Riya Shrestha Portfolio

ROAM

A real-time social discovery app designed in 24hrs that won 3rd place on AI Hackathon

PROJECT DETAILS

ROLE

As lead product designer on a 5-person team, I oversaw UI/UX design and prototyping for the Roam app and co-designed the pitch deck alongside Kimaya.

CONTEXT

Roam was developed during a collaborative hackathon between the University of Arizona's W.A. Franke Honors College and Parsons School of Design in February 2026. Teams were challenged to design meaningful, AI-first solutions with real-world impact. Our team placed third, judged by Mina Seetharaman from IDEO, Han-Shen Chen from Microsoft, and Rudi Anggono from Snap Inc.

PROJECT

Location-based service, Social app, Mobile App,

DURATION

24hrs (2026 Hackathon)

TEAM

Riya (me!) . Kimaya . Duncan . Claire . Ryan

TOOLS

Figma . Figma Make, Figma Slides

INTRODUCTION

What is Roam?

A real-time location-based social discovery platform that connects people through local experiences, making it effortless to find things to do and who to do them with.

BACKGROUND & PROBLEM

BACKGROUND

How did we land on Roam?

Two years ago, Duncan set up a telescope on the sidewalk. Ryan walked past by chance, stopped, and saw Saturn's rings for the first time.

It was a spontaneous moment between two strangers that neither of them planned, and it left us wondering:

What if moments like this could happen more often?

Two years ago, Duncan set up a telescope on the sidewalk. Ryan walked past by chance, stopped, and saw Saturn's rings for the first time.

It was a spontaneous moment between two strangers that neither of them planned, and it left us wondering:

What if moments like this could happen more often?

This led us to understand why people crave these spontaneous moments and what is the underlying issue. After some research and some digging we narrowed down the main problem.

PROBLEM

Despite being the most digitally connected generation, people are lonelier than ever, and no tool bridges that gap in real time.

PROCESS

How did we

build it?

How did we build it?

We realized that a community app allowed us more room to reach and expand the app. A place where users can shape the app.

Roam is designed for the seeker and the host.

We realized that a community app allowed us more room to reach and expand the app. A place where users can shape the app.

Roam is designed for the seeker and the host.

Seekers

Users looking for spontaneous moments.

Hosts

Users creating niche experiences they want to share. The experience can be something like showing off a telescope to sharing some home baked cookies.

People browse art in a busy, modern gallery.

How can we

bring spontaneity?

How can we bring spontaneity?

Spontaneity is to bring something unexpected. Companies market events days in advance, leaving us bombarded and over-planned.

What if you only knew about things happening right now?

Spontaneity is to bring something unexpected. Companies market events days in advance, leaving us bombarded and over-planned.

What if you only knew about things happening right now?

You have 30 mins before class. Roam finds what's happening near you right now, accounting for travel time, so you can enjoy the moment and make it back on time.

Real-time photos from hosts and other attendees let you see what's actually happening before you commit. Spontaneous, but on your own terms.

You have 30 mins before class. Roam finds what's happening near you right now, accounting for travel time, so you can enjoy the moment and make it back on time.

Real-time photos from hosts and other attendees let you see what's actually happening before you commit. Spontaneous, but on your own terms.

FINAL DESIGN

How it looks?

IMPACT

Roam won 3rd place on the University of Arizona x Parsons : AI Startup Design Hackathon. And from the users that we interviewed during the hackathon was deemed as something that they would love to use.

riya shrestha

Product designer bringing clarity to complex products

WORK