TL;DR

  • Client: Stealth project with a high-profile ex-Google executive.
  • Work: Lo-fi wireframes and annotated interaction flows for a drop-in audio app concept (Clubhouse competitor).
  • Outcome: No launch, no traction — valuable lesson in product thinking.
  • Lesson: Even with resources and confidence, you can’t design through the wrong lens. You have to validate with your target audience.

Context / Challenge

When I was brought into this stealth social app project, the immediate shock wasn’t the work — it was the Zoom call. I found myself face-to-face with Noam Bardin, former Google/Waze CEO.

For someone from the Bronx, with no big tech pedigree and no high-profile portfolio at the time, that moment was surreal. But once the call started, the awe faded, and the real challenge emerged:

👉 How do you design a Gen Z social app when the executive sponsor is approaching it entirely through a Gen X lens?

The Build

As lead designer, I produced lo-fi wireframes and annotated flows to shape the product vision:

  • Main screen → interaction model for groups and chats.
  • Chat screen → drop-in audio experience with controls (mute/unmute, raise hand, leave quietly).
  • System components → modular building blocks for faster iteration.

📝 Note on Deliverables: The screenshots shown here are reimagined artifacts. Out of respect for proprietary client ideas, I redesigned them as a similar “Clubhouse-for-intimate-spaces” concept — focusing on small group chats and real-time belonging, a gap I identified in the market.

System Components: A modular library of reusable UI elements to accelerate iteration. (https://whimsical.com/)
Lo-fidelity wireframe for main-screen with annotations for guiding interactions (https://whimsical.com/)
Chat Screen Wireframe: Interaction model for real-time audio conversations with small groups. (https://whimsical.com/)

The Lesson

The project never launched, but the insight was lasting:

  • The executive was convinced the concept would work, but his own daughter (Gen Z) didn’t find it cool.
  • Why? Because the product was being shaped entirely through a Gen X perspective.

The takeaway:

  • A single perspective, even from the target demographic, isn’t enough.
  • You can’t design for Gen Z through a Gen X lens.
  • Real product thinking requires user research, multiple interviews, and genuine empathy with the audience you’re building for.

Reflection

This case study is both a credibility marker and a cautionary tale:

  • Credibility: I collaborated directly with a high-profile client on a stealth project.
  • Caution: Without validation, even experienced executives with resources will misstep.

And most importantly — it reinforced a principle I carry into every project now:

Hire a product designer, and let them push you to see your audience more clearly.