Overview:

  • Cafely is a mobile first app that helps students and remote workers discover nearby cafés matching their vibe and practical needs (quiet atmosphere, good Wi-Fi, etc.).

Problem:

  • Working and studying from cafés has surged in popularity, but people often don’t know which locations truly meet their needs.

  • 100% of remote work cafe users surveyed said they prioritize fast Wi-Fi, good coffee, and large tables.

  • Google Maps or Yelp rarely highlight these details, Wi-Fi speed, outlets, noise level

Goal:

  • Vibe’s goal is to fill this gap: it lets users filter by moods and amenities (quiet, aesthetic, wheelchair/stroller-accessible, etc.) and leverages community photos and reviews to showcase a café’s ambiance.

  1. “How do I usually find new cafés when I want to work or study?”

  2. Where do I go when I want to check if a café is worth visiting?”

  3. “What really matters to me when I’m choosing a spot, is it the coffee, the crowd, or the vibe?”

Primary Research

Participant Criteria

  • Ages 21–50

  • Frequent café visitors

  • Regular users of mobile Apps 

  • Comfortable navigating new digital products

  • Expressed interest in emerging mobile technologies and lifestyle apps

Connectivity & Amenities:

Atmosphere & Vibe

Current Tool Pain Points:

Discovery Habits:

Wish List:

Reliable Wi-Fi, power outlets, and seating were universal must haves. In fact, in a couple interviews i found that outlets and work friendly conditions were among the top factors for café goers

While basics matter, ambience was also a deciding factor. Many interviewees emphasized a café’s cozy feel or aesthetic appeal. My research found that Gen Z strongly values authentic experience – 74% say in-person experiences (like café vibe) matter more than digital ones. Other interviews confirmed this, mentioning that soft lighting, quiet corners or even Instagrammable decor make a place feel comfortable for work.

Everyone tried mainstream tools (Google Maps, Yelp) and ran into frustration. “ Google Maps will show any Wi-Fi place, even a doctor’s office or store with no way to filter those out

People defaulted to mobile and social searches. Many scroll Instagram or TikTok for café images (looking for hashtags like #cutecafe or local tags

In summary, users wanted a dedicated café finder that combined the best of both worlds. They asked for filterable tags like quiet level, Wi-Fi speed,” or laptop-friendly, and community-sourced ratings and discussion

Secondary Research (Competitive Analysis):

General platforms (Google/Yelp)

Niche workspace apps

Accessibility focused apps

Wide coverage and reviews, but not tailored. They list everything and nothing specific I.e Google won’t say how quiet a place is, and Yelp reviews rarely report outlet counts or Wi-Fi speed

Work Hard Anywhere (a recent app) built in global data on Wi-Fi speed, number of outlets, seating, parking, etc. Showing that users desire these facts. However, it’s still a small community.

Currently no app combines Roll’s accessibility insights (lets users find and rate places by wheelchair accessibility) and the vibes/content of cafes

Affinity Mapping

How Might We

I used the “How Might We” questions technique to reframe insights and articulate the problem statement:

  1. How might we help users quickly understand the look and feel of a café before they visit?

  2. How might we help students and remote workers confidently identify cafés that support working or studying?

  3. How might we create a low-pressure, community driven space where users can share honest experiences and insights?

  4. How might we help users find cafés that match their mood or purpose, rather than relying on generic ratings?