Ever After
A UX Case Study
The Product
Ever After is a mobile app formulated to aid user in scheduling wedding venue tours and browsing through features of each location. Ever After provides users with upfront information surrounding price transparency, aesthetic, and location. Ever After targets users with busy schedules such as working couples who have limited time to spend on venue tours.
The Problem
Busy engaged couples lack the time to attend in person venue tours without knowing cost upfront.
The Goal
Design an app that allows users to view full details on venues and schedule their own tours with a simple click.
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ROLE
UX Designer
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TOOLS
Figma
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DURATION
March 2023 - April 2023
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DUTIES
Conduct interviews, paper and digital wireframing, low- and high-fidelity prototyping, conduct usability studies, account for accessibility, and iterate on designs.
Understanding the User
Summary
I conducted interviews and created empathy maps to understand the users I’m designing for and their needs. One user group identified during this research were people who are non-native English speakers looking to get married in the United States.
Other user groups confirmed initial assumptions about adults looking to get married, but research revealed additional barriers to the online search process separate from transparency with cost and ease of use. Other user problems included barriers with language, time, and having a one-stop-shop process.
Pain Points
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Working adults are too busy to waste time touring venues that may be out of budget.
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Platforms for wedding venues are not equipped with translation devices.
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Wedding venue platforms do not generally have a simple way for busy adults to navigate and find important information.
Persona: Joseph
Problem statement:
Joseph is a recent immigrant who needs to find a simple wedding venue app because he is a non-native English speaker looking to plan a wedding.
User Journey Map
Mapping Joseph’s user journey identified that it would be helpful for users to have access to an app for a wedding venue.
Starting the Design
Paper Wireframe
In the initial phases of design, I ideated using paper wireframes to select a refined version with specific elements from each sketch (starred). Displayed to the right are paper wireframes of the proposed venue page.
Digital Wireframes
I made sure to make the design simple and focus on the user’s journey based on feedback and findings from user research.
Features:
A button at the top of the screen to indicate where the user should begin their journey within the app.
A carousel provides users with some interesting information they may not otherwise find when searching for wedding venues.
Simple booking was identified as a benefit to the app in early studies. Also included was access to a calendar to eliminate the need to navigate to another app.
Features:
Included a calendar view to provide easy access to reference days of the week.
Easy prompt to continue the booking process and direct the user to complete their journey
Low-fidelity Prototype
The low-fidelity prototype connected the primary user flow of filtering venues, searching through available options, and scheduling a tour so the prototype could be brought forward for usability studies.
Usability Study Findings
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I conducted two rounds of unmoderated usability studies with five participants each.
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Round 1 findings
Users want a structured home page with consistent features.
Users need a better cue for how to search venue options.
The booking option is an intuitive property.
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Round 2 findings
Users want an easier way to schedule a tour.
Users want price transparency to appear before clicking into the venue.
Refining the Design
Mockups
Early designs did not allow for a search function within the browsing menu. I included an option to search venues by location name. I also included price transparency so the user could view this information without needing to click into another screen.
Before usability studies
After usability studies
The second usability study revealed frustration with booking page. To simplify the process, I created two screens to eliminate the scroll function and visualize the day of the week. I also created a method for users to more easily identify an available time with inactive buttons.
Before usability studies
After usability studies
Mockups
High-fidelity Prototype
The high-fidelity prototype presented cleaner flows for searching venue options and scheduling tours. It also met user needs for price transparency.
Accessibility Considerations
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Icons
I included icons for common pages, such as the home page and favorites page, with subtitles to allow for compatibility with screen readers
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Translation
I included a translation function within the app to allow for improved accessibility among users for who English is not their native language.
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Motions
I reviewed accessibility considerations regarding animation and ensured that animations were 300 milliseconds long (within the accessibility guidelines).
Takeaways
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Impact:
Ever After makes users feel like the wedding venue search is simplified and there are no surprises.
Participant: “I like that the confirmation screen popped up first so I could know which venue I was booking and at what date and time.”
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What I learned:
While designing the Ever After app, I learned that the preliminary ideas for the app are malleable. Following usability studies and peer reviews, the app’s design continued to evolve to meet the user’s needs.
Next Steps
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Conduct another round of usability studies to confirm that all user pain points were resolved.
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Conduct more user research to determine if there are alternate needs that can be addressed within the app.