Wallflower — Case study (P1).

David Marks
Jul 10, 2017 · 4 min read

This case study reviews the iterative process involved creating my first prototype of a mobile app as a full-time UX student at RED Academy.

Discovery

The beginning of my project began by conducting user interviews. My user research determined social media apps via mobile device as the primary source of social connection for post-grad students in Toronto daily. However, many experienced a lack of confidence or communication skills essential in making new connections in the real-world.

My goal was to design an app that will create a network offering real-time support and solutions when facing these challenges.

Research

Conducting my research in a controlled lab environment I interviewed my users about their lifestyles, habits, setbacks and frustrations.

A very low fidelity user persona

The user persona created based upon my interviews was a recent graduate of a post-secondary program who used social media apps (Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat) to connect with friends and often relied on their mobile device to feel comfortable around new people, seeking a positive solution to the tension felt when making new connections in real life.

I noticed a visible pattern amongst my user’s dependance on their mobile device and social media apps for communicating and their decreased ability and desire to engage in real life interactions.

Planning

Since my user research offered a solution directly co-related to the user’s social anxieties and co-dependancy on social media apps I began planning a mobile app designed to offer various support systems as a means of effectively reducing stress and elevating confidence.

User flow (low-fidelity)
Storyboard sketch (low-fidelity)

I imagined user’s having access to a complete support system in real time based on their own personal needs, including chatbot encouragement, contextual population density and mood monitors, I then began interface design concepts.

Design

While storyboarding I imagined how users may first use the app to determine a location’s population density, view other local users, then make a decision if they want to go meet others and if they need support based on that, which carried weight in my decisions designing the UI.

User interface flow (low fidelity)

As I moved further in the design process I tried to reflect the results of my research in the design of my interface. I realized that stats based on contextual emotional data gathered periodically over continued use of the app may offer the user a sense of growth, leading to continued use.

Prototype

The outcome of my design process led to a single low-fidelity clickable paper prototype of an app called Wallflower designed to offer users a variety of appropriate support systems at their request.

2 screenshots of low-fidelity clickable paper prototype of ‘Wallflower.’

In a lab environment I tested how easily users were able to access the features I designed to locate local users then find support before meeting a new person. Although users ultimately were able to complete the task, they had confusion putting the function of the key features into context which led me to realize I needed to draw a higher level of attention to the areas that matter in my product as well as create more varied pathways to make it easier reaching the same desired result.

Summary

Only upon completing my testing cycle did I realize I had left out essential information necessary to smoothly guide the user through the experience. This gave me valuable insight into how I might redesign my product to enhance the efficiency of completing the desired user task.

Low-fidelity clickable paper prototype:

David Marks

Written by

Full-stack UX/UI designer. Lifelong scholar. Futurist.

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