Co-op is a collaboration-first social network, redesigned from the real the.deals MVP. I redid the visual design and renamed it, because the original lost its collaborative feel over several implementations and Co-op better represents the idea.

Traditional professional networks run on passive connections, where value is measured by follower counts. Co-op's core mechanic asks users to complete a Collab with a peer before gaining access to that peer's wider network, so access is earned instead of given. I worked as founding designer and art director.

The Collab mechanic unlocks new circles, and growth is tiered through Net levels: Initiate, Connector and Influencer. I applied People as Paywalls, with blurred profile data until value is verified.

Status is visible through 3D frosted glass medallions for each tier, set in a dark-mode aesthetic that signals a high-end, earned-status feel.

To break from the standard vertical feed, I invented a 360 degree scrollable grid that moves horizontally, vertically and diagonally, with three zoom levels for macro and micro views.

Cards carry budget and team data, while their layouts stay familiar and industry-standard, so the new navigation is easy to read. The map prioritizes discovery over scroll and swipe.

The home page and profiles balance high-utility networking with personal expression, through custom color profiles and intro quotes, and a clean, non-overwhelming feed. Collab rooms work as an all-in-one workspace to keep people on the platform.

They combine chat and timelines with native milestone and deadline tracking, covering the journey from onboarding to in-app project management. The full ecosystem was designed in 60 days, replacing passive friending with active collaboration.