Orbit
The problem
Young people in Auckland who are new to study or early careers often struggle to form meaningful connections and navigate professional spaces. Existing platforms don't fully support those who feel socially anxious, new to the city, or unsure where they belong.
The solution
A low-pressure platform that helps young people in Auckland build genuine connections, discover inclusive events, and access early career opportunities in a way that feels safe, welcoming, and easy to engage with.
Context + key insights
These issues create a cycle of disconnection, where social, professional, and economic barriers reinforce each other.
Target audience
Young professionals and final-year students aged 20–25 new to Auckland who are navigating early career pressures while struggling to build meaningful connections in unfamiliar and socially demanding environments.
Competitor analysis
A clear gap exists between social and professional platforms; one lacks career focus, the other feels impersonal. This creates an opportunity for a solution that blends both while supporting meaningful, low-pressure connection.
Young people new to Auckland need a way to build meaningful social and professional connections in one place so they can feel more confident, supported, and connected in an unfamiliar city.
Ideation process
- Empathy mapping
- Current state user journey
- Opportunities/ solutions throughout user journey
- Combining solutions
- moodboarding
- Visual research/ analysis
- Layout research
- Paper prototyping
- Lofi/ Hifi
- Continuous user testing
Impact
Orbit creates a more approachable way for young people to build meaningful social and professional connections. By reducing social pressure and creating more comfortable entry points into events and communities, the platform helps users feel supported, included, and more confident engaging with others.
