Karicell
Karicell
Karicell
Listen, share, & discuss your favorite podcasts on the app that puts your trusted network at the center of discovery.
Listen, share, & discuss your favorite podcasts on the app that puts your trusted network at the center of discovery.
Listen, share, & discuss your favorite podcasts on the app that puts your trusted network at the center of discovery.
ROLE
Solo Product Designer
ROLE
Solo Product
Designer
TIMELINE
10 weeks
TIMELINE
10 weeks
LAUNCH
Spring 2026
COLLABORATORS
Kent M. - Co-founder
Anastasia W. - Co-founder
Christian V. - Engineer
LAUNCH
Spring 2026
COLLABORATORS
Kent M. -
Co-founder
Anastasia W. -
Co-founder
Christian V. -
Engineer
Over half the US population listens to podcasts monthly. 78% of these podcast lovers discover new shows through friends & family.
The problem? The discovery cycle is fragmented.
People hear about new shows through word-of-mouth, listen on apps like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, & share their own recommendations via text or social media. In other words, it's messy.
How are people actually engaging with & sharing podcasts?
How are people actually engaging with & sharing podcasts?
With limited time & no budget for research, I created a survey & recruited 13 respondents to ground the foundation of this app in real data. While not an ideal amount of responses, four patterns emerged:
With limited time & no budget for research, I created a survey & recruited 13 respondents to ground the foundation of this app in real data. While not an ideal amount of responses, four patterns emerged:
Listeners trust people over algorithms
Listeners trust people over algorithms
62% have high trust in recommendations from friends/family
46% don't trust algorithmic recommendations
Algorithmic discovery tools underperform
Algorithmic discovery tools underperform
Listeners feel the apps they use are overwhelming & impersonal:
"There seems to just be a lot & you kinda just get spammed with all of the options & whatever it's recommending."
Sharing recs is inconvenient
Sharing recs is inconvenient
77% recommend podcasts through scattered text threads & social media DMs
Listeners forget shows they used to enjoy
Listeners forget shows they used to enjoy
46% regularly lose track of podcasts they like
I used Claude AI to synthesize the survey results into three assumptive user archetypes that would later guide design decisions:
I used Claude AI to synthesize the survey results into three assumptive user archetypes that would later guide design decisions:
Social Listener
Social Listener
(values social proof)
(values social proof)
Overwhelmed Explorer
Overwhelmed Explorer
(needs curated discovery)
(needs curated discovery)
Habitual Drifter
Habitual Drifter
(forgets shows; cycles through same content)
(forgets shows; cycles through same content)
The Goal:
Help listeners discover quality podcasts through friends & listen to their favorite shows - without switching apps.
The Goal:
Help listeners discover quality podcasts through friends & listen to their favorite shows - without switching apps.
Introducing Karicell
Introducing Karicell
Where discovery, social proof, & listening come together.
Where discovery, social proof, & listening come together.
For You:
Carousel for curated discovery
For You:
Carousel for curated discovery
For You:
Carousel for curated discovery
Daily recommendations that feel personal. Contained cards are tailored to each user with badges that explain the context: favorite genres, friend activity, or shows they already follow. No generic algorithm picks, just relevant suggestions.
Daily recommendations that feel personal. Contained cards are tailored to each user with badges that explain the context: favorite genres, friend activity, or shows they already follow. No generic algorithm picks, just relevant suggestions.
Why horizontal scrolling matters
It conveys intentional curation. Vertical scrolling (like Spotify or Tiktok) implies endless, random options.
Why horizontal scrolling matters
It conveys intentional curation. Vertical scrolling (like Spotify or Tiktok) implies endless, random options.
A social experience,
not just a tab
A social experience,
not just a tab
Friend activity that's impossible to miss. Real-time posts, comments, & listening activity stay front & center (not buried like in Spotify, or nonexistent like in Apple Podcasts).
Friend activity that's impossible to miss. Real-time posts, comments, & listening activity stay front & center (not buried like in Spotify, or nonexistent like in Apple Podcasts).
Social context beyond the feed
Discover tab surfaces friend recommendations first
Show/Episode details reveal which friends are listening
Share show/episodes in-app instead of through clunky external links
Social context beyond the feed
Discover tab surfaces friend recommendations first
Show/Episode details reveal which friends are listening
Share show/episodes in-app instead of through clunky external links
Library:
A re-engagement hub
Library:
A re-engagement hub
The Library transforms from a static list into an active discovery tool with three key features:
The Library transforms from a static list into an active discovery tool with three key features:
Jump Back In
Jump Back In
Displays partially played episodes with progress, making it easy to continue.
Displays partially played episodes with progress, making it easy to continue.
Rediscover Old Favorites
Rediscover Old Favorites
Surfaces dormant shows by genre when new episodes drop.
Surfaces dormant shows by genre when new episodes drop.
Discovery Network
Discovery Network
See who's sharing the best shows with you & track your exchanges.
Shows who's sharing the best shows with you & tracks your exchanges.
Jump Back In
Displays partially played episodes with progress, making it easy to continue.
Rediscover Old Favorites
Surfaces dormant shows by genre when new episodes drop.
Discovery Network
See who's sharing the best shows with you & track your exchanges.
Using Claude & Figma Make to explore social mechanics, I identified reciprocity as an untapped motivator in podcast sharing.
Using Claude & Figma Make to explore social mechanics, I identified reciprocity as an untapped motivator in podcast sharing.
An accessible design system
An accessible design system
Modular system using variable semantic tokens. A tangerine brand color conveys the warmth & energy of social interaction. Figtree typeface is modern & legible. Logo inspired by the rhythm of rotating through curated choices.
Modular system using variable semantic tokens. A tangerine brand color conveys the warmth & energy of social interaction. Figtree typeface is modern & legible. Logo inspired by the rhythm of rotating through curated choices.
We're just getting started
With launch still ahead, I've identified key metrics & targets to help us validate our design decisions once users start engaging.
With launch still ahead, I've identified key metrics & targets to help us validate our design decisions once users start engaging.
Goal Metric
Goal Metric
Friend Connection Rate
Friend Connection Rate
>50% new users connect friends in week 1
Feed Engagement Rate
Feed Engagement Rate
>60% active users engage with social feed weekly
Recommendation Conversion
Recommendation Conversion
>30% received recommendations convert to listens within 7 days
What It Validates
What It Validates
Onboarding effectively communicates social value
Social discovery drives repeat behavior
Friend recommendations are trustworthy & actionable
Over half the US population listens to podcasts monthly. 78% of these podcast lovers discover new shows through friends & family.
The problem? The discovery cycle is fragmented.
People hear about new shows through word-of-mouth, listen on apps like Spotify or Apple Podcasts, & share their own recommendations via text or social media. In other words, it's messy.
Aa
Figtree
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Figtree
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Figtree