Many aspiring designers feel overwhelmed by the prospect of a full app redesign. They think they need to overhaul 50 screens to show they are competent. The reality is that recruiters value depth over breadth.

If you want to sharpen your skills and add a high-impact piece to your portfolio, you don't need a whole app—you just need one frustrating moment. Here is how to execute the UI Redesign Challenge:

Step 1: Pick a Daily Companion

Start with an app you use every day. Because you are a regular user, you already have "domain expertise." You know the shortcuts, the patterns, and most importantly, the friction points.

Step 2: Isolate the Friction

Don't try to redesign the branding or the homepage. Instead, identify ONE frustrating moment.

• Is the checkout process confusing?
• Is the search filter difficult to reset?
• Is the notification setting buried too deep?

Step 3: Redesign ONLY That Flow

Constraints are a designer's best friend. Focus your energy on redesigning that specific micro-interaction or flow, not the whole app. This allows you to dive deep into the specific usability principles at play.

Step 4: Document the "Why"

A redesign without an explanation is just a "before and after" picture. To make this a portfolio-ready mini case study, you must explain:

• What was wrong? Define the usability issue.
• What did you change? Detail your design intervention.
• Why is it better? Use UX principles (like Heuristics) to justify the improvement.

Small, focused case studies often demonstrate better problem-solving skills than massive, unfocused projects. Take the challenge today, focus on one flow, and prove you can turn a user's frustration into a seamless experience.