To understand my target audience and the existing landscape, I conducted a competitive analysis of popular social media and travel apps to identify market gaps. I also ran online user surveys to gather quantitative data on discovery habits and a series of one-on-one user interviews to gain qualitative insights into user motivations and frustrations.

Key Findings:
Through my research, several key themes emerged:
The "Discovery Gap": Users felt that existing platforms were great for travel to new cities but poor for finding unique, local places in their own city.
Authenticity Over Aesthetics: Participants were tired of overly-curated, "Instagram-perfect" content. They craved genuine, real-time recommendations from people they trusted.
Map-Based Exploration: Users expressed a strong preference for visual, map-based discovery over endless scrolling through a feed. They wanted to see where places were in relation to their current location.
The "Explorer" Identity: A key user motivation was a desire to feel like a knowledgeable local, not a tourist. They wanted to share their own discoveries as a way to build a community.
‍
Personas:
‍Based on these findings, I created a primary user persona, "Maya the Urban Explorer" Maya is a creative and curious individual who loves to explore her city. She's always looking for hidden gems- the quirky coffee shops, the beautiful murals tucked away in alleys, or the historic landmarks she somehow missed. She enjoys a good photo opportunity. but values the story and unique experience behind a place even more. While she uses social media, she's tired of the overly curated, "perfect" feeds and wants a more authetic way to discover and share local spots. She's driven by a desire to feel connected to her city and share her discoveries with a community of like-minded people.