College Buddy
College Buddy
College Buddy
Smarter Student Life
Smarter Student Life
2030 Multi-Modal In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) System
2030 Multi-Modal In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) System
2030 Multi-Modal In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) System
About this Project
About this Project
About this Project
College Buddy is a campus engagement app created during Tufts Producthon 2025, a 36-hour design challenge. Our team designed a solution that helps students discover events, connect with peers, and feel more integrated into college life. The goal was to reduce the gap between available campus activities and how easily students can find and join them, resulting in a simple and personalized platform that makes campus life easier to navigate.
College Buddy is a campus engagement app created during Tufts Producthon 2025, a 36-hour design challenge. Our team designed a solution that helps students discover events, connect with peers, and feel more integrated into college life. The goal was to reduce the gap between available campus activities and how easily students can find and join them, resulting in a simple and personalized platform that makes campus life easier to navigate.
This project—a collaboration between Stellantis User Experience Design and the University of Michigan School of Information (SI 394: Automotive UX)—focused on redesigning the Alfa Romeo 2025 Giulia’s in-vehicle experience by envisioning a 2030 Smart Energy Management system for EVs.
Guided by Stellantis’ 2030 vision for advanced multi-modal infotainment, we designed an AI-powered, future-ready IVI system capable of predictive modeling, multi-modal interaction, and brand-specific adaptation. As a team of two UX designers, we conducted competitive research, built wireframes, designed interaction flows, and developed high-fidelity prototypes supported by usability testing to deliver an intuitive, scalable, and brand-aligned energy management experience.
Roles
UX/UI Designer
Tools
Figma
Team
2 UX/UI Designers
Timeline
36 Hours
Roles
Roles
Roles
UX/UI Designer
UX/UI Designer
UX/UI Designer
Tools
Tools
Tools
Figma
Figma
Figma
Team
Team
Team
2 UX/UI Designers
2 UX/UI Designers
2 UX/UI Designers
Timeline
Timeline
Timeline
36 Hours
36 Hours
36 Hours
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
Problem Statement
Students often struggle to find relevant campus events and build meaningful connections because information is scattered across multiple platforms. This creates frustration, low event turnout, and a missed sense of community.
Students often struggle to find relevant campus events and build meaningful connections because information is scattered across multiple platforms. This creates frustration, low event turnout, and a missed sense of community.
Students often struggle to find relevant campus events and build meaningful connections because information is scattered across multiple platforms. This creates frustration, low event turnout, and a missed sense of community.
Background
Background
Background
Many universities rely on a mix of emails, posters, group chats, and outdated event portals to share information. Students—especially transfers, first-years, and international students—feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure where to start. College Buddy was created to centralize event discovery and make community-building more approachable and intuitive.
Many universities rely on a mix of emails, posters, group chats, and outdated event portals to share information. Students—especially transfers, first-years, and international students—feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure where to start. College Buddy was created to centralize event discovery and make community-building more approachable and intuitive.
Many universities rely on a mix of emails, posters, group chats, and outdated event portals to share information. Students—especially transfers, first-years, and international students—feel overwhelmed, disconnected, or unsure where to start. College Buddy was created to centralize event discovery and make community-building more approachable and intuitive.
Research
Research
Research
Our research combined quick user interviews during the 36-hour sprint with secondary research to understand how students experience connection and campus life.
Gen Z Loneliness Data: Over 50% of Gen Z college students report feeling lonely (Sodexo, 2022), reinforcing that lack of community is a widespread issue on campuses.
U.S. Loneliness Survey (20,000+ respondents):
- 59% felt their interests and ideas aren’t shared by people around them.
- 48% felt left out.
- 43% felt isolated from others.
Student Interviews: Many students said campus information feels scattered, making it hard to find events they actually care about.
Competitive Review: Existing school platforms were often cluttered, outdated, or lacked personalization.
Key Insight: Students aren’t lacking opportunities — they’re lacking a simple, personalized way to find events and communities where they feel they belong.
Our research combined quick user interviews during the 36-hour sprint with secondary research to understand how students experience connection and campus life.
Gen Z Loneliness Data: Over 50% of Gen Z college students report feeling lonely (Sodexo, 2022), reinforcing that lack of community is a widespread issue on campuses.
U.S. Loneliness Survey (20,000+ respondents):
- 59% felt their interests and ideas aren’t shared by people around them.
- 48% felt left out.
- 43% felt isolated from others.
Student Interviews: Many students said campus information feels scattered, making it hard to find events they actually care about.
Competitive Review: Existing school platforms were often cluttered, outdated, or lacked personalization.
Key Insight: Students aren’t lacking opportunities — they’re lacking a simple, personalized way to find events and communities where they feel they belong.
Our research combined quick user interviews during the 36-hour sprint with secondary research to understand how students experience connection and campus life.
Gen Z Loneliness Data: Over 50% of Gen Z college students report feeling lonely (Sodexo, 2022), reinforcing that lack of community is a widespread issue on campuses.
U.S. Loneliness Survey (20,000+ respondents):
- 59% felt their interests and ideas aren’t shared by people around them.
- 48% felt left out.
- 43% felt isolated from others.
Student Interviews: Many students said campus information feels scattered, making it hard to find events they actually care about.
Competitive Review: Existing school platforms were often cluttered, outdated, or lacked personalization.
Key Insight: Students aren’t lacking opportunities — they’re lacking a simple, personalized way to find events and communities where they feel they belong.