Align

How We Built the Project

We started by developing the core concept: an app that detects repeated encounters and visualizes them as constellations on a map.

From there, we focused on designing the main features:

The Map Interface
The map is the central experience of Align. It displays the user’s daily movement paths along with glowing star nodes where encounters occurred. Repeated overlaps between users gradually form constellation patterns that reflect shared routines.

Constellation Types
To make these patterns meaningful, we created different constellation categories:

Routine Constellation – frequent encounters in the same place
Explorer Constellation – encounters in unexpected or new locations
Orbit Constellation – encounters across multiple shared locations

Discovery Page
We designed a recommendation page that suggests people users may recognize based on their encounter patterns. Each profile includes shared locations and an Astral Score, which reflects how closely two routines align.

Messaging with Prompts
To make introductions easier, conversations begin with a prompt inspired by the place where the two users most often crossed paths. Both users answer the prompt before messaging normally, helping break the ice naturally.

For the visual design, we used a dark map interface with a soft gold accent color to reinforce the constellation theme. The glowing gold highlights encounter hotspots, user location, and connection paths, making the experience feel like navigating a night sky.

We built our prototype using Figmake, focusing on creating a clear user journey that demonstrates how connections gradually form through repeated encounters.

Challenges

One of the biggest challenges was balancing privacy with connection. Because the concept involves location and routine data, we had to think carefully about how information should be displayed. Instead of showing exact times or encounter counts, we focused on patterns and general indicators to keep interactions comfortable and non-intrusive.

Another challenge was translating an abstract concept into a clear interface. The idea of constellations representing social patterns is poetic, but we needed to ensure users could still understand what was happening quickly. Designing the map and hotspot system required several iterations to make the information both visually appealing and easy to interpret.

Finally, it was challenging to design interactions that feel natural rather than forced. Our goal was not to create a traditional social networking app, but to highlight connections that already exist in everyday life.

Reflection

Align explores the idea that meaningful connections might already exist within the routines we follow every day. By visualizing shared moments and repeated encounters, the app reveals the hidden patterns that quietly shape our social environments.

Rather than creating connections from scratch, Align simply helps people notice the ones that were already forming—turning familiar strangers into potential friends.

Because sometimes the people we’re meant to meet are already part of our everyday lives.

We just needed a way to see when the stars finally align.