Fall 2022
1.5 Months
Figma, Photoshop
The Explore UW App is a prototype project created on Figma. This app is to help students and their supporters find activites near their University of Wisconsin campus based their interests. The idea behind this was to encourage students and their supporters to explore the city that their campus is based in, something that students tend to miss out on.
View live projectCreate a map based app that has at least two unique features for the user to interact with.
Prototype Presentation: Successfully showcases the app’s usability, design, and functionality in a way that demonstrates its potential impact.
User-centered: Create a user-friendly app that a variety of people can use.
Map-based app: An interactive map is a large feature of the app.
The development of the Explore UW App began with a comprehensive project brief, where I outlined and pitched the core concept of the application. This brief served as the foundation for the project's direction and goals. To gain a deeper understanding of the competitive landscape, I conducted a detailed analysis of three competing apps, identifying their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in relation to my idea. This competitive analysis informed key design and functionality decisions, ensuring that the app would address gaps and stand out in the market.
In addition to analyzing competitors, I developed three distinct user personas, each representing a unique segment of the target audience. To further refine the project's strategy, I conducted a SWOT analysis, evaluating the potential strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats specific to the Explore UW App.
The wireframes for the Explore UW App were initially created on Figma, laying the foundation for both low-fidelity (lo-fi) and high-fidelity (hi-fi) prototypes. These wireframes serve as a visual guide to the app's structure and functionality, highlighting the core user experience and ensuring seamless navigation. They showcase the primary pages and functions of the app, including the home screen, the onboarding process to personalize user experiences, the main pages for guests exploring the app without an account, and the signed-in pages designed for registered users.
The visual design of the Explore UW App was meticulously crafted with accessibility as a top priority, ensuring that the app could be effectively used by a diverse audience. A high-contrast color palette was selected to enhance readability and ensure that critical information and interactive elements stand out clearly against their backgrounds.
Typography was another key focus of the design process. I carefully chose a font that was sans serif and easy to read. These choices help reduce strain for users with reading challenges while maintaining a professional and approachable appearance.
In addition to color and typography, interactive elements such as buttons and icons were designed to be intuitive and user-friendly.
This project enhanced my research skills and provided experience in navigating a UX design process from start to finish. From initial research and wireframing to visual design and testing, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in each stage of the design journey. Conducting usability testing and gathering feedback from users was particularly insightful, as it highlighted the importance of iterative design and adapting based on real-world input.
Through this process, I gained a deeper understanding of what it takes to develop user-centered solutions that address specific needs while balancing functionality and aesthetics. This hands-on experience gave me a clearer perspective on the challenges and rewards of UX design projects, enhancing my skills and confidence in approaching similar projects in the future.