Nati Cohen
See how it works
PRODUCT
Consumer mobile app
AUDIENCE
Students, freelancers & remote workers
PROJECT
Location discovery platform
MY ROLE
Research, UX & UI design
02 / BACKGROUND
Users often need a quiet, comfortable place to study or work, yet existing tools provide incomplete information about what a location is actually like.
As a result, people waste time, arrive at unsuitable places, and repeatedly switch locations before finding one that fits their needs.
THE REAL PROBLEM
Finding a workspace wasn’t the challenge — choosing the right one was.
03 / THE PROBLEM
Users often chose cafés, libraries, or coworking spaces without knowing what the actual experience would be like. A highly rated location could still be noisy, overcrowded, lacking power outlets, or unsuitable for focused work.
Without reliable information, people wasted time moving between places instead of being productive.
INSIGHT
The problem wasn’t finding places. It was knowing what to expect before arriving.
04 / THE CHALLENGE
Users needed more than a list of nearby places. They wanted reliable information about noise levels, Wi-Fi quality, seating availability, and overall suitability for focused work.
The challenge was presenting all this context in a way that felt fast, intuitive, and easy to scan while on the move.
From information overload to one clear decision
DESIGN PRINCIPLE
Provide enough information to build confidence, without turning the experience into research.
05 / COMPETITOR ANALYSIS
Most users relied on a mix of maps, review platforms and trial and error when searching for a place to work or study.
While each tool solved part of the problem, none provided real-time workspace information such as noise levels, available seating and power outlets in one place.
Feature
Google Maps
Gable
Quork
Location discovery
Great for finding places
Great for discovering
Built for workspaces
Real-time noise levels
Not available
Not available
Live crowd & noise data
Available seating
Not available
Not available
Live seat availability
Power outlet availability
Not available
Not available
Real-time power info
Workspace filters
Limited filters
Limited filters
Advanced filters
Personalized recommendations
Not available
Not available
Personal & relevant
Fully supported
Very limited feature
Not available
06 / USER RESEARCH
To understand the challenges people face when searching for a place to work or study, I ran a survey among students, freelancers and remote workers.
Survey respondents
Students, freelancers & remote workers
1
38% of participants search for a workspace several times each week.
KEY INSIGHT
Users don’t need more places. They need confidence in their choice.
2
56% of participants prefer working from cafés and informal spaces.
KEY INSIGHT
The challenge isn’t finding cafés. It’s knowing which one fits their needs.
3
Users rely heavily on friends, communities and online reviews before visiting a location.
KEY INSIGHT
Trust reduces uncertainty and drives decisions.
4
The hardest things to verify before arriving were exactly the ones that decide the visit: noise level, seating availability, Wi-Fi quality and power outlets.
KEY INSIGHT
Productivity depends on details users can’t verify in advance.
How often they search
Where they work
Who they trust
RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS
Users need workspace-specific information
Real-time conditions affect productivity and satisfaction far more than a star rating.
Practical details matter more than ratings
Noise, seating, Wi-Fi and outlets decide whether a place actually works.
Recommendations increase trust
People lean on friends and communities to reduce the risk of a wasted trip.
07 / PERSONAS
Not everyone looks for the same workspace experience. Some users need complete silence and focus, while others value flexibility, comfort and reliable amenities.
Through interviews and research, two recurring user types emerged — each with different goals, habits and frustrations. Understanding these differences helped shape Quork into a tool that supports multiple work styles rather than a single ideal workspace.
Freelance designer
“Finding a quiet place to work shouldn’t take longer than the work itself.”
GOALS
Find quiet workspaces quickly
Reliable Wi-Fi and power outlets
Work distraction-free
Discover new productive environments
BEHAVIOR
Works from cafés and coworking spaces
Searches before leaving home
Changes locations frequently
Relies on reviews and recommendations
PAIN POINTS
Unexpected noise
Limited workspace information
No seating availability data
Time wasted moving between locations
Computer science student
“I need a place where I can focus, not another distraction.”
GOALS
Study efficiently
Find available seating
Stable internet connection
Access charging points
BEHAVIOR
Studies outside home regularly
Uses libraries and cafés
Works for long sessions
Compares several locations before choosing
PAIN POINTS
Full libraries
Unpredictable noise levels
Outdated reviews
Difficult location comparison
08 / USER FLOW
The flow was designed to help users move from a need for focus to a suitable workspace in just a few steps. Filters, live information and detailed workspace profiles reduce uncertainty and help users make confident decisions faster.
09 / USER SCENARIO
Eden is a freelance designer who needs a quiet, reliable place to work. Here’s how she uses Quork to find her ideal workspace — searching, comparing and choosing in just a few simple steps.
01
Opens Quork before leaving home.
02
Searches for nearby workspaces.
03
Applies filters for Wi-Fi, quiet and power outlets.
04
Compares locations using ratings, noise level and photos.
05
Saves her preferred workspace.
06
Navigates directly to the workspace.
07
Leaves a review after the session.
10 / LOW-FIDELITY EXPLORATION
Before designing the final experience, I explored multiple navigation structures, filtering systems and workspace discovery patterns through quick hand-drawn sketches.
This let me test ideas fast, compare different flows, and focus on what truly helps users find the right place without friction.
Early concepts explored
Search & discovery flow
Filtering & sorting options
Reviews & ratings
Favorites & saved places
Map exploration
User journey variations
Sketching the discovery flow by hand
From sketch to wireframe
11 / THE SOLUTION
Quork was designed to remove uncertainty from workspace discovery. Instead of relying on scattered reviews, social recommendations or trial-and-error visits, users can compare, evaluate and choose workspaces based on the factors that matter most to them.
From Wi-Fi quality and noise levels to power outlets, pricing and amenities, every detail is organized in one place — helping users decide faster, and more confidently, before leaving home.
1
Home
Personalized workspace discovery
2
Map discovery
Explore workspaces visually
3
Workspace details
Know exactly what to expect
12 / KEY FEATURES
Find locations that match your exact needs using filters such as atmosphere, Wi-Fi quality, noise level, amenities, accessibility and price.
Read authentic reviews from real visitors and understand what the workspace experience is actually like before you arrive.
Browse comprehensive information including photos, services, opening hours, facilities, accessibility details and contact information.
Explore nearby workspaces visually and compare multiple options directly from the map interface.
13 / FINAL SCREENS
Every screen was crafted to help users make informed workspace decisions quickly and confidently. By combining detailed information, community feedback and intuitive navigation, Quork turns the search for a place to work into a simple and reliable experience.
Splash
Search
Filters
Home
Map
Workspace profile
14 / SELF REFLECTION
This project became personal very quickly. As someone who spent years working as a freelancer, I constantly found myself searching for quiet places to work — cafés that weren’t too noisy, libraries with available seating, or workspaces where I could actually focus for a few hours.
Most of the time, finding the right place meant opening multiple apps, reading scattered reviews, checking Wi-Fi comments, guessing how crowded the place might be, and sometimes arriving only to realize it simply didn’t fit my needs.
That frustration became the starting point for Quork. Rather than designing another “places app”, I wanted to create a tool that helps people feel more confident before leaving home — reducing uncertainty and making workspace discovery faster, calmer and more intentional.
What this project taught me
Good productivity starts with comfort. People work differently. Some need silence, others need atmosphere, flexibility or social energy. Designing for productivity means designing for different human needs.
Small details build trust. Information like Wi-Fi quality, outlet availability, noise levels or seating comfort may seem small — but these details heavily influence decision-making and user confidence.
Reducing uncertainty is valuable UX. Sometimes the best user experience isn’t adding more features — it’s helping users feel more certain, prepared and comfortable before taking action.
Good design doesn’t only help people do things faster. Sometimes it helps them feel more comfortable doing them.