Helping families get it together — one event at a time
Jam is an all-in-one family organizer designed to streamline busy family schedules and tasks. The app empowers families to stay organized with shared calendars, to-do lists, shopping lists, and integrations with external calendars like Google and Apple. A key feature is Jam On It, which automatically turns email content into events, simplifying scheduling.
My work on Jam focused on creating an intuitive and user-friendly interface that helps families of all sizes and needs efficiently manage their time, tasks, and important events.
Meet Jam & the Founders
Meet Amanda & Jessica, Founders of Jam
Sisters and moms, Amanda and Jessica, created Jam after struggling to find a tool to manage the chaos of family life. With their experience in software and a passion for organization, they built Jam to help lighten the mental load for parents, making family life easier and more balanced.
You can learn more about Jam and start a free trial by visiting their website.
The app is available for iOS and Android—download it now from your preferred app store.
— Research & User Testing
— Product Design
— UI Design and creation of Prototypes in Figma
— Visual design & Art Direction for marketing assets
— Creation of Wireframes in Miro and Figma
— Design System Development
Tools used: Figma, Miro
Responsibilities & Tools
Jam tackles the challenge of keeping families organized amid busy schedules, conflicting events, and scattered information across various apps.
User feedback showed that existing tools were either too confusing or lacked key features for families with multiple children and caretakers.
To fully understand the problem, we worked closely with the clients, diving into their initial studies and research, and conducted a thorough market analysis to identify gaps and opportunities.
This research helped us pinpoint key pain points for families and revealed the need for a centralized, easy-to-use platform for family organization.
Understanding the Problem
The design process for Jam was highly collaborative, working closely with the client to ensure the app’s features aligned with the needs of busy families.
— Initial Material Study & User Flow Mapping:
We began by mapping out the main user flows using Miro and Figma, guided by extensive reference material provided by the client, including visual references and initial wireframes for Jam’s core features. Our goal was to prioritize the most important elements to establish a solid foundation for the product and create an MVP that addressed the core needs of families.
— Interface Design, Prototyping & Research:
Working alongside the project owner and the client, we focused on key features such as event creation, to-do and shopping lists, family management, and calendar synchronization. Our aim was to make family management tasks simple and engaging for users.
After the product launched in early 2024, we conducted remote user interviews through questionnaires to assess how users were engaging with Jam. These findings informed the prioritization of new features and improvements to the app.
By October 2024, more than 250 screens were designed, and Figma prototypes were used to better map out the flow of new features and enhancements.
— Collaboration & Process
Throughout the project, we maintained close collaboration with stakeholders and the development team. Figma facilitated quick design iterations and smooth communication across teams. Regular feedback loops, incorporating insights from both clients and end-users, allowed us to continuously refine and iterate on the app’s design.
— Design System Development:
A crucial part of the process was creating a consistent design system. This included standardized components, buttons, typography, and iconography to ensure a cohesive look across the entire app. We focused on making Jam’s visual identity clear, user-friendly, and adaptable as we added new features based on user feedback.
Design Process
The final solution was a sleek, intuitive app that brought all family organization tools into one place. Key features included:
— Shared Family Calendars: Customizable roles for each family member, providing clear visibility of everyone’s schedule.
— Jam On It: A powerful feature that converts emails into events, simplifying scheduling by automatically adding events from your inbox.
— To-Do and Shopping Lists: Allows families to assign tasks and items to specific members, making coordination easy.
— External Calendar Integration: Syncs external calendars, such as Apple and Google, into Jam, enabling families to manage all their events in one app.
— Manage Family: A feature that lets adults manage roles and customize permissions for other family members, ensuring full control and visibility.
I led the UX & UI design efforts, creating a visually cohesive and easy-to-use interface. The flexible, role-based design adapts to different family structures, and I worked closely with developers to ensure accurate and efficient implementation.
The design iterations were driven by user feedback and testing, continuously refining features like Jam On It and external calendar sync to ensure ease of use. In the end, Jam not only solved the problem of fragmented family scheduling but also introduced innovative features that helped families coordinate and manage their lives more effectively.
Solution
Jam is a North American company owned by Amanda Roessler and Jessica Etting. All content, trademarks, and intellectual property related to Jam are the sole property of Amanda Roessler and Jessica Etting. Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or use of Jam-related materials is prohibited without explicit permission.
The project was developed by Bitboundaire, a technology company I am associated with.
All interface texts were written by Jessica Etting and Isabela Freitas (me)
Additional Information
— Date: 2023, launched in 2024
— Platforms: iOS, Android, and web responsive app
— Language: English, Portuguese (communication between teams)
— Learn more: jamfamilycalendar.com