Date: Sept 2019 (4 weeks)
Type: Class Project
Tools Used: Adobe XD, Illustrator, Indesign, pen and paper
Deliverables: user research, wireframes, sitemap, mockups
In this project, I was challenged to focus on designing a mobile app. The main objectives of the app are:
• Time capsule function for sending memories to the future
• Organizing memories by categories
• sharing memories with friends and family
After conducting basic research, I conducted user interviews with five participants to learn more about their behaviour. The interview was semi-structured with open-ended questions, with lots of room for discussion. The questions asked were about how the participants currently keep track of their memories, if they ever look through it, and the moments that they want to keep track of.
From the user interviews, the main pain points are:
- Not looking back at the memories once they have happened
- Wanting to share these memories with loved ones and look back together
- Having trouble organizing memories all in one app, as memories may not just be photos and videos
Using the research gathered the user interviews, I created a persona of Liz Day, the nostalgic lazy organizer.
A journey map was also created to better understand when Liz may use the app, her emotions, and her thoughts. From her pain points, opportunities were found that will better enhance her experience.
A site map was then created to show how the user would move through the application (shown with wireframes). Paper prototypes were also created to test out the flow of the application, and used to prevent feature creep.
Based on a simple user test with the paper prototypes, digital wireframes were created. Key paths of how to navigate through the app are also shown to better understand the interaction.
The visual designs use a simple interface that is easy to navigate through. The dominant color purple was chosen to symbolize nostalgia and creativity. Yellow was chosen as a complementary color for its energy, optimism, and positivity.
The main feature of a Time Capsule is to send memories to the future. Upon opening the app, the user will be taken to the main screen where they can see all their locked capsules. Once it is the time of the receiving date, the user can unlock and view the capsule. They can then choose to download, organize it in a memory folder, or send a direct message to the sender and talk about this memory.
The other key feature is sending memories to friends and family, or themselves. Users can upload from the camera or gallery, record a voice message, or type a message. After selecting a memory, they will then choose the recipient of the memory. The user can then select the date and time of when the recipient will receive the memory.
After receiving these memories, the user would like to organize them. Memories are sorted within folders and can include videos, images, voice recordings, or messages.
As my first UX project, I learned the basics of how to create a good user experience, which is to focus on the user. I learned how to conduct user interviews to gain insight on what users currently act and think about the process. I also learned how to ask follow up questions and observed their behaviour to discover pain points. It is also important to constantly test with users after every design decision, to test the usability and flow of the app. This allows me to avoid feature creep, current any problems, and re-iterate my designs. Although aesthetics are important, it is better to focus on the user experience first, and then move on to improving the visuals.
If I had more time to work on this project, I would conduct more usability tests. I ran out of time to check back with users, so the last usability test was during the paper prototype stage. I would like to conduct a usability test with my high-fidelity prototype, so I can re-iterate and finalize my design. I also wished I had more time to understand the user, so I can better differentiate between what the user needs and wants.
