Tour
End to End Application
A customizable way to discover things to do around you or just have it pick for you!
Duration
80 hours within 4 weeks
Role
UI/UX Researcher and Designer
Key Takeaway
Deciding what to do or where to go can be a challenge to begin with but when you begin adding people to the mix, it only gets more difficult. By offering a site that filters your search ahead of time, allows you to find more personalized recommendations.
Discover
The problem
When planning you're a hangout with your friends, does it ever feel like it is impossible to decide what to do or where to go? Especially when your group starts to get bigger, it can become difficult deciding on one thing.
Users ultimately take a long hand approach to finding something to do or do not do anything at all.
Preview to the Solution
Search
Kick off your search with your essential information: where, what and how many people. This will provide a smart search and provide better browsing options for the user.
Join Waitlist
When searching for a dining option, users are able to join the waitlist directly from the app to streamline the process of joining the waitlist.
Can’t Decide
For the indecisive and adventure lovers, users can have the app simply pick for you! Just enter your needs and the app will do the rest.
Competitive Analysis
What are the areas of opportunity?
The current market lacks a smart way to search for thing to do/go to. Though each app offers a way to search for things to do, none of the apps ask the user what their needs are.
Key Goal
To offer a smart way to search for things to/go to in a nearby proximity and provide all necessary information to plan for said activity.
Overall Goal
To create an end to end app that reduces some of the strain on users when searching for something to do.
Target Audience
Meet Kendal! Kendal is looking to have a girl’s night with her three best friends. Unsure what to do or where to go she begins browsing the app of her choice looking for things nearby. After endlessly scrolling and looking, she’s finds some good ideas but each time she pursues the option there is a complication (wait time too long, too expensive, etc.). Defeated, she ends up asking if anyone else has any better ideas.
Kendal needs a better way to search for her and her friend’s needs.
Interviews
Five individuals were recruited to be interviewed. Interviewees were amongst their early to mid-twenties and enjoy going out and doing things on the weekdays/weekends.
100% of Participants
Gather inspiration from three or more apps.
Plan their activities.
Use reviews and comments to gauge a place.
80% of Participants
Use reservation/waitlists when going to a restaurant.
Prefer a local experience.
Pain Points
Difficult to decide what to do with big groups of people.
Unsure if there is parking available on site.
A locations information is not always available/listed.
Card Sort
Using Optimal Workshop, I conducted a hybrid card sort using:
Five categories
Forty cards
The purpose of the card sort was to see how users associated each card with each category that was provided. This allowed me to better organize and group the different card trends I saw into usable information.
User Flow
The user flow helped by mapping out the user experience to guarantee each step flowed well with the next. This allowed me to organize what pages and features were crucial to the user in accomplishing their goal.
Low Fidelity Wireframes
I sketched out my ideas to get a better picture of how my designs could digitally transfer. Sketching out the designs allowed me to brainstorm many new and fun ideas.
Mid Fidelity Wireframes
My main goal for the mid fidelity wireframes was to check both the usability and to make sure all necessary information was included and organized in a functional and digestible way.
High Fidelity Wireframes
For the high fidelity wireframes, I began focusing in on brand and user experience. Using the information from my user interviews/card sort, I revisited the main pain points mentioned and assured those areas had been addressed through my design solutions.
Seach & Join Waitlist
Can’t Decide
Usability Testing
All five participants were amongst their early to mid-twenties and enjoy going out and doing things on the weekdays/weekends.
Success Metrics
Search
100% of users were able to search for dining options in Detroit in under a minute.
Participants felt that the search was easy to follow and use.
Join Waitlist
100% of users were able to join the waitlist in under a minute.
Participants felt that the waitlist was very similar to other applications they’ve used before.
Can’t Decide
100% of users completed the can’t decide flow without any errors.
Participants thought the can’t decide feature was a fun touch and would use it.
Iteration
Location Card
User testing revealed that users want to be provided with more information upfront.
40% of participants wanted to see the type of cuisine.
20% of participants wanted to see the reviews so they could get an immediate gauge on a place.
20% of participants wanted to see wait times on the card. Knowing the wait times allows users who are time conscious an easy way to browse.
Filter
As users clicked through the prototype, 40% of participants tried to click on the filter icon. While the filter page hadn’t been developed yet it revealed that users are drawn to filters and being able to personalize their search.
Final Thoughts
Challenges
The main challenge was deciding how many features to build out and which features were the most important. As I was developing the app, I would start to get a bunch of ideas as to different directions I could go. Ultimately I decided to stick with basic functionality to strengthen my core functions.
What I Learned
I learned how to be decisive with my decisions and strengthen the wireframes I had built. I was able to gain a better understanding on the process of developing an end to end app and the thought process that goes into it.
What Comes Next
If I had more time:
Build out more functions such as the shopping list page.
Further develop the app to allow users to track the expiration dates of the food in their pantry.
Collaborate with grocery stores/grocery delivery to allow users to have their missing ingredients show up at their door.
