Timeline
January 2025 - June 2025
Roles
UX Designer
UX Researcher
Prototyper
Tools
Figma
Miroboard
Laborhutt is a startup that prioritizes community-powered moving service that connects people relocating between homes and apartments with local drivers who have the proper vehicles and equipment. Operating in the space of accessible services for students, Laborhutt aims to address common challenges students face when transitioning to new housing.
Our team interviewed 9 students and distributed 50 surveys to better understand their needs. Revealing that majority of students lack the support to move heavy items, while relying primarily on close friends and family in their move. Most commonly caused by not being able to afford the majority of moving services.
Our team created a student-focused user persona to better understand the moving challenges students face. Eric, a busy college student balancing school, work, and independent living, finds moves stressful and time-consuming. Highlighting his needs for a clear, reliable, and budget-friendly way to coordinate moves.
Basing our design work on our persona Eric, I reworked the booking experience to remove guesswork and reduce cognitive load. By introducing a guided flow with clear cost transparency, users could move forward with confidence instead of stopping to validate pricing. I also restructured site navigation around familiar patterns so users could orient themselves quickly and complete tasks without friction.
Through iterative refinement and user feedback, the final Laborhutt redesign became more intuitive and easier to navigate, better supporting students through the moving process
Home Page
I redesigned segments of the home page to clearly label the call to action with bolder colors. Helping the navigational flow feel more intuitive and easier for users to take the appropriate next steps.
Navigation
The navigation bar was redesigned to follow familiar patterns seen in other moving and service apps, making features like finding nearby drivers easier to access and understand.
Booking Flow
In the original design, the booking process felt overwhelming and lacked clear guidance, adding extra stress for students. In my redesign, I created a more structured, guided flow using step by step process that reassures users at every step and feels tailored to their needs.
Price Transperancy
With pricing being a major concern for students, the final step of the booking flow now includes a clear cost estimator based on the details they provide. Giving users a clear sense of what a fair price looks like for their move. For extra clarity, an additional details option breaks down exactly how the total cost was calculated.
Checklist Creation
Checklists were often underutilized or disorganized. Since a single uniform list doesn't address everyone's needs. My redesign offers users two simple options: a simple and editable basic checklist or an AI generated one tailored to each of their specific moving needs.
Checklist Layout
Checklists can quickly overwhelm students,. To create a clearer and calmer experience, I introduced a bento-style dropdown layout that shows only the sections users choose to open. This reduces visual clutter while helping students stay organized and move through their checklist with more confidence and ease
To demonstrate how users navigate and interact with the redesign, I created two prototype walkthroughs showcasing the updated experience.
Checklist Flow
Our team presented our designs to judges and fellow students at our capstone showcasing. Our designs and solutions were well-received, appreciating the improved flow and and experience for students. Transforming Laborhutt into a solution that genuinely empowers students to move with confidence
Reflection
Personal
Takeaways
This six-month journey with our project sponsor, Laborhutt, was a challenging, but gratifying journey in human-centered design. Working with a startup company taught me how to manage ambiguity and take initiative with skills that challenged and strengthened my ability to lead and adapt under uncertainty.
Throughout the project, I took an active role in both research and design, contributing to user research while leading the final design direction. Acting as the design lead, I helped guide our team toward meaningful solutions and consistency across our deliverables.
This experience reminded me of why I’m passionate about human-centered design. Creating solutions that are practical, empathetic, and rooted in real needs. As I move forward, I carry these lessons into every project I take on, continuing to grow as both a designer and teammate.