2024
I designed the Community feature for Silver Lining Mentoring’s first mobile app for young adults transitioning out of foster care.
I led the design of a shared space for mentees and mentors to connect safely, incorporating ongoing feedback from my team and SLM stakeholders.
Team: PM + 6 designers + SLM stakeholders
Product Designer | Client Project | May–August 2024
What Made This Hard
Safety vs. Expression
Research revealed a real tension early on. Youth wanted a space to connect and share honestly. Staff needed strong safeguards to prevent harm and misuse.
Open posting felt risky; strict controls felt limiting.
Designing for Resilience
Not Just Wins
We initially framed Community as a place to celebrate progress. I raised a concern that constant positivity could push people away during harder moments.
That led to #StillHere, a space for sharing and reading stories of resilience, not just success. I advocated for more interaction, but we aligned on a quieter format to avoid overlap with other features.
The result prioritized emotional support without adding pressure to participate.
Shaping How People Post
Structure Came After Feedback
Our first designs allowed more open posting. After review, SLM staff raised concerns around moderation and emotional escalation.
We introduced:
Templated posts to guide sharing
Character limits to keep posts focused
Trigger warnings, defined by SLM staff
These weren’t part of the original plan but they made the space safer and more manageable.
Where We Landed
Designed to Evolve Over Time
SLM plans to roll out the app in phases, starting small and expanding once they understand how users engage. The design supports that approach without needing to be reworked later.
The final Community feature:
Guided posting to reduce risk
Clear expectations for tone and content
A system that
can loosen as trust is built
What this project reinforced for me: Designing for vulnerable communities means being comfortable with ambiguity and using feedback to clarify the product over time.
