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Intermediate

Neighborhood Item Swap

Design a local exchange marketplace where two people can assess items, propose a trade, and arrange a safer handoff.

Mobile2 to 4 hours

The brief

Understand the problem

Background

Trading unused items can reduce waste, but value is subjective and local exchanges introduce trust, condition, and meeting-location concerns.

User context

Felix wants to trade a compact keyboard he no longer uses for a drawing tablet. He is willing to add a small cash difference but does not want to share his home address.

Product problem

Both people need to understand item condition and trade terms before committing, then coordinate a handoff without exposing unnecessary personal information.

Objective

Create the listing, trade proposal, negotiation, and exchange confirmation experience.

What to design

Define the experience

Required experience

  • Create an item listing with condition evidence
  • Find compatible items nearby
  • Propose a direct or mixed-value trade
  • Agree on a public handoff and confirm completion

Screens and states

  • Item listing
  • Discovery results
  • Trade proposal
  • Negotiation thread
  • Handoff plan

Core user flow

Follow the critical path

  1. 01

    Felix lists his keyboard and desired exchange

  2. 02

    He finds a nearby drawing tablet

  3. 03

    He proposes the keyboard plus a small payment

  4. 04

    Both users agree on a verified public meeting place

Product rules

Requirements and constraints

Requirements

  • Make item condition and known defects prominent
  • Keep offers distinct from ordinary chat messages
  • Support counteroffers and clear expiration
  • Provide block, report, and no-show reporting controls

Constraints

  • Precise location remains private until both parties agree
  • Cash differences use a protected payment flow
  • The service cannot verify every item claim

Reality check

States worth considering

One item is no longer available
A user changes the condition after an offer
A participant does not arrive
A trade is disputed after confirmation

Finish line

What to deliver

  • Six mobile states covering listing through confirmed exchange
  • A proposal component that handles direct and mixed-value trades

Optional direction

Visual resources

Use these as a starting constraint if you want one. They are not part of the required solution.

Font pairing
Old Standard TTQuestrial

Old Standard TT & Questrial

Clear interface writing gives people the confidence to understand what changed and decide what to do next.

Icons
Illustrations

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