Vote Confidently - Youth Political Empowerment

Three questions to the project team

What was the particular challenge of the project from a UX point of view?
The key UX challenge was addressing the disengagement and disempowerment of youth (18–24 years) in civic activities. Many lacked trust, confidence, and accessible information, making it difficult to design an intuitive solution that felt approachable and empowering. Balancing formal and informal advocacy needs while ensuring the app provided personalised, unbiased guidance required careful research and iteration. The challenge was to create a user-centric, inclusive design that addressed barriers to engagement and motivated sustained participation in a complex, often intimidating political landscape.

What was your personal highlight in the development process? Was there an aha!-moment, was there a low point?
My highlight moment was during co-design sessions when participants emphasised the need for personalised, unbiased support over community-driven features, challenging earlier assumptions. This insight reshaped the app’s focus, ensuring it met users' true needs. A low point was the lack of actionable ideas from initial ideation methods like SCAMPER, which felt discouraging. However, this setback taught me the importance of pivoting to methods better suited to the project’s evolving context, ultimately strengthening the design process.

Where do you see yourself and the project in the next five years?
I hope this project evolves into a fully realised platform actively empowering young people to engage in civic life. If supported by designers, developers, and potential stakeholders, the app could refine its features and expand its reach through partnerships with educational institutions and advocacy groups. I see myself continuing to grow as a UX designer, taking charge of meaningful projects that address people's true challenges, while leveraging research-driven insights to create impactful, user-centered solutions.