Project
Overview
Overview
Bringing back the magic of 2016, CRITTR is a mobile app that allows users to adopt a virtual pet that lives, grows, and evolves based on real-world activity. The more you walk, visit places, and hang out with friends, the more your CRITTR thrives.
EVENT &
Judges
Judges
Western Founders Network (WFN) Product Design Sprint 2026 @ Western University
Event judges from Framer, TELUS, Notion, DoorDash, CIBC, Konrad, Microsoft, & EY
Event judges from Framer, TELUS, Notion, DoorDash, CIBC, Konrad, Microsoft, & EY
Role &
Team
Team
Brand and Product Designer
4-member team from Wilfrid Laurier University and New York University
4-member team from Wilfrid Laurier University and New York University
SECTOR
Mobile App and Game Design, Designathon
The problem
People aged 16-24 are spending more time on their phones than actually going outside and connecting with people. More than half of Americans (57%) report feeling lonely, and Gen Z and Millennials are lonelier than older generations despite being more digitally connected.
How might we capture the feel of social gaming from 2016 that motivates teens and young adults to go outside?
INSPIRATION &
Competitive analysis
Competitive analysis
We researched the most culturally sticky apps and games of 2016 and earlier to understand what created a sense of excitement and the urge to go somewhere, driving real-world collective behaviour.
– Pokémon GO. GPS-based exploration and gaming with a pre-existing large fanbase.
– BeReal. Authentic, low-effort social media sharing.
– Tamagotchi. A virtual pet simulation model that needs real-time care.
– Duolingo. Gamified learning with daily streaks, rewards, and milestones.
– BeReal. Authentic, low-effort social media sharing.
– Tamagotchi. A virtual pet simulation model that needs real-time care.
– Duolingo. Gamified learning with daily streaks, rewards, and milestones.
INSPIRATION &
brainstorming
brainstorming
Branding process
The brand needed to feel nostalgic but not retro. Playful but not childish. It needs to sit at the intersection of gamer energy and real-world momentum where it feels digital-native, memorable, yet slightly cheeky.
Brand names with intentional misspellings like Tumblr, Flickr, and Fiverr have been a quirky trend in the digital space, so our team voted on CRITTR. The paw on top of the letter "i" started as a typographic experiment. The paw works as the brand icon– a standalone icon, app icon, badge, or watermark.
Winning the Curveball Prize
The hackathon required every team to creatively use the colour #04FF00 ▇ into the final output. Rather than hiding it, we experimented with it as an accent giving the CRITTR brand a unique edge.
The hackathon required every team to creatively use the colour #04FF00 ▇ into the final output. Rather than hiding it, we experimented with it as an accent giving the CRITTR brand a unique edge.
LOW-FIDELITY WIREFRAMES
The lo-fi phase was intentionally rough to keep us focused on structure and decisions, mapping out the core user flow before committing to any visual decisions.
USABILITY TESTING
Testing was conducted informally with participants, where sessions were conversational and observational. We watched how people navigated the mid-fidelity prototype and asked follow-up questions about how the concept made them feel.
Key findings:
— The pet's emotional state was the most compelling retention hook across all three archetype types.
— The Life Points system felt fair and motivating. Participants understood the exchange immediately.
— Participants wanted more customisation options for their CRITTR's appearance.
— The pet's emotional state was the most compelling retention hook across all three archetype types.
— The Life Points system felt fair and motivating. Participants understood the exchange immediately.
— Participants wanted more customisation options for their CRITTR's appearance.
Final brand + product design
With the structure validated, a comprehensive, high-fidelity pass brought the brand to life across all screens in Figma, featuring creative motion design and full interactivity. Final branding for CRITTR is established throughout the product, reinforcing real-life simulation and usage.
