Lumi - Bringing closeness to distance
Lumi - Bringing closeness to distance
A lightweight app for couples and friends to share instant signals. Instead of long calls or endless chats, Lumi creates small, playful moments of connection - simple, warm, and accessible. 🌸
A lightweight app for couples and friends to share instant signals. Instead of long calls or endless chats, Lumi creates small, playful moments of connection - simple, warm, and accessible. 🌸
Role
Role
UX Designer - Researcher
UX Designer - Researcher
Duration
Duration
4 Weeks
4 Weeks
Tools
Tools
Figma - AI
Figma - AI
Focus
Focus
Emotional UX
Emotional UX
Hi, I’m Shima 🐦, the little mascot of Lumi.
I’ll guide you through how this app was born. Starting with the problem we solved.
Hi, I’m Shima 🐦, the little mascot of Lumi.
I’ll guide you through how this app was born. Starting with the problem we solved.
The Problem
The Problem
Staying emotionally close across distance can feel difficult and heavy.
Staying emotionally close across distance can feel difficult and heavy.
Through conversations with couples and friends in long-distance situations, I identified the following main challenges:
Through conversations with couples and friends in long-distance situations, I identified the following main challenges:
Lack of immediacy
Lack of immediacy
Messaged or calls take time and effort, so small moments of connection often get lost.
Messaged or calls take time and effort, so small moments of connection often get lost.
Emotional gap
Emotional gap
When communication is irregular, people report feeling less present in each other’s daily lives.
When communication is irregular, people report feeling less present in each other’s daily lives.
Overloaded channels
Overloaded channels
Chats and calls carry weight and expectations, making it harder to share light, playful interactions.
Chats and calls carry weight and expectations, making it harder to share light, playful interactions.
The solution
The solution
Lumi reduces the weight of long-distance communication by turning it into light, playful moments of connection.
Lumi reduces the weight of long-distance communication by turning it into light, playful moments of connection.
Playful signals - send a Lumi with one tap to instantly show presence and care.
Playful signals - send a Lumi with one tap to instantly show presence and care.
Mood check-ins - share how you feel with a visual reaction from Shima, creating empathy at a glance.
Mood check-ins - share how you feel with a visual reaction from Shima, creating empathy at a glance.
Shared moments - keep a simple counter of highlights, making small interactions feel meaningful over time
Shared moments - keep a simple counter of highlights, making small interactions feel meaningful over time
Lumi began with my own story. Let me show you who it’s really for.
Lumi began with my own story. Let me show you who it’s really for.
From user groups
From user groups
Couples in long-distance relationships
Couples in long-distance relationships
Families separated by travel or work
Families separated by travel or work
Friends living in different cities
Friends living in different cities
From pain points
From pain points
Hard to stay close without constant chatting
Hard to stay close without constant chatting
Calls feel heavy and are not always possible
Calls feel heavy and are not always possible
Fear of drifting apart when daily signals are missing
Fear of drifting apart when daily signals are missing
Existing apps focus on texting, not emotion
Existing apps focus on texting, not emotion
Who we design for
Who we design for
Levin, 31 – Partner
Levin, 31 – Partner
“Even a tiny signal helps me feel close when I’m busy.”
“Even a tiny signal helps me feel close when I’m busy.”
Needs quick gestures to send during work
Wants to share moods without starting a chat
Values rituals that strengthen bonds
Needs quick gestures to send during work
Wants to share moods without starting a chat
Values rituals that strengthen bonds
Maria, 52 – Mother
Maria, 52 – Mother
“I just want to feel included in my daughter’s life without long calls.”
“I just want to feel included in my daughter’s life without long calls.”
Needs simple signals of presence
Wants a shared calendar for important dates
Feels pressure when calls or texts take too much time
Needs simple signals of presence
Wants a shared calendar for important dates
Feels pressure when calls or texts take too much time
Hi, I am back 🕊️ Based on what we learned from users, let’s pin down the core principles that keep Lumi simple, playful, and focused on emotions.
Hi, I am back 🕊️ Based on what we learned from users, let’s pin down the core principles that keep Lumi simple, playful, and focused on emotions.
What shaped Lexi
What shaped Lumi
From these personas I distilled the key accessibility challenges that guided Lexi’s design.
From these personas I distilled the key accessibility challenges that guided Lexi’s design.
INSIGHT #1
INSIGHT #1
Lightweight signals keep bonds alive.
→ Users want presence without heavy calls or chats.
Lightweight signals keep bonds alive.
→ Users want presence without heavy calls or chats.
INSIGHT #2
INSIGHT #2
Playfulness creates empathy.
→ Emoji and Shima reactions make emotions visible in one glance.
Playfulness creates empathy.
→ Emoji and Shima reactions make emotions visible in one glance.
INSIGHT #3
INSIGHT #3
Boundaries protect simplicity.
→ Leaving out chat, calls, and feeds keep Lumi focused on emotions.
Boundaries protect simplicity.
→ Leaving out chat, calls, and feeds keep Lumi focused on emotions.
How users interact with Lumi
How users interact with Lumi
To address these challenges, I mapped out the key flows that guide users from sending a Lumi to checking moods and sharing small moments together.
To address these challenges, I mapped out the key flows that guide users from sending a Lumi to checking moods and sharing small moments together.
Here are Lumi’s first rough sketches. Not polished, but perfect to test ideas fast.
Here are Lumi’s first rough sketches. Not polished, but perfect to test ideas fast.
Wireframes & Early Concepts
Wireframes & Early Concepts
With the flows I defined, I translated Lumi’s main interactions into lof-fidelity wireframes to explore structure and navigation.
With the flows I defined, I translated Lumi’s main interactions into lof-fidelity wireframes to explore structure and navigation.
Onboarding
Onboarding
Simple pairing code to quickly connect two users without extra steps.
Simple pairing code to quickly connect two users without extra steps.
Send Lumi
Send Lumi
One-tap gesture to instantly share a playful signal.
One-tap gesture to instantly share a playful signal.
Mood Check
Mood Check
Quick emoji update with Shima’s reaction, keeping emotions visible at a glance.
Quick emoji update with Shima’s reaction, keeping emotions visible at a glance.
Make a Wish
Make a Wish
Shared list of small activities that help maintain rituals and spark connection.
Shared list of small activities that help maintain rituals and spark connection.
Here Lumi shines at its best. These are the refined designs after moving beyond low-fidelity prototypes.
Here Lumi shines at its best. These are the refined designs after moving beyond low-fidelity prototypes.
Final Screens & Iterarions
Final Screens & Iterarions
Each screen was polished for clarity, accessibility, and emotional impact. Compared to the lo-fi prototypes, the updates brought streamlined navigation, a clearer hierarchy, and more expressive visuals with Shima mascot.
Each screen was polished for clarity, accessibility, and emotional impact. Compared to the lo-fi prototypes, the updates brought streamlined navigation, a clearer hierarchy, and more expressive visuals with Shima mascot.
Home screen - Lumi’s emotional hub
Home screen - Lumi’s emotional hub
One tap to send a Lumi, making connection instant and warm.
One tap to send a Lumi, making connection instant and warm.
Wish screen - Light planning tool
Wish screen - Light planning tool
Pic simple activities and view them in a shared weekly overview.
Pic simple activities and view them in a shared weekly overview.
Mood screen - Share feelings instantly
Mood screen - Share feelings instantly
Shima’s playful reactions add warmth and emotional clarity.
Shima’s playful reactions add warmth and emotional clarity.
Pairing
Pairing
A short code connects two users within seconds, avoiding complex sign-ups.
A short code connects two users within seconds, avoiding complex sign-ups.
Settings
Settings
Minimal and accessible, with clear icons and Shima’s hints supporting all age group.
Minimal and accessible, with clear icons and Shima’s hints supporting all age group.
What I Learned
What I Learned
Designing Lumi showed me how emotions translate into interactions design. Quick feedback sessions revealed that users felt more connected through Shima’s playful reactions than through long chat-like exchanges. The insight was clear: simplicity is not about cutting features, but about removing friction so gestures feel effortless. I also learned that accessibility isn’t optional - people of different ages and tech levels need clarity and intuitive flows to feel included
Designing Lumi showed me how emotions translate into interactions design. Quick feedback sessions revealed that users felt more connected through Shima’s playful reactions than through long chat-like exchanges. The insight was clear: simplicity is not about cutting features, but about removing friction so gestures feel effortless. I also learned that accessibility isn’t optional - people of different ages and tech levels need clarity and intuitive flows to feel included
Next Steps
Next Steps
The next phase is to prototype animations that amplify Shima’s emotional responses and to add subtle button feedback for warmth. Accessibility wil be extended with full screen reader support. Finally, I plan cross-platform testing on iOS and Android, followed by structured usability sessions to validate whether Lumi consistently delivers it’s emotional goal.
The next phase is to prototype animations that amplify Shima’s emotional responses and to add subtle button feedback for warmth. Accessibility wil be extended with full screen reader support. Finally, I plan cross-platform testing on iOS and Android, followed by structured usability sessions to validate whether Lumi consistently delivers it’s emotional goal.
Closing thoughts
Closing thoughts
Lumi became more than a prototype - it turned into a daily ritual of closeness. Testing confirmed that even minimal gestures, when designed with empathy, can make distance feel smaller. For me, this project was both a UX lesson in clarity and a personal reflection on staying connected to loved ones.
Lumi became more than a prototype - it turned into a daily ritual of closeness. Testing confirmed that even minimal gestures, when designed with empathy, can make distance feel smaller. For me, this project was both a UX lesson in clarity and a personal reflection on staying connected to loved ones.