SixDegrees, 0-1 Product Development
role
founding product designer, visual designer
timeline
01.2025 – present
tools
figma, adobe illustrator
SixDegrees is a Seattle-based social networking start-up that aims to lower the barrier to friendship while using the community around Seattle to nurture relationships and 3rd spaces.
what's the problem?
Seattle has a community problem. The lack of 3rd spaces and the development of modern social culture make it difficult for people to find authentic and lasting friendships.
Seattle is notorious for a polarizing phenomenon known as the ❄️Seattle Freeze❄️. It’s a social culture stifled by limited third spaces, weak community ties, and a lack of human connection.
insights from research
We found that the biggest barriers to creating lasting friendships revolved around three key points: social anxiety, the lack of 3rd Spaces*, and the logistics of planning a hangout.
*3rd Spaces are places separate from home and work. These open spaces allow people to congregate with little to no barrier to entry.
social anxiety
logistics
compatible people
the solution
We created SixDegrees: a social networking platform that takes the guesswork and logistics out of making friends. SixDegrees fosters relationships by using algorithmic matchmaking to create compatible groups for curated real-life experiences.
how did we fix it?
SixDegrees exists to take the stress out of meeting new people. We do the planning and matchmaking. All you have to do is sign up.
SixDegrees introduces users to a questionnaire to assess a user's values, personality, and social goals.
We coordinate events with local communities & businesses to introduce new spaces to people and take the logistics out of hangouts.
We curate small, intimate groups of 4-6 to foster genuine connection and growth between people.
impact
1700+ web app users
Hosted 40+ events
partnered w/15+ local orgs & businesses
Over the course of 40 events, we were able to involve 1700+ individuals with SixDegrees. We connected people with each other and with over 15 local businesses and organizations in the greater Seattle metropolitan area.
reflection
Beyond the aesthetic appeal and user experience, I learned that concise communication and clear expectation setting were also critical design tools.
With limited resources and budget, I learned to frequently align with engineers and stakeholders to avoid future reworks and prioritize high-impact features. It became evident to me that clarity, efficiency, and collaboration mattered most when delivering for new users and early-stage products.
💫 If I were to do it again, I would create more opportunities to directly engage with the user base. The moments we did connect with live users were invaluable and created the most opportunity for change and improvement.
Some parts of this project are private. If you would like to learn more, feel free to reach out!