Improving The Usability of the NLB Mobile App
A personal UX Design project
To note
This case study was done back on an old version of the NLB app in 2021. It has since been updated to improve user experience and address usability issues that were covered (and not covered!) here.
Summary
This personal case study applies the UX Research and Design process. It demonstrates how I applied data gained from usability testing to make informed design decisions with clear business goals in mind.
Purpose of this Case Study
I wanted to apply the UX Research process to discover how to uncover usability flaws that may be hindering NLB from meeting business goals, and use the UX Design process to make design decisions to solve said flaws.
The Client
NLB (National Library Board) is an organization responsible for building over twenty public libraries in Singapore. They enable information literacy for the people through their vast collection of books, ebooks, and DVDs.
Project Duration: 2 Weeks
The Problem
Many of the app’s reviews on the Google Playstore detail various factors of the app which contribute to bad user experience.
Project Goal
- Discover usability issues that affect people from using the app to achieve goals
- Create a design solution to overcome key insights uncovered from research
Research Setup
I recruited 5 participants and interacted with them one-on-one in NLB libraries to conduct an on-site interview, usability test session, and user shadowing to observe how they borrow a library resource.
Why were these research methods used?
I needed to observe and empathize with users to learn how they think about and use the NLB app.
Key Insight 1: Not clear how to borrow books on app
Users care about:
- Being able to navigate the app intuitively
The Problem with the Current Design
- 2 out of 5 participants needed assistance to figure out how to borrow a book through the app
- 1 out of 2 participants who needed assistance had given up
How does this problem impact business goals?
Users who might choose to give up using the app to borrow library resources may refrain from using it in the future
My UX Design Approach
- Based on my observations and analysis, users generally have an idea of where to look. It’s just not always obvious at a glance
- In the interest of solving collective problems uncovered on the home screen, I drafted medium-fidelity wireframes and assessed it with participants
- I iterated my design in high-fidelity where the final improvements are done in detail
How this UX Design overcomes problems from the existing design?
The improvements should allow users to quickly learn how to borrow a resource at the library with the app.
Key Insight 2: Users risk reserving the unintended type of library resource
Users care about:
- Reserving the intended type of library resource
The Problem with the Current Design
- All 5 participants did not immediately realize they were viewing the eBook version of the book(s) they were planning to borrow
- 1 out of 5 participant almost reserved an eBook when they meant to reserve a physical copy
My UX Design Approach
- I created wireframes in medium-fidelity since my design solution simply sought to make it clear which section they are on for the Search Results screen
- I assessed my wireframe with participants to gather feedback before reiterating my design in high-fidelity
- Two design iterations later, I fleshed out the final design in high-fidelity to reflect the improvements in high detail
How this UX Design overcomes problems from the existing design?
This simple resdesign of the tabs will help users quickly know which category they are currently viewing. Furthermore, it should prevent users from accidentally borrowing an unintended format of the library resource they wish to loan.
