01
THE ORIGINAL PROMPT
In a world that rewards being always on, how might we design an experience that helps people set and keep boundaries to make recovery time feel socially safe, rewarding, and easy to sustain?
A platform to discover free and low-cost activities— so kids can learn, play, and socialize offline.
Spruce is a free platform that helps low-income families in Vancouver discover art gallery workshops, swim lessons, concerts, coding camps in one simple search.
DESIGN CHALLENGE
How might we help families give their kids a life offline?
02
Lower-Income Predicts Increased Smartphone Use and...
As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has continued for a...
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov03
Too much friction.
Third spaces — the places between home and school where kids can play and learn — are disproportionately inaccessible to families without disposable income or time to look for them.
04
OUR REFRAME
How might we help low-income families give their children opportunities to participate in third-spaces, to create self-sustainable habits that prevent digital fatigue and long-term phone addiction?
Cost barriers
Registration fees, equipment costs, and transportation expenses make most organized activities inaccessible before a family even considers whether they're a good fit. Even "free" programs carry hidden costs that quietly exclude.
Information gaps
Free and subsidized programs exist but are scattered across city websites, community boards, and social media groups that require time and digital literacy to navigate. Families who need them most are least likely to find them.
Time and logistics
Working multiple jobs leaves little capacity to research, register, and coordinate consistent attendance. Without a reliable way to discover and track options, the screen becomes the default - not a choice, but a fallback.
DESIGN SYSTEM
How do we create an inviting and accessible user experience?
Spruce logo
Spruce was named after the street in Vancouver. We wanted it to have real ties to the city.
Speech bubble color motif
The blue was chosen for the mountains, green for the forests, and red for the salmon.
Colour
Forest#3E5D39Grounded and local. Feels steady and trustworthy.
Blue#6B8BCDCalm and informational. Guides attention without shouting.
Red#D03419Warm contrast color used for emphasis and urgency cues.
Spruce BG#FBF9EDWarm background tone that keeps reading comfortable over long sections.
Typography
ES Rebond
Headings & displayGeometric but warm. Clear and confident without feeling corporate. I found this in the "50 Fonts that will be big in 2025" collection.Inter - body copy and captions
Body textHighly legible at small sizes. Familiar and low-friction.Corner radius
2pxInsight cards - structured, data-forward
10pxUI cards, showcase frames - friendly
17pxFeature screenshots - soft, approachable
32pxProfile cards - the most human-facing element
Rounder corners signal lower stakes. Personal content gets softer edges; data blocks stay sharper.
Imagery
Imagery is local and specific, not stock. Vancouver context makes the problem feel immediate. I decided to have Science World featured on the home page!
The logo and bubble stay hand-drawn on purpose. It feels human, not institutional.
Real Vancouver geography removes the question: "does this apply to me?"
Visual hierarchy
Bold is reserved for titles. The reading experience stays calm and scannable.
Blue uppercase labels create a steady scan rhythm: section label → question → body.
Spacing and density
Generous whitespace is intentional. Spruce should feel like relief, not another dense service portal.
95px side padding keeps line lengths readable at 1280px and reduces cognitive load.
FEATURES THAT REMOVE FRICTION
Resources
I researched relevant grants, subsidies, and community resources specifically available for lower-income families in Canada. This was our best solution to solve the money problem with what's in our control.
Filters for activities
Filter free and low-cost activities by neighbourhood, age group, and descriptive type tags. This addresses the information gap and streamlines the research flow, reducing the time it takes to find and register for activities.
FEATURES THAT WORK FOR EVERYONE
Profiles for each family member
Profiles for parents and each child enable filtered, personalized search results. The profiles also hold a calendar to keep upcoming events organized.
Translation
Built-in translation makes Spruce accessible to non-English-speaking families — a critical consideration for Vancouver's diverse population.
Final screens
Reflections
Reframing is a design skill
The initial prompt was vague and didn't lead us to anything obvious. The most valuable thing I did at UXathon was rewriting the problem statement. A better question unlocks better solutions.
Mapping the journey
We mapped the low-income family journey from awareness (“my kid is on their phone too much”) through search, cost-checking, registration, and repeat use. Each step surfaced a new friction point to design around.
