Modern messaging is broken in subtle but important ways:
Messaging is not one experience—it’s a set of contexts:
Yet most apps treat all communication the same.
LUMA introduces a messaging experience that is:
Problem:
Voice messages feel permanent and risky to send
Solution:
Temporary voice notes that disappear after playback
Why this matters:
Encourages more natural, spontaneous communication without long-term pressure
Problem:
Privacy is often buried in settings and not contextual
Solution:
Users can lock individual chats using biometrics
Problem:
AI tools are separate from communication workflows
Solution:
Integrate AI directly into chat for suggestions, summaries, and assistance
Trade-off Considered:
Problem:
Switching between features breaks flow
Solution:
Combine messaging, actions, and context into a single interface
Why:
Sets trust from the beginning
Goal:
Reduce hesitation in voice communication
What happened:
Users had different behaviors:
Iteration:
Initial designs didn’t fully account for:
Fix:
Expanded system thinking to include all states
Design System Considerations
The difference between personal and community spaces wasn’t clear enough.
Fix:
To evaluate success, I would measure:
LUMA evolved from a feature-driven concept into a system of experiences that balances:
Designing for messaging is not about creating a single flow—it’s about designing a dynamic system that adapts to different human contexts.
This project reinforced the importance of:
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