Target app — the good and the bad
Here, I am looking at Target USA retail mobile app and evaluated the 3 things that I think make it a great design and 3 things that are not-so-well designed.
Let’s dive into the positive first.
#1: Aisle location for any specific product
Here’s the intro page to quickly introduce the app.

I love how the app can actually tells me which aisle a certain product is located. For me, I find the most frustrating thing at a departmental store is to locate what I want. I often walk into a departmental store already knowing what I want, sometimes, I even have a specific brand in mind. Many times, I find myself walking from aisle to aisle to look for what I want and ending up asking someone for the product. It is indeed frustrating!
#2: Touch ID. WOW!

Often times, password is the hardest thing to remember especially there are so many websites requiring password to log into my account. And every website tells us to have unique, random password. How would anyone remember all the password.
I think touch ID is a genius invention! With Touch ID there will be no need for password cheat sheets, no more notes sitting on my table, and definitely I will feel a lot more secure.
So… when is iris identification for apps coming up? :)
#3: Most important navigation is very concise and clear.

I love the clarity of the most important navigation options — search and barcode — available once I landed on the “homepage”. I see it right away and it feels like they are right on my face, making the options extremely clear and focused.
Plus, I love the transition of the icons shrinking as I scroll down. It is a smooth way of letting users know “the icons are not the focus now, but you know exactly where it is no matter which page you are in”.
There is also a bad side to the navigation design and this brings us to the not-so-well designed part of the app.
#1: Most important navigation is too concise?
Can too much good thing be bad? Maybe. On the other hand, the question I have is is the main navigation too concise? Can 2 icons really satisfy ALL users’ needs?
#2: What is cartwheel?

At first glance, at the sign up page, I have no idea what a cartwheel is. This page is very confusing to me. The questions that pop into my mind were, “is a Target account the same as cartwheel?”, “if I have a cartwheel, do I still need to sign up for a target account?”

As you can see, cartwheel options appear in multiple different pages. And yet, I am still not clear what it is.
#3: Only can have 1 store location saved?

I like to have more location saved though. Because I do frequent a few places and there could be Target stores nearby. I want 1 close to my home, 1 close to my workplace, and 1 close to grandma’s house. But this app just doesn’t let me do that.
Here you go. My thoughts on the 3 areas that are well designed and 3 that are not-so-well designed.