Get in touch
sreesevithaami@gmail.com
Designing an award-winning Gen Z news app that turns endless scrolling into bite-sized, fact-checked stories worth reading and talking about.
Overview
When I first set out to design” The Tea”, I wasn’t just thinking about another news app. I was thinking about my own friends — busy, curious, and always scrolling through endless social feeds without ever really feeling informed.
During this 10-week project, I had the amazing opportunity to work alongside Carlos Cao, Tanishq Kalra and, Shruti Rathnakumaran, a dream team of designers and strategists.
What started as a classroom challenge ended up winning multiple Indigo Design Awards.
My Contribution
Product Design
Product Strategy
User research
User Testing
Timeline
10 Weeks
Team Members
Carlos
Shruti
Sree Sevithaa
Tanishq
Tools
Figma
FigJam
Miro
Maze
Canva
Product at a Glance
Designing a new way for Gen Z to consume, connect with, and contribute to the news.
The Tea transforms news into personalized, swipeable, socially engaging stories.
Your Spill: Personalized news, one sip at a time
The homepage is your curated news feed. Swipe right on stories you like, left on those you don’t, and the algorithm adapts.
Every post comes from verified sources, but it’s you who decides what sticks. Like, share, comment, or save for later — your news, your way.
01 Your Spill: Personalized news, one sip at a time
The homepage is your curated news feed. Swipe right on stories you like, left on those you don’t, and the algorithm adapts.
Every post comes from verified sources, but it’s you who decides what sticks. Like, share, comment, or save for later - your news, your way.
Stay in the loop with Polls
Interact with polls embedded in posts. See real-time voting trends and join the conversation instantly.
Filter what matters most
Sort your feed by categories that fit your interests - politics, pop culture, climate, and more - for a fully personalized experience.
The Spill Wheel: A smarter way to deep dive
Sort your feed by categories that fit your interests - politics, pop culture, climate, and more - for a fully personalized experience.
02 The Spill Wheel: A smarter way to deep dive
Sometimes, a headline isn’t enough. The Spill Wheel offers three dynamic ways to break down a story, whether you want a quick summary or the full picture.
Quick Sip
Short on time? Let Tea Bot serve up a concise TL;DR—highlighting the key facts, perspectives, and takeaways in seconds.
Full Article
Prefer to dig in? Read the complete, original article from a verified reporter to explore every nuance.
Timeline
Prefer to dig in? Read the complete, original article from a verified reporter to explore every nuance.
The Spill Wheel: A smarter way to deep dive
Sometimes, a headline isn’t enough. The Spill Wheel offers three dynamic ways to break down a story—whether you want a quick summary or the full picture.
03 Clink: Meet fellow readers in real time
Reading the same news? Shake your phone or tap “Clink” to connect with Explorers engaging with the same topic.
Find your people
View shared interests and start a real-time chat with those reading alongside you. It’s like social reading, but smarter.
04 Global Tea: See the world, one sip at a time
Discover what’s brewing worldwide. Global Tea is your hub for trending headlines, niche interests, and local updates - all in one feed.
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Three ways to explore
– Trending Now: What everyone’s talking about
– You May Also Like: Stories based on your sips
– Local: News near you, no digging required
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Personalize your page with interest tags to make your feed even more relevant.
Every Explorer has a profile that highlights their vibe- followers, followed reporters, saved Sips, and interest tags.
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Earn badges, level up
Complete quests and unlock badges that showcase your progress and reading habits.
05 Explorer Profile: Showcase your reading identity
06 Reporter Profile: Power tools for the storytellers
Reporters get the full Explorer experience—plus tools to grow and monetize their audience.
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Verified reach & analytics
Each profile features a verification check and company tag. The analytics dashboard helps reporters track views, audience engagement, and growth trends.
Create and customize posts
Only reporters can upload new Sips. They can tag locations, add polls, and link collaborators to each post.
Earn as you inform
Track revenue per Mille (RPM), reader rewards, and post-level earnings to understand your impact.
Quick Sip
Short on time? Let Tea Bot serve up a concise TL;DR—highlighting the key facts, perspectives, and takeaways in seconds.
Product at a Glance
Designing a new way for Gen Z to consume, connect with, and contribute to the news.
The Tea transforms news into personalized, swipeable, socially engaging stories.