Houseparty
Group video chat you drop into, with no scheduling and no ringing.
What it is
A group video chat app built around presence rather than calls. You opened it and saw which friends were around; you joined a room instead of dialing anyone.
Problem
Houseparty set out to solve loneliness. How do you stay close to your friends when you aren't in the same place? A scheduled video call is work — someone has to decide to make it. Houseparty tried to recreate a real house party instead, where people drift in and out and nobody waits to be invited.
My role
Second designer, initially under Jakub Swiadek as lead. I built the sign-up and onboarding experience and the UX of dropping into a room unannounced, and worked with a small product team on the "Say Hi" experience and the slightly hilarious "stranger danger" warning. I also shaped the early brand and color. Alongside design, I moved into a dual product manager role, leading video and room quality.
Outcome
The app broke out in 2016 — #2 overall in the free App Store, organically, and a million downloads in its first month.
