Splash ソーシャルネットワーキングアプリケーション by Junjie Xu

Splash ソーシャルネットワーキングアプリケーション by Junjie Xu is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award 鉄賞 in モバイル技術・アプリケーション・ソフトウェアデザイン Competition Category.

鉄モバイル· 2025

Splash ソーシャルネットワーキングアプリケーション

by Junjie Xu

A' Design Award 鉄賞 Winner in モバイル Category

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Colors

The Design

About Splash ソーシャルネットワーキングアプリケーション

Splashは、大学生が実際に会って新しい友人と出会えるよう支援するために開発されたソーシャルネットワーキングアプリケーションです。ユーザーは電話番号で登録し、ホーム画面で今後開催されるイベントを確認できます。ワンクリックでイベントに参加でき、新しい集まりも数秒で作成可能です。マッチングは時間、場所、共通の興味関心に基づいて行われます。二次的なつながりと非公開の電話番号交換により、信頼性と安全性を確保しています。リマインダー機能が参加を促します。SplashはiOSとAndroid向けに開発され、キャンパスでの交流におけるコストと時間の障壁を取り除きます。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 鉄賞

Splash ソーシャルネットワーキングアプリケーションは、よく設計された創造物に期待される専門的・産業的要件を満たす優れたデザインに授与される、権威ある評価である A' Design Award 鉄賞の受賞作品です。鉄賞の受賞作品は、制作者の高い技量、高度な専門性、専門家としての理解、創造的な能力を示しています。Splash ソーシャルネットワーキングアプリケーションは、高く評価され、称賛され、愛される、実用的で革新的な創造物であることが期待されます。この A' Design Award 鉄賞を受賞したデザインは、業界のベストプラクティスを統合し、ノウハウと才能に結びついた有能な技術的特性を備えています。Splash ソーシャルネットワーキングアプリケーションは、その徹底ぶりで尊敬され、世界をより良い場所にするための生活の質の向上をもたらすよう設計されています。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Splash is an instant offline social networking app designed for college students to seamlessly meet new friends with one-click matching based on time, location, and preferences. Unlike traditional apps, Splash removes financial and time barriers to socializing, leveraging real-time event creation, smart notifications, and second-degree connections for trust. The design prioritizes speed, spontaneity, and safety, ensuring frictionless interactions that foster real-world friendships.
Dimensions & Packaging: Platform: iOS (Swift), Android (React Native)
Backend: Firebase (Firestore, Authentication), Google Cloud Functions
Event Matching Algorithm: Real-time interest and availability-based pairing
User Authentication: Phone number-based login with OTP verification
Privacy & Safety: End-to-end encryption for phone number exchanges
Data Storage: Cloud-based with GDPR compliance
Package Size: 40MB initial app download
Tags: social networking, campus friendship, offline socializing, real-time event matching, college networking, friend meetup app, spontaneous meetups, Firebase app, community building, event-based networking
Production Technology: Splash was built using Swift for iOS development with a Firebase backend for real-time event matching and authentication. We employed React Native for cross-platform scalability, leveraging Google Cloud Functions for instant event processing. The UI was crafted using Figma, focusing on minimalistic yet engaging interaction flows. Our design methodology followed Lean UX and rapid prototyping, allowing for iterative user testing and agile improvements.
Design Challenge: The biggest challenge was balancing spontaneity with user safety and trust. Unlike traditional networking apps, Splash required instant but meaningful social matching, ensuring low drop-off rates while maintaining a seamless UX. We tackled this by leveraging second-degree connections for social proof, implementing privacy-first phone exchange, and designing a minimal-input event creation process. Rapid iteration and real-world testing allowed us to optimize engagement.
Research: Research Type: Market & UX Research
Objective: Validate the demand for frictionless campus socializing
Methodology: Surveys, interviews, prototype testing
Data Collection: 500-person survey at CMU, 100+ user interviews
Participants: College students (18-24)
Results: High interest in a free, instant social meetup app
Insights: Users prioritize low effort, real-time availability, and social safety
Impact: Splash removes financial/time barriers to forming friendships, making socializing more accessible
Inspiration: Splash was inspired by the struggle of making real-life friends on campus without investing excessive time or money. We saw a gap—students craved spontaneous, effortless social interactions. Drawing from Uber’s instant matching model, we designed Splash to remove the friction in meeting new people. Our research included a 500-person CMU survey and 100+ user interviews, refining our MVP for real-world needs. With fast iterations and data-driven UX, we built a seamless, intuitive experience.
Project Duration: Pittsburgh PA, Sep 2023 - Mar 2024
Operation Flow: Users sign up with their phone number and sync contacts to discover friends. The homepage displays upcoming events, allowing users to join with one click. Event initiators can create meetups in seconds, while AI-powered notifications increase engagement. Users confirm participation by exchanging details and uploading a profile image. Smart reminders ensure attendance. The app fosters real-world connections effortlessly, reducing social friction.
Team Members: Junjie Xu
Image Credits: Junjie Xu