The Problem
Planning with friends usually happens in group chats, where conversations drift and decisions are unclear.
Availability is hard to coordinate, preferences are scattered across messages, and no one is clearly driving the plan forward.
As a result, plans often stall or get abandoned before anything is actually booked.
The Idea
Instead of another planning tool, the idea was to introduce Hal, a conversational AI, directly into the discussion.
Hal actively participates, helping the group align on what to do, when to meet, and where to go, while handling the logistics in the background.
App Architecture
Social Planner organizes around five destinations, each with a distinct job, and two primary user journeys that the AI facilitates end to end.
Planning Flow
Day-of Flow
Bringing the Experience to Life
Home / Overview
The home screen surfaces active plans, pending decisions, and group activity in one place, making it easy to see what needs attention and jump back into planning.
Group Chat
Planning happens directly in the conversation, with Hal actively participating to guide the group toward a decision. Hal asks questions, surfaces options, and helps align preferences without taking over the interaction.
Choosing Time
Hal helps the group narrow down a time that works by surfacing overlapping availability directly in the chat. Everyone can vote on suggested time slots in one place, keeping the conversation moving without endless back-and-forth scheduling.
Choosing Place
Once the timing is settled, Hal recommends places the group might enjoy based on preferences, location, and the type of outing being planned. The group can quickly compare options and vote together without leaving the conversation.
Events Page
Once a decision is made, Hal turns it into a structured event that everyone can reference. The event brings together key details like time, location, participants, and status, so the plan stays clear and easy to follow. The event stays connected to the conversation, so the group can move seamlessly between discussion and the plan.
Manage Plans
The Events page gives users a simple, centralized view of everything they have planned across their groups. Upcoming events, RSVP status, locations, and planning progress are surfaced in one place, helping people quickly stay organized, revisit details, and keep track of what’s happening next.
