Twiddle
An all-in-one hobby platform that makes discovering, learning, and sharing passions simple and engaging.
Research & Ideation
We first defined our target users as corporate employees, students, and hobby enthusiasts seeking creative ways to relax and unwind.
These groups often have
making them more likely to look for accessible and enjoyable hobbies.
📱 Digital-first lifestyle
🎨 Interest in creative outlets
⏰ Busy and fragmented schedules
User 3
It feels lonely doing this by myself... I want to share my work.
User 4
If there was a way to make money from it, that would be a huge motivation.
User 1
There are so many options, I don’t even know where to start.
User 2
I really wish there was some guidance.
Based on this focus, I conducted user interviews to understand their needs and pain points. From these interviews, we learned that people wanted hobbies for relaxation and social connection, but they faced key challenges like:
User Research
Competitive Analysis
Supplies & Kits
Marketplace
Personalization
User Engagement
Motivational Aspects
Hobby Discovery
Learning Structure
Community & Social
Learning Structure
0
0
Community / Social Engagement
Open Discovery
Etsy
Coursera
Twiddle
I selected Coursera and Etsy as benchmarks. By comparing these two platforms, we highlight the gaps in the current ecosystem and show how our app positions itself to fill those gaps.
Project Overview
Twiddle is a hobby platform that combines learning, supplies, and community in a single experience. Built through rounds of user research and iterative design, it addresses common challenges like lack of guidance and low motivation with features such as course trials, order tracking, and group spaces—making hobby exploration easier and more engaging.
User Researcher, UX Designer, Project Manager
Team
Project Manager & UX Designer
Role
Timeline
8 weeks, covering user research, ideation, prototyping, user testing, and final iteration
Problem
When we first began exploring this project, I noticed a common frustration among friends and peers: while many are eager to pick up new hobbies, the process often feels fragmented and discouraging. You might:
Browse courses
on Coursera
🤓
Order supplies
from Etsy/Amazon
🤔
Search YouTube
or Pinterest for tips
🤯
And
then
And
then
Each step is separate, and motivation often fades along the way.
How might we create a seamless platform that makes hobby discovery easier, provides guidance and supplies, and keeps users engaged through community?
Strategy
Discover & Learn
Structured courses and personalized recommendations guide users into new hobbies without the overwhelm.
Discover & Learn
Groups, posts, and events connect hobbyists so they can share progress and learn together.
Keep Tracking
Secure payments, order tracking, and personal dashboards keep everything clear and organized.
Shop
Hobby kits and supplies are available directly in-app, eliminating the need to jump to other platforms.
The pain points identified through research and analysis revealed opportunities for a more integrated solution, which informed the strategy below to support users across their hobby journey.
Design Process
Information Architecture
The design is developed in parallel for web and mobile, as users needed flexibility to browse, learn, and connect seamlessly on any device.
Wireframing
The revised prototype tested positively: users found the flow more intuitive, the details more complete, and the community features more engaging.
Hi-Fi (Version 2)
User Testing & Iteration
Observation
Users wanted to see more details about a group before joining.
Insight
Lack of information made it hard to judge if the group fit their goals.
Design Change
Added a group details page to support informed decision-making.
Observation
“My Groups” and “My Posts” were placed under the profile, which felt unintuitive for users.
Insight
Users expected group-related content to be accessed within the groups section.
Design Change
Moved “My Posts” into the groups tab to create a clearer and more intuitive navigation flow.
Observation
After placing an order, users could not easily find detailed order information in the flow.
Insight
Lack of visibility into order status reduced trust and made the experience feel incomplete.
Design Change
Added a dedicated tracking page so users can check their order status anytime.
Hi-Fi (Version 1)
Lessons Learned
Iterative feedback is essential. Each round of testing revealed gaps I couldn’t predict on my own.
Balancing simplicity with functionality is a real challenge. Success came from clear categorization and reducing clutter.
Community is as important as content. People stay motivated when they feel supported by others.