ReadON
A progress tracking app for readers to record pages read, set reading goals, and write reflections to encourage consistency and growth through reading.
My Role
UX/UI Design
User Research
Branding
Prototyping
Usability Testing
Timeline
4 weeks
Goals
To create a positive and rewarding end-to-end experience for users using the ReadON app to see tangible progress aligned with their goals.
To design an end-to-end application that provides users clarity in their goals so that they may stay focused and motivated to finish their books with the intent of personal growth.
Problem
Users need a platform to set specific actions for reading goals and track progress
The pandemic has given individuals extra time and many have picked up new hobbies to enrich their lives. ReadON is an application designed to assist readers who desire to achieve personal growth through reading but struggle because of a lack of clarity in how it can be accomplished.
The Solution
A clear purpose, specific goals, & transparent progress, encourages action
Reading with the mindset of growth leads to insights and wisdom that enrich the life of the reader. How can I assist users in tracking and solidifying their reading goals while ensuring the consistency of their reading?
Round 1: White paper & User research
How did I discover the problem?
Staring with white paper research, I began to read research papers on human behavior of goal setting, motivation, and performance. Psychologist Gail Matthews conducted a research study showing:
“You are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if they are written down.”
With the white paper research in mind, I conducted user interviews in the hopes to discover the behavior and thought patterns of 4 individuals who struggle to act upon their goals. The user interviews revealed that all interviewees struggle most with their reading goals. This finding then provided me with insights and redirected my focus from general goals to reading goals.
Competitive Analysis
Current reading apps have NO PROGRESS TRACKING & GOAL-SETTING functions.
I analyzed 4 applications surrounding this goal/reading space. I discover that all reading applications focus on providing content but do not assist users to achieve their goals.
Round 2: White paper & User research
Why is it so hard to read?
In the second round of white paper research, I wanted to know readers’ habits and behaviors. When I came across the statistic from the World Economic Forum, I was surprised to find that people prefer physical books over ebooks:
“… e-book penetration still trails that of printed books by a wide margin across the globe.”
With the white paper research in mind, I conducted another round of user interviews focused on finding the motivations, frustrations, and needs of people who set reading goals.
Main Insights
User interviews gave me the opportunity to observe and understand my prospective users and therefore learn about their frustrations and/or pleasures.
User Persona
Through the insights and patterns gathered from user research, I created 2 personas that best synthesize my target audiences.
User Flows
Completing a task in user flow
The user flow allowed me to dive deeper into individual scenarios and really take the time to step into the user’s shoes.
Example User Task: Elliot signs into ReadON to complete today’s task, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, pages 35-40” and to record his reflections.
Sketches
Idate, apply, learn from feedback, consider
In the ideation stage, I made a lot of UX decisions in consideration of how my solution would solve the problem at hand. As I sketched out different ideas and layouts for the app, I could see the user research and ideas slowly come to life. I considered many things during this stage such as layout, accessibility, clarity…etc. However, all designs up until this point were based on my competitive analysis, user research, and assumptions. The real test began with actual users.
Wireframes
Though I would have loved to have conducted usability testing during the wireframe stage, this was unfortunately not an option due to time constraints.
Usability Testing & Revisions
Major Revisions in my design
To observe user flow for the completion of different tasks, I performed usability testing. General user feedback indicated that the process of completing the tasks was simple and straightforward. However, there were a few areas that needed improvement:
Lack of visual hierarchy
Lack of functional clarity on certain sections and UI elements
Lack of grouped information for association
After compiling an affinity map of user feedback from the usability test, I was able to glean some patterns that improved the overall usability of the app.
Prototype
Based on the High Fidelity end-to-end designs above, I created a usable prototype using Figma.
Design System
Without a design system life would be VERY difficult
I wanted users to feel empowered on their journey of wisdom and growth through ReadON’s color palette.
Blue represents Wisdom, Trust, and Strength.
Yellow represents Optimism and Encouragement.
Fonts were chosen because of their high contrast, clarity, and modern feel.
If I had more time, I would explore…
• More research! What are the user’s reading needs, is there any changes in the user’s needs in the different seasons of life?
• Can users revise their goals if they fall behind? How would that work?
• Can the reflections section be personalized? Can users link their reflections to other sources (e.g. Google docs)?
Lessons Learned
Keep a curious heart at all times. I realized that a vital trait of a UX/UI designer is a curious heart. The curiosity to discover areas for future improvement naturally leads a designer to understand what is most important to users. Never stop asking questions for the sake of improving your user’s experience.
Design with your user in mind ALWAYS, not yourself. Through the design process, I learned that knowing my users’ needs is essential for building a successful product.
Feedback, Feedback, Feedback. User feedback continues to be so helpful to my design career. I am thankful for the privilege I have to work with different designers, clients, students, and users who provide me the feedback and suggestions that have helped me to grow as a designer. I have also learned to discern directions for improvement from user feedback and when to refine my designs as necessary.
UX Design is solving problems for users not just making things pretty. My primary role as a UX designer is to explore and discover solutions to complex problems, making things look nice is not my priority.
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