Speakout - News Social Media
Product Design, Design System
Professional social media platform for news, built to empower independent writers and promote credible content
Industry
News, Social Media
Duration
8 months
Services Provided
Product Design, Design System
Deliverables
Stakeholder & User Interview Reports
Competitor Analysis
User Personas & Journey Maps
Wireframes & Sketches
Interactive Clickable Prototypes
Usability Testing Findings
Cross-Platform Design System
High-Fidelity Mockups
Figma Documentation & Guides
Stakeholder & User Interview Reports
Competitor Analysis
Single page
User Personas & Journey Maps
Single page
Wireframes & Sketches
Single page
Interactive Clickable Prototypes
Single page
Usability Testing Findings
Single page
Cross-Platform Design System
Single page
High-Fidelity Mockups
Single page
Figma Documentation & Guides
Single page
Stakeholder & User Interview Reports
Competitor Analysis
User Personas & Journey Maps
Wireframes & Sketches
Interactive Clickable Prototypes
Usability Testing Findings
Cross-Platform Design System
High-Fidelity Mockups
Figma Documentation & Guides
About Project
When we started Speakout, there was no platform, just a mission: to combat misinformation and empower independent writers. From scratch, we set out to design a professional social media platform for news publishing, providing users with access to global news, tools to share content, and a seamless publishing experience.
I was shaping the platform’s vision, building its design from the ground up, and ensuring it aligned with user needs and editorial standards.
About Project
When we started Speakout, there was no platform, just a mission: to combat misinformation and empower independent writers. From scratch, we set out to design a professional social media platform for news publishing, providing users with access to global news, tools to share content, and a seamless publishing experience.
I was shaping the platform’s vision, building its design from the ground up, and ensuring it aligned with user needs and editorial standards.
We focused on
Establishing a robust verification system to authenticat both editorial and user-generated content,
Implementing interactive features like commenting, sharing, liking, and customizable news feeds,
Optimizing the platform cross-device (web, mobile, tablet) and ensuring design consistency,
Creating monetization options for writers, including subscription models and sponsored content.
Our mission guided every decision: build a professional, trustworthy, and user-centric platform that empowers independent writers and encourages transparency in media.
We focused on
Establishing a robust verification system to authenticat both editorial and user-generated content,
Implementing interactive features like commenting, sharing, liking, and customizable news feeds,
Optimizing the platform cross-device (web, mobile, tablet) and ensuring design consistency,
Creating monetization options for writers, including subscription models and sponsored content.
Our mission guided every decision: build a professional, trustworthy, and user-centric platform that empowers independent writers and encourages transparency in media.
We built Speakout from scratch, layer by layer
Design System: cohesive UI framework with reusable components, style guides, and best practice,
Interactive Prototypes: clickable flows for web and mobile that allowed stakeholders to explore the product early,
Cross-Platform Experience: web, tablet, and mobile interfaces optimized for seamless interaction,
Editorial Tools: content creation flows, verification features, and analytics dashboards for independent writers,
User-Centric Features: search by article content, multi-user collaboration on publications, and flexible text styling.
The platform’s design supported the mission: transparency, visibility for writers, and an engaging user experience.
We built Speakout from scratch, layer by layer
Design System: cohesive UI framework with reusable components, style guides, and best practice,
Interactive Prototypes: clickable flows for web and mobile that allowed stakeholders to explore the product early,
Cross-Platform Experience: web, tablet, and mobile interfaces optimized for seamless interaction,
Editorial Tools: content creation flows, verification features, and analytics dashboards for independent writers,
User-Centric Features: search by article content, multi-user collaboration on publications, and flexible text styling.
The platform’s design supported the mission: transparency, visibility for writers, and an engaging user experience.
Design Thinking, Double Diamond and Lean UX worked together For this project:
Design Thinking gave the process rhythm,
Double Diamond structured divergence/convergence,
Lean UX ensures we iterate quickly based on feedback.
The process followed next phases:
Empathize
We started by diving deep into the world of independent writers and news readers. Stakeholder interviews, user interviews, and persona creation helped us understand real pain points, needs, and motivations. Competitor audits revealed opportunities to differentiate Speakout from other platforms.Define
We synthesized research findings to define core challenges: combating misinformation, giving writers visibility, ensuring trust, and creating an intuitive experience. This step set the stage for an ambitious, user-centered platform vision.Ideate
Through workshops and brainstorming sessions with the design team and stakeholders, we explored creative solutions. Key ideas included:User-Centric Platform: a space where independent writers can publish content and reach readers globally.
Content Verification: robust verification systems and fact-checking partnerships.
Interactive Features: commenting, sharing, liking, and customizable news feeds.
Design Consistency: cohesive UI components and style guides for all devices.
Cross-Platform Experience: fully responsive interfaces for seamless web, mobile, and tablet access.
Monetization Opportunities: subscription and sponsored content options to financially support writers.
Prototype
Initial low-fidelity wireframes evolved into high-fidelity, clickable prototypes. This allowed us to test workflows, validate content interaction, and ensure design consistency across platforms.Test
Moderated usability tests with writers and readers validated our design assumptions. Feedback was rapidly incorporated, iterating on features like content creation flows, verification processes, and news feed personalization.Launch
Final designs were handed off with detailed specifications and a complete design system. Close collaboration with developers, QA, and stakeholders ensured smooth implementation and a cohesive, scalable platform.Continuous Improvement
Even after launch, we monitored user engagement and feedback, ready to refine features, improve content discovery, and optimize the platform for both writers and readers.
Design Thinking, Double Diamond and Lean UX worked together For this project:
Design Thinking gave the process rhythm,
Double Diamond structured divergence/convergence,
Lean UX ensures we iterate quickly based on feedback.
The process followed next phases:
Empathize
We started by diving deep into the world of independent writers and news readers. Stakeholder interviews, user interviews, and persona creation helped us understand real pain points, needs, and motivations. Competitor audits revealed opportunities to differentiate Speakout from other platforms.Define
We synthesized research findings to define core challenges: combating misinformation, giving writers visibility, ensuring trust, and creating an intuitive experience. This step set the stage for an ambitious, user-centered platform vision.Ideate
Through workshops and brainstorming sessions with the design team and stakeholders, we explored creative solutions. Key ideas included:User-Centric Platform: a space where independent writers can publish content and reach readers globally.
Content Verification: robust verification systems and fact-checking partnerships.
Interactive Features: commenting, sharing, liking, and customizable news feeds.
Design Consistency: cohesive UI components and style guides for all devices.
Cross-Platform Experience: fully responsive interfaces for seamless web, mobile, and tablet access.
Monetization Opportunities: subscription and sponsored content options to financially support writers.
Prototype
Initial low-fidelity wireframes evolved into high-fidelity, clickable prototypes. This allowed us to test workflows, validate content interaction, and ensure design consistency across platforms.Test
Moderated usability tests with writers and readers validated our design assumptions. Feedback was rapidly incorporated, iterating on features like content creation flows, verification processes, and news feed personalization.Launch
Final designs were handed off with detailed specifications and a complete design system. Close collaboration with developers, QA, and stakeholders ensured smooth implementation and a cohesive, scalable platform.Continuous Improvement
Even after launch, we monitored user engagement and feedback, ready to refine features, improve content discovery, and optimize the platform for both writers and readers.
Speakout emerged as a professional-grade platform ready for launch
Empowered independent writers with visibility and monetization opportunities.
Addressed misinformation through verification systems and fact-checking partnerships.
Consistent user experience across web, mobile, and tablet.
Interactive engagement tools like comments, shares, and customized feeds.
Scalable design system for future development and team growth.
Speakout emerged as a professional-grade platform ready for launch
Empowered independent writers with visibility and monetization opportunities.
Addressed misinformation through verification systems and fact-checking partnerships.
Consistent user experience across web, mobile, and tablet.
Interactive engagement tools like comments, shares, and customized feeds.
Scalable design system for future development and team growth.
100% of planned flows
covered with cross-platform designs
Colsistent design system
across web, mobile, and tablet
Validated experience
through research & moderated testing
40+ team members
enabled to collaborate seamlessly
100% of planned flows
covered with cross-platform designs
Colsistent design system
across web, mobile, and tablet
Validated experience
through research & moderated testing
40+ team members
enabled to collaborate seamlessly
Other Projects
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Get expert guidance to align your product vision and make confident design decisions. Together, we’ll create practical solutions that drive measurable results for your product, team, and business.
Book a Free Consultation
Get expert guidance to align your product vision and make confident design decisions. Together, we’ll create practical solutions that drive measurable results for your product, team, and business.