Project 1
FutureFunds Redesign Project for a More Efficient and Effective Mockup as an Undergraduate Assignment.
An app redesign for a wealth management company.
Project Summary:
FutureFunds is a fictional wealth management bank that I used for a final project while attending Southern New Hampshire University. The class was comprised of eight modules, one of which was a final project where I redesigned the wireframes from a fictional designer and made improvements for some mockup designs. I made improvements to the order and visual hierarchy of various components and elements in the final stage of my mockup designs. I also improved the button labeling and fine-tuned the navigation sequence. There were basic design principles that I implemented into the final designs as well. I also tested the accessibility efficiency for guidance along the accessibility standards for web design. I then made a comparison of my mockups and the fictional designers’ wireframes to draw a comparison in quality. I interviewed seven participants to review my mockups to determine if the mockups presented the right aesthetic appeal to the users. I asked questions relating to the composition and layout of the design. I wanted to know if the users had any trouble reading key illustrated components of the mockup, such as button labeling and visual hierarchy. What I found was encouraging to the effort and work I put into designing the mockups. I found that most people were able to enjoy the mockup design, with limited problems locating information. I also learned that participants consistently said they use apps with a specific purpose—to get news, complete a task, or for entertainment. I learned that people are careful about what they put on their devices—only apps that serve a clear purpose stay installed.
The Challenge/The Problem:
I wanted to design a mockup that improved upon the fictional wireframes from the new designer. I had to research and analyze current app designs for similar businesses and use them as a reference for my starting point. The instructions from my professor for the assignment were basically to improve the visual hierarchy, key components, and key elements that might make for a better design. With the fictional feedback given on the assignment, I was able to define more of the issues involved that needed to be resolved. These pain points helped me to work towards designing an enhanced final product to the poor wireframe designs from the fictional designer. The end-users and target market were anyone willing to try a wealth management company for the first time. Retired folk, students, and businesspersons. The landing page for FutureFund’s bank was to be used on desktop computers and mobile devices.
It took some time to design the final product in class for grading. Once I received grading and feedback from my professor on my final design, I decided to incorporate the same mockup design into a case study for this portfolio. Finding participants to test my case study proved challenging, and I was reduced to only five participants for the questionnaire. Other than some minor issues as such, the overall process for improving my design came relatively easily.
Example of a new designer’s wireframes. Exhibit A and B.
The Solution:
I started the design process by thinking about the new designer’s wireframes and acknowledging the fictional feedback the designer received on the project. I then analyzed different landing pages for different wealth management companies online. From my research and discovery, I took the knowledge that I gained from the Empathizing phase and proceeded to define the problem and figure out the specifics of the construction I was trying to improve. I thought about the visual hierarchy and layout composition, including labeling and typography, for example. I then proceeded to sketch out images of the landing page, incorporating key elements like new alignment, composition, and hierarchy. I then made the mockup in Figma. Finally, I tested the mockup by sending a copy to each of the participants and then called them later for an interview session where I asked them five questions pertaining to the visual composition and aesthetic of my final design.
Improved mockup design.
Results:
The results for my design project were insightful and inspiring. I collected data from my interviews and analyzed the results into a summary of the most relevant feedback. Participants consistently said they use apps with a specific purpose—to get news, complete a task, or for entertainment. They also believed that if the app doesn’t help them meet a need, they won’t use it. Users want apps that are easy to use, straightforward, and not cluttered. They liked that my app was easy to use, straightforward, and not cluttered. They also believed that the app required less effort to learn than some other apps they had used. They valued my landing page for its tools and news, productivity, and staying informed. Some participants noted that the landing page helped with efficiency and convenience. Others noted that the visual appeal provided stress relief. The results show that users adopt and enjoy my landing page for its intuitive, purposeful, and useful capacity. If an app is not readable or easy to use, or understandable, it fails to deliver the necessary elements and components that make for a good design.
Interview questions, responses, and data exhibit a, b, and c
Project 2
Comic Zone user-experience testing for a more effective order and subscription experience using the app
A comic sales app that allows you to subscribe to the online store and make online purchases.
Project Summary:
Comic books are a major source of reading for many people worldwide. In places like Japan, the US, and parts of Europe, comics are a huge part of the reading landscape, with entire industries and dedicated fanbases.
Online comic book sales have been steadily increasing and are a major part of the comics industry’s revenue today. Digital comics provide a convenient way for readers to access their favorite stories, and the industry has evolved significantly in recent years due to the rise of platforms and digital distribution.
I wanted to design an app that would be easy to navigate and functional. It took two weeks of work in all to research, define the problem, create ideas for solving the problem, prototype the design, and then test out the final product.
The Challenge:
I wanted to design an app that allowed users to easily subscribe to an online platform for comic books and allowed them to make online purchases of comic books effectively. Also, I wanted the app to be as functional and easy to operate as possible.
From my results, I was able to obtain key information about the different components that users found difficult to use throughout their experience with the app. These pain points are crucial to the functionality and usability of the app, and locating them was a breakthrough in obtaining research and planning for the future of the design.
My users were everyday people who work, have families, and go to school. Most of my users had no problems using my app and found it easy to use. They were people who used apps approximately 10 – 20 hours per week.
I located what I thought were definitive problems with the website design and did research to improve upon a more standardized design using Figma tools. From first designing wireframe sketches, then to digital wireframes, mockups, and then to high fidelity prototypes. I then tested my prototype of the Comic Zone app I designed on 7 users in a usability study for my app design. I also did surveys and interviews. I was successful in my attempts to create an easy-to-use, functional website based on user research. I think what I learned was that simpler is better when it comes to less complex websites.
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Comic book app wireframes
Solution:
I started the steps to the design process for UX design by first doing research on the comic book industry and the different platforms they use to sell comic books. I noticed a need for easy-to-use systems that allow for functionality and non-confusion in purchasing comic books on their websites. I also noticed many online comic book store websites were outdated. I wanted to design a website that was not only easy to use but was intuitive. I conducted a survey to find out what users desired from the use of modern-day apps and asked them about some of their pain points. Once I was able to articulate some of these challenges, I started to think about what an app might look like and the need for a user-centered design. I then began to sketch wireframes and eventually produced lo-fidelity wireframes of the app using Figma. From there, I was ready to create my first mockups and prototypes for testing. I created the hi-fidelity prototypes in Figma, which were polished and interactive. Next, I conducted a usability study (test) of the prototype to find out the overall experience and to determine any pain points with navigation or intuitiveness in the app design. Also, I wanted to see if the users managed to achieve the objectives tasked in purchasing a comic book and subscribing to the website.
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Comic book app mockup/prototype
Results:
Seven participants provided feedback on their experience purchasing a comic book through the app. The survey combined quantitative ratings (scales 1–10) and qualitative responses. Most participants reported that purchasing was straightforward and efficient. General sentiment was positive, though not universally strong. One participant gave a very low score (1/10), suggesting an outlier negative experience. Participants were generally impressed, with scores ranging from 1 (lowest) to 10 (highest).
With regards to the subscription success, 3 participants were able to subscribe. 4 participants were unable to subscribe, suggesting a potential usability or technical issue. There were some issues with navigation. 6 participants reported no difficulty navigating. 1 participant reported difficulty, indicating an isolated—but important—concern. When asked if there was a likelihood of switching to another platform, 4 participants said No (they would not switch), and 2 participants said Yes (they might switch). 1 participant said Maybe. Some recommendations could be: Fix subscription flow; The most consistent issue—nearly half of participants could not subscribe. This is a critical barrier to retention. Refine layout and UI: Font and layout changes could improve clarity and reduce the single navigation complaint. And, investigate outlier dissatisfaction: One participant gave very low ratings across metrics. Conducting follow-up interviews could clarify what went wrong. The purchasing flow scored highly, suggesting that I should keep the streamlined experience intact.
Interview questions, responses, and data exhibit a, b, and c