Gentle Use Branding and
Website Design
For this project, I oversaw the research and ideation process. Tools that were used include Figma, Miro, InVision, Google Slides, and Adobe Creative Suite. The main deliverables were a high-fidelity Figma prototype and a presentation slide deck.
Expertise
UX & UI Design, Web Design
Tools
Figma, Google Slides,
Adobe Creative Suite
Deliverables
High-fidelity Figma prototype, presentation slide deck
Project Overview
Gentle Use is an online platform designed for parents and caretakers to buy and sell used childrens' items, with a focus on interactions with local, nearby members of the platform. This focus can help create a better sense of accountability and trustworthiness among members.
Challenges
Buying used baby clothes and items present several challenges for parents and caretakers. These include the quality and cleanliness of the used items and finding items that fit their child's age group. Additionally, some people may feel reluctant to buy from other people they don't know and therefore don't trust.
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For people trying to sell their used baby clothes and items, potential challenges include (insert list here).
Solution
Efforts were focused on developing a website that enables users to directly message other users on the website, increasing both trust and accountability between both parties. This online platform provides a more convenient alternative to buying more expensive childrens' goods online or even going to in-person garage sales, enhancing engagement and accessibility.
Researching
To gather qualitative data and obtain a comprehensive understanding of different types of readers, I conducted a survey using Google Survey. The survey included 10-15 questions related to buying habits for new and older parents, such as whether respondents would buy used baby items, if they had ever bought used baby items, and what kinds of items did they buy used or were willing to buy used. I received 175 responses, which provided valuable insights. Here is a brief overview of the findings.
User Interviews
I conducted six user interviews to ascertain whether or not in-person book clubs presented significant inconveniences and what kind of challenges were posed by physical book storage. I also wanted deeper insights into why people enjoy reading and their reading habits. The interview results revealed that participants preferred obtaining physical copies of books, as well as some e-books. Their passion for reading often led them to discuss books and their experiences with others, such as friends or family members. These interviews provided me with a clearer understanding of how individuals felt about book clubs, the challenges they faced, and potential solutions to these problems.
User Persona
Our user persona is 31 year old Anna, a creative brand manager residing in Charlotte, North Carolina. The couple has recently welcomed a new member into their family, little Jeremy. He keeps his parents busy, but when they have free time, Anna enjoys creative pursuits like punch-needling, drawing, and talking about the movie industry with her husband.
User Insight and Problem Statement
My goal is to develop a website that provides users like Anna with a secure and interactive platform. This platform will facilitate easier purchasing of used childrens' items and offer the option to sell their own items and communicate directly with other users.
User Insight Statement
Problem Statement
WeRead is an innovative online platform that reimagines the traditional book club by enabling reading enthusiasts to connect and engage with one another about books. This platform offers users the unique opportunity to share and borrow physical copies of books. In-person book clubs often present challenges such as coordinating schedules, commuting, and managing group dynamics. Our goal is to create a platform that provides a more relaxed and engaging experience for readers, facilitating meaningful interactions and allowing users to share their opinions throughout their reading journey.
Ideation
The primary user requirement focused on facilitating book discussions and addressing the challenges associated with traditional book clubs. Additionally, having a book borrowing feature would be a valuable enhancement that WeRead can provide to its users.
Solution Statement
This solution facilitates more consistent and convenient, and potentially more engaging, discussions by transitioning book club interactions to a more accessible platform. Additionally, it offers users like Hunter the option to borrow and lend books, thus eliminating the need to purchase and store physical copies.
User Flow
I created two different user flows, one for creating a book club and one for borrowing a book.
Wireframes
Home Page
For the home page, I wanted to feature a prominent hero banner at the top. Below the banner, we should recommend some of the most popular book clubs, enabling visitors to join or create a book club easily. Following this section, we will have a borrowing section that directs visitors to the borrowing page.
Book Club Landing Page
For the book club landing page, I want to include customization options at the top for the user's book club. Incorporating a calendar feature will help users track the dates and times of book club activities. Following this section, we will provide recommendations for books that the book club owner can select. The left side of the page will be dedicated to connection and interaction, allowing book club members to freely chat and engage in discussions through the chat function and forum.
Book Borrowing Page
For the book-borrowing page, popular books will be prominently displayed at the top, allowing users to easily click and borrow them. Additionally, a search bar will enable users to find specific books and borrow them from the lenders listed.
User Testing and Iteration
"Following two comprehensive rounds of user testing, each involving five participants, I found several changes based on user feedback that could enhance the overall user experience of the website."
Prototyping and Changes
Home Page
In the initial wireframe, the hero banner presented challenges in determining suitable content, leading to user confusion. To address this, I redesigned the landing page to clearly convey the purpose of WeRead and included two calls-to-action (CTAs) for users to join or create book clubs.
Landing Page
I removed the book browsing section and merged the chat button into the calendar in order to make it easier for users to manage their events and communicate with others in a simple way.
Borrowing Page
I incorporated a concise landing section to educate users on the book-borrowing process and to clarify that this feature is exclusive to members. Other changes included relocating the search bar to the top of the page, allowing users to search for desired books immediately while also including an arrow in the search bar component to indicate the presence of a clickable button for navigating to the next page."
Final Figma Design
Home Page
In the end, the overall design is cohesive and functional thanks to the constructive feedback and research done in the beginning. Some changes for the future can be considered:
- The book-borrowing feature could be designated as a member-exclusive function to enhance convenience for borrowers while ensuring the security of lenders' books. However, several details require further clarification, including pricing, member benefits, leader benefits, and policies that must be clearly presented on the website.
- There's room for implementing interactive features for book club members to facilitate discussions on their readings, such as video chat, an annotative book feature, and emoji sharing.