Application Design - Project 1: Mobile Application Proposal

23/92024 - 20/10/2024 / Week 1 - Week 4
Cindy Clarissa Leslie / 0367677
Application Design / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Project 1: Mobile Application Proposal


LECTURES
Week 1: Lecture 1

Purpose of application design:
  • Seamless user experience
  • Boosting engagement and retention
  • Overall customer satisfaction

This can be achieved by focusing on intuitive navigation and responsive layouts, improves the app’s long term viability.

Principles of usability: optimising navigation, information architecture and visual hierarchy



Week 2: Lecture 2

User Centered Design (UCD)

Iterative cycle where designers focus on the user’s needs and incorporates that understanding in the whole process of creating a design. creating a product that is both aesthetically pleasing and efficient.

User Experience Design

Ux design aims to focus on the functionality aspect of the design, ensuring a smooth and functional interaction.

User Interface Design

UI design deals with the aesthetic aspect of the design, bringing user experience to life visually. 

UCD Process
  • Discover/Analysis
  • Business requirements, user personas
  • Define
  • Ideation, experience mapping
  • Design
  • User experience, user interface
  • Validate
  • Usability testing, prototype validation, minimum viable product
  • Development
  • Production (coding)

Fundamental of UX design
  • design is functional and effective.
  • people can easily use and navigate through the design.
  • good and intriguing visual appearance.
  • positive brand experience/impression.


Week 3: Lecture 3

Usability - effectiveness, efficiency and success of a user in utilising a product. can be measured through testing methods.

usability pitfalls:
  • complex interfaces
  • confusing navigation
  • Lack of clear CTA buttons
  • inadequate error handling


INSTRUCTIONS




Project 1: Mobile Application Proposal

First Proposal Draft

First draft proposal slides include:
  • 3 apps, logo, description, category, and target audience
  • Screenshots of every pages, labeled clearly on the bottom
  • Analyze the weaknesses that can be found, you are allowed to find them by scrolling through the bad reviews on the AppStore, provide reasonings
  • Screenshots of bad reviews from real users.
  • Conclusion, include summary (weaknesses) and potential solutions.

Apps found:
Pinterest
Bershka
Steam (?)
Flickr (?)

While searching for the apps that I can analyze, I included those that I would use regularly while also making sure that they weren't overly famous to prevent from any repetitive analysis/research. Though at first I chose 'steam' as my third app, I decided to change it into Flickr since I noticed that there weren't much competition for the app especially for a game platform designed for PC.

Pinterest: photosharing app used to share ideas and inspiration.
Bershka: mobile fashion app that lets users buy items online.
Steam: app used to manage and purchase PC games.
Flickr: photosharing app used exclusively by photographers.

Figure 1.1 Weakness page in first proposal slides

While I was focusing on the weaknesses, I was informed that I need to be more concise and specific in writing the weaknesses, to which I changed it into being more short and straight to the point.



Figure 1.2 First draft proposal slides


Final Proposal Draft

Figure 2.1 First proposal slides, Bershka.

At first, I planned on using Bershka as the app that I want to redesign, however upon some consultation I eventually changed my mind into researching Flickr since I felt that there are a lot more improvements I can do and that I am generally experienced in using apps such as social media. 

While I created my slides, I constantly referenced the structure given by the lecturer, with my table of contents being:

1. Introduction
2. Analyzing current design
3. Analyzing competitors
4. Redesign objectives
5. Research method


FEEDBACK

Project 1: Mobile Application Proposal

Week 2
Directed Feedbacks

Make sure that you state the weaknesses more specifically, be more cohesive. Progress further with the slides so that you can already start making the final proposal.


Week 3
Directed Feedbacks

Flickr can be a viable choice, be careful when picking Bershka as the research and analysis may clash with other classmate (it's fine as long as the content is not similar in any way).


REFLECTION

Experience

During my experience especially in analyzing the designs, I had foundational knowledge in what a good UI is based on the research I've done in my previous modules. Though I personally think that I did not struggle much in identifying weaknesses, what was hard was mostly time management since there were a lot of requirements in the proposal slides and we had to make two. Fortunately I managed to complete them both on time and was able to present my slides, to which I aim to also improve in the future. 

Observations

What I've observed is how apps with good UI design are mostly apps that are still relevant and widely used to this day (instagram, pinterest etc.). Actively comparing those that are relevant to apps that fell out helped me identify weaknesses, which is definitely something I would do in my future studies. The whole process and proposal was able to hone my analysis skills.

Findings

I found that UI design does affect user experience by a lot, which is essential especially in such a competitive market. What stood out to me the most was the fact that having an engaging design does not only mean visual aesthetics, but also its functionality, where it is able to unknowingly persuade users to do certain actions and potentially make profits for the company.

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