Early research and product visioning
for a neurodivergent social platform
Atypical Website
Phase 1: Defining the problem space
OVERVIEW
objective
This project focused on defining a clear, feasible problem and MVP scope for a neurodivergent social platform operated by Atypical Community, a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the neurodivergent community. Throughout this first phase, we worked around limited access to existing users and strategically addressed the client's desire for broad exploration.
ASSUMPTIONS
SYNTHESIS
RESEARCH
REFINE SCOPE
project type
Responsive website
timeline
Sep 15 - Nov 7, 2025
(part time, remote)
team makeup
Product Strategists
(incl. me as co-lead + 3)
Project Manager (1)
UX Researchers (4)
client
aTypical Community
(non-profit)
target users
Parents and caregivers of neurodivergent (ND) children, ND adults, and isolated adults.
JUMP TO FINDINGS
MY VALUE ADD
1
As a product strategy co-lead (1 of 2), I focused on shaping the long-term vision for Quirky Buds while identifying the highest-priority value to test in a short-term MVP. I also supported Research with synthesis, empathy mapping, CX strategy workshops with the client, and competitive analysis.
EXPLORING THE PROBLEM SPACE
Because the Product Strategy team kicked off the work in parallel with the UX Researchers, we based our initial frameworks on client intake and key assumptions. We focused specifically on current problems users face with Quirky Buds, to then define the outcomes and scope for MVP and MMP. With some data trickling in from UXR, we identified onboarding/intake as the critical moment where users could benefit from the most immediate and valuable impact.
VISION STATEMENT
To be the place where people of all neurotypes and their caregivers can spark meaningful connections within a community built on safety, belonging, and learning.
PROBLEM CATEGORIES
ASSUMPTIVE PROBLEMS
FINDINGS
VALUE TO DELIVER
SCOPE
KPI
Navigating communication differences
General lack of awareness and accommodation for ND communication styles cause ND people to:
only socialize with other ND people.
feel lonely or isolated.
ND communication preferences are personal, not universal.
Becoming overstimulated and/or being misinterpreted is a common pain point.
Freedom to be oneself without masking.
Support users in making informed decisions about how and whether to engage across different communication preferences within the context of friend matching and early connection.
% of users who report reduction in fatigue from masking during early interactions.
Sustaining friendships
Psychological safety in interactions in a top priority for users.
Respecting safety, sharing values, and being compatible in communication are the most important factors.
Low maintenance of friendships is desirable.
Sense of belonging and connection.
Support users in communicating clear social boundaries and preferences for their psychological safety when connecing with someone new.
% of users who report feeling safe and comfortable being themselves with new matches.
Finding spaces where they feel safe and comfortable
Compared to in-person spaces, online spaces are more comfortable for ND people to connect with others.
Online communication platforms are helpful for those who want control, predictability, and communication structure (but comes with tradeoffs, such as connections lacking depth).
Options for preferred environments (virtual/in-person).
Accommodate diverse communication styles by ensuring low-stimulation environment options within the context of how users initiate connections.
% of users who report feeling empowered by having interaction options aligned to their cognitive needs.
MY VALUE ADD
2
The challenge with conducting discovery based only on assumptions was that the problem refining process opened up more potential user problems. I helped the team narrow down the list to the core issues through facilitation of user values/outcomes affinity mapping and MoSCoW prioritization.
PIVOTING: VISION VS OPERATIONAL REALITY
As discovery progressed, we began to sense a growing tension between the scope of user needs we were exploring and Quirky Bud's limited operational resources. We had been exploring a broad social network vision when the organization actually needed functional operational infrastructure, highlighted by CX working sessions with the client. The team needed to narrow the scope.
SCOPE - ORIGINAL
Support users in making informed decisions about how to engage across different communication preferences within the context of friend maching and early connection.
SCOPE - NEW
Support users of all communication preferences during intake.
HYPOTHESIS
Users will feel more belonging when the intake experience reflects their communication styles through accessible, inclusive UX writing.
SCOPE - ORIGINAL
Support users in making informed decisions about how to engage across different communication preferences within the context of friend maching and early connection.
SCOPE - NEW
Allow users to set clear communication boundaries + preferences during intake.
HYPOTHESIS
Users will feel more psychologically safe when they are prompted to state their preferred communication style and interaction limits during intake.
SCOPE - ORIGINAL
Support users in making informed decisions about how to engage across different communication preferences within the context of friend maching and early connection.
Scope deprioritized for MVP 1
SCOPE - ORIGINAL
Support users in making informed decisions about how to engage across different communication preferences within the context of friend maching and early connection.
SCOPE - NEW
Automate and optimize the Quirky Buds matching process.
HYPOTHESIS
Business operations will become sustainable and scalable if the process for matching becomes more efficient through a level of automation.
MY VALUE ADD
3
Before scope recommendations sprawled beyond a feasible MVP, I helped reframe the work by aligning the team around feasibility, shared criteria, and the most critical problems to address first. This moment shifted the project from exploratory visioning to an MVP grounded in the organization's limited resources.
FINDINGS + NEXT STEPS
expand +
Preparing for Phase II required translating our broad discovery work into a clear, actionable plan. I refined the MVP scope for each audience, then synthesized Phase I into a Lean UX Canvas that could quickly bring the next team up to speed on the product direction. In collaboration with the product manager, I identified the four highest-priority actions to guide Phase II, listed below.
Recognize Business Operations as a distinct user group and develop their MVP/MMP.
Develop and test the initial Matching Assist Tool for business operations, starting with a Human-in-the-Loop model that generates a compatibility score and ranked matches. A key success metric will be the reduction of Time Per Match.
Re-design the user intake process, by updating UX writing in the current Google Forms onboarding to reduce cognitive load, clarify expectations about matching turnaround, and improve ways for users to set communication preferences.
Conduct an accessibility audit of the current site and explore next steps with the client regarding critical findings.
Explore more projects:
