive selection.
Barrier 3: Cost – Students often can’t afford to hire professionals to join their projects, restricting opportunities for growth.
coA removes these barriers by providing an accessible, inclusive, and cost-free way for students to connect and collaborate
UX/UI Design & Prototyping
Wireframe & User testing
Focused on key actions:
Creating projects
Joining projects
Interacting with users
User testing with Finnish & International students to iterate the coA
✔ Mid-Fidelity Prototype (65 frames, 7+ user paths).
✔ User Testers: 9 students from varied backgrounds.
Key User Insights
How Students Choose Projects Students prioritize projects based on 1) skill & interest match and 2) How much time do they spend for the project, wether it's one-time commitment or long term.
UX Confusion Some users were unclear about terms like "Message" vs. "Apply" and "Mini Task" vs. "Team Member".
Need for Better Filtering – Users want an advanced filter system to find relevant projects more efficiently.
Outcome
Creating a More Inclusive & Flexible Collaboration Platform
coA bridges the gap between disciplines, enabling students to connect effortlessly, start projects, and collaborate without barriers. By prioritizing inclusivity and accessibility, coA fosters an egoless environment where teamwork thrives.
Landing Page
Serves as the first touchpoint, setting the tone for a welcoming and low-pressure experience.
Discover Page – Find Your Next Opportunity
Helps users quickly find projects that match their skills & interests.
Designed for both active seekers & passive explorers – no forced commitment.
Supports skill-based matching rather than popularity-driven discovery.
Create a Project Page – Making Collaboration Effortless
Encourages students to take initiative by simplifying project creation.
Removes intimidation & complexity with a clean, step-by-step form.
Ensures anyone, regardless of experience, can post a project effortlessly.
Impact
coA removes barriers to interdisciplinary collaboration, making it easier for students to find the right projects and teammates—without social pressure or bias.
More Inclusive Networking – Messaging instead of applying encourages low-pressure engagement, especially for introverts and first-time collaborators.
Egoless Collaboration – No likes, rankings, or social prestige—just skill-based matching and meaningful teamwork.
