Fractal Spaces

Our team laid the foundation for Fractal Spaces, a 0-1 Agile project for our client LX Cast, whose experience at Marco Polo inspired the initial framework.


We focused on exploring and validating the core concept—enabling group members to communicate through asynchronous audio messaging to cultivate more meaningful relationships.

Service

UX design, mobile application, 0-1 MVP

Sector

Group Messaging, Social Platform

Year

2025


01 Context

01 Context

An Overview: The Loneliness Epidemic

For individuals seeking community, traditional group structures often fall short in fostering a true sense of belonging. Meaningful connections require more than just membership— they thrive on frequent, positive interactions, trust, and rapport built over time.

Recognizing the shortcomings of existing community platforms and the limitations of social media in fostering genuine connection, LX Cast partnered with Tech Fleet for Phase 1 of Fractal Spaces. Our team focused on designing an experience where the conversation journey serves as the core flow of the platform, ensuring deeper, more meaningful interactions.

Product Goals and MVP Goals

The scope of the MVP was created between the client and the full project team, which included:


  • Product Goal: be a go-to platform for organized groups


  • Product Goal: help groups who practice develop more meaningful groups whose members feel belonging and connection


  • MVP Goal: verify that a stream of async audio voice messages is a good group experience

The scope of the MVP was created between the client and the full project team, which included:


  • Product Goal: be a go-to platform for organized groups


  • Product Goal: help groups who practice develop more meaningful groups whose members feel belonging and connection


  • MVP Goal: verify that a stream of async audio voice messages is a good group experience

Project Constraints

The target audience for this phase was predefined as "custodial members"— leaders within an organized group’s shared leadership team.

A constraint specific to the design team was that although the User Research Team was tasked with validating asynchronous audio as an effective communication method, its inclusion in the final mobile application was set as an expectation.

The target audience for this phase was predefined as "custodial members"— leaders within an organized group’s shared leadership team.

A constraint specific to the design team was that although the User Research Team was tasked with validating asynchronous audio as an effective communication method, its inclusion in the final mobile application was set as an expectation.

My Role on the Team

I started the project phase as a UX Design Apprentice and quickly moved into a Co-Lead position for the UX Design Team.

The entire project team worked Agile, where we cross-functionally collaborated with UX Research, Product Strategy, and Project Management teams in multiple 2-week sprints.

I started the project phase as a UX Design Apprentice and quickly moved into a Co-Lead position for the UX Design Team.

The entire project team worked Agile, where we cross-functionally collaborated with UX Research, Product Strategy, and Project Management teams in multiple 2-week sprints.

02 Process

02 Process

Defining Potential Group Types

To better understand how the platform could meet diverse needs, we categorized different group types and explored examples of each.

To better understand how the platform could meet diverse needs, we categorized different group types and explored examples of each.

Goal Focused Groups

Goal Focused Groups

Hobby Based Groups

Hobby Based Groups

Other Shared Interest Groups

Other Shared Interest Groups

Community Building Groups

Community Building Groups

Skill Development Groups

Skill Development Groups

Defining User Segments

Defining User Segments

While our primary focus was on custodial members, we also considered the broader user ecosystem, including the group members they serve. By applying the Jobs to be Done framework across user segments, we gained deeper insights into their distinct roles and needs.

While our primary focus was on custodial members, we also considered the broader user ecosystem, including the group members they serve. By applying the Jobs to be Done framework across user segments, we gained deeper insights into their distinct roles and needs.

Custodial Members 1

User Segment 1

The main custodial members are the most active leaders of the group, potentially those who started the group.

Custodial Members 2

User Segment 2

The supporting custodial members are other leaders of the group, but take direction from segment 1 or who focus on just one aspect of leadership responsibilities.

Active Members

User Segment 3

Active group members are the most engaged members of the group- always participating, attending events, etc.

Inactive Members

User Segment 4

Inactive group members do not attend events as often or participate in the group. Potentially newer members.

Discovering Opportunities within the Group Messaging Space

We reviewed six top competitors in group messaging, focusing on those that prioritized intimate group dynamics as well as audio features. Those included Whatsapp, MeetUp, Marco Polo, Geneva, Threads by Fabriq, and the Fabriq app.

We reviewed six top competitors in group messaging, focusing on those that prioritized intimate group dynamics as well as audio features. Those included Whatsapp, MeetUp, Marco Polo, Geneva, Threads by Fabriq, and the Fabriq app.

Understanding the Pain Points of Group Leaders

Understanding the Pain Points of Group Leaders

Being that the target audience is the groups leaders of organized groups who meet in person, we mapped of a common journey from one in-person event or meeting to the next. The focus was what happens in the in-between period, and the pain points that come up as they bridge the gap in between live meetings.

Being that the target audience is the groups leaders of organized groups who meet in person, we mapped of a common journey from one in-person event or meeting to the next. The focus was what happens in the in-between period, and the pain points that come up as they bridge the gap in between live meetings.

The Framework of the Conversation Journey

The user flow of the conversation experience starts with being a member of a group, in this case, a custodial member who has started the group and has participating members invited.

Anyone can start a conversation, which progresses to recording their message, publishing, and listening to others who have responded to the conversation.

The user flow of the conversation experience starts with being a member of a group, in this case, a custodial member who has started the group and has participating members invited.

Anyone can start a conversation, which progresses to recording their message, publishing, and listening to others who have responded to the conversation.

Starting a Conversation

After a group leader has created the community, users can hold async audio conversations where they can respond to recent topics or find themselves in their Weekly Member Mixer topic space.

After a group leader has created the community, users can hold async audio conversations where they can respond to recent topics or find themselves in their Weekly Member Mixer topic space.

Listening to Audio Stream

A user can either press the play button from the menu to hear a continuous audio stream, one response repeating automatically after the other, or they can click on individual responses.

A user can either press the play button from the menu to hear a continuous audio stream, one response repeating automatically after the other, or they can click on individual responses.

Live Scheduled Conversations

A user can either press the play button from the menu to hear a continuous audio stream, one response repeating automatically after the other, or they can click on individual responses.

A user can either press the play button from the menu to hear a continuous audio stream, one response repeating automatically after the other, or they can click on individual responses.

03 Results

03 Results

Incorporating UX Research’s findings between Low and Mid-Fidelity Designs

Incorporating UX Research’s findings between Low and Mid-Fidelity Designs

While we were working Agile, the first round of low-fidelity designs were based on secondary research and assumptions from an assumption mapping workshop.

The Mid Fidelity results seen above incorporated UX Research’s takeaways from four user interviews.

  • It is important to build trust for meaningful conversations


  • There are common challenges of engagement among groups

  • Virtual meetings in-between regular meetings are valuable for active conversations that are more engaging


  • Other logistical features are important to group facilitation


  • An audio-based platform might not solve their needs (further research recommended by the User Research team)

While we were working Agile, the first round of low-fidelity designs were based on secondary research and assumptions from an assumption mapping workshop.

The Mid Fidelity results seen above incorporated UX Research’s takeaways from four user interviews.

  • It is important to build trust for meaningful conversations


  • There are common challenges of engagement among groups

  • Virtual meetings in-between regular meetings are valuable for active conversations that are more engaging


  • Other logistical features are important to group facilitation


  • An audio-based platform might not solve their needs (further research recommended by the User Research team)

Recommendations for the Next Phase of Fractal Spaces

Recommendations for the Next Phase of Fractal Spaces

Fractal Spaces attempts to meet the needs of broad groups, including support groups and hobby based groups. An opportunity to explore in onboarding is where a custodial member creating the group has the option to customize the experience based on group type.

Another recommendation for future teams was to A/B test the orientation of the playback screen. A vertical layout would provide more space for text summaries, improve audio message scannability, and align with familiar design patterns. While the client originally favored a horizontal playback screen, our team explored both orientations in our individual designs to assess their usability and potential benefits, and provide opportunities for future concept testing.

With our discoveries in place as a result of this initial foundational phase, the client is now well-positioned to build upon this groundwork, refining and expanding the platform to better meet user needs.

Fractal Spaces attempts to meet the needs of broad groups, including support groups and hobby based groups. An opportunity to explore in onboarding is where a custodial member creating the group has the option to customize the experience based on group type.

Another recommendation for future teams was to A/B test the orientation of the playback screen. A vertical layout would provide more space for text summaries, improve audio message scannability, and align with familiar design patterns. While the client originally favored a horizontal playback screen, our team explored both orientations in our individual designs to assess their usability and potential benefits, and provide opportunities for future concept testing.

With our discoveries in place as a result of this initial foundational phase, the client is now well-positioned to build upon this groundwork, refining and expanding the platform to better meet user needs.