Case Study:
Bookstore App
The Bookstore app is designed to connect readers to their local bookstores. This app is designed to streamline the book recommendation and ordering process to help local bookstores stay competitive with larger online book retailers.
My role and responsibilities
Conducting research, interviews, paper and digital wireframing, low and high-fidelity prototyping, conducting usability studies, accounting for accessibility, and iterating on designs.
The problem
Busy readers do not have time to browse bookstores for books that interest them. Additionally, these readers want a way to support local bookstores in a time-sensitive way.
The goal
The Bookstore app recommends books to local readers and helps them check book availability at local bookstores, creating a streamlined reservation and pickup process.
User emphasis
One primary user group identified through my research was busy adults who do not have a lot of time to browse books in-store.
Research also showed that time wasn’t the only factor. Users also wanted recommendations based on their interests, and greater visibility to local bookstore offerings and events.
Research insights
The usability study helped identify user needs and room for improvements. Users wanted clarity around the app's different features and easier options for making reservation edits.
Wireframes and low fidelity prototypes
The low-fidelity prototype connected the primary user flow of selecting a book, finding a bookstore, and making a reservation. Before low-fidelity prototypes were created, I sketched ideas out on paper.
High-fidelity prototype
The high-fidelity prototype presented a more seamless user-flow and incorporated user needs. Easy user flow was a priority for me when designing this app.
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What I learned
I learned a lot about implementing user feedback and research in my designs. I’ve also learned about accessibility needs and how they may differ from one user to another. Additionally, I learned a lot about designing for a mobile app.
Challenges and solutions
This project provided a challenge with creating opportunities for feedback and then implementing it to make sure user needs were addressed.
