APPLICATION DESIGN - PROJECT 1: MOBILE APPLICATION PROPOSAL

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24.09.25 - 15.10.25 (Week 1 - Week 4) 
Michelle (0373843)
Application Design / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's University
Project 1: Mobile Application Proposal
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Lectures

Week 1
Intro to Application Design

Reasons people download apps: necessity, forced, some chosen (out of all the many that exists for the same purpose/function - review why?)

We design app to connect business and users. Make everyone happy.
Good app > good business > selling point for client

User satisfaction: seamless user experience, boost engagement, retention, accessibility (to reach wider audience, but narrow the focus)

Usability: effective yet effortless - fast and easy to accomplish goal.

Mobile in Digital Era: mobile devises has been integrated into daily lives, for many activities.
Unique Challenges
  • Limited screen real estate 
  • Diverse device capabilities: accommodate a wide range of device specifications.
  • Contextual awareness: diverse environments and situations (location, connectivity, and user mobility).
User Centered Design (UCD)
  • On mobile, unlike other products - possible to make many versions/updates, doesn't have to be perfect since beginning.
  • Designing starts with research to understand - saving effort and cost in the long run. Then, design a solution - prioritize key features > maximize > evaluation (testing what works and not).

Prototyping & Testing
Lo-Fi (Low Fidelity) - Push as many mistakes as possible in first stages to avoid tears later on.

Gestures & Interactions
Tap, Swipe, Pinch, Drag

No pattern/consistency > worry, stress
Emerging trends, regular optimalization

Week 2
The Art of User Centered Design

User Experience - How it works 
User Interface - How it feels 

UX Design first need to answer expectations. Then, create meaningful, valuable, emotional connection.

UX Designer focus on people's experience rather than our own perspectives.
People's preferences are diverse, even though social environment is the same - focus on one target and make them very happy.

Empathy: be in someone else's shoes, understand their perspectives - to gain information: watch documentaries, interviews, surveys

Fundamental of UX
  1. Utility - Design begins with being functional
  2. Usability - Easy to use
  3. Desirability -Visual appearance, feel 
  4. Brand experience - Impressions
How to build a problem statement.
A problem well stated is half the work done - Albert Einstein.

Function: 
Explain shortly the core problem and potential audience. (not heavy, quick and easy to explain) - guide on what to do & communicate to third parties.

Problem statement reflects the project now. If there's a change in plan, statement updated.

Who experiences the problem?
What is the problem?
Where does the problem occur?
When does it happen? Is there a deadline? - Timeline to solve
Why is the problem worth solving?

The same problem might produce different problem statements, depending on the focus.

Problem Statement Exercise
Amir needs to find other cheaper motorbike repair services or find cheaper alternatives to buy a bike.

User Experience Exercise - Redesign boarding pass to better serve the passenger (user) than the airline (company).
Figure 1.2.1 Redesigning Boarding Pass Practice


Week 3
Usability: Designing Products for User Satisfaction

Keep the texts short, highlight keywords.

Effectiveness: how well
Efficiency: how fast
Success: 

Clarity & Learnability: explain how to use before people go through (is it easy to use? Can someone who haven't used it before use it?).

Efficiency & Goal Completion: is the interface guide users to goals in straight-forward and time-saving way?

Common Pitfalls
  • Complex interface
  • Confusing navigation, inconsistency layouut (how is it organized - filtering)
  • Lack of Clear calls to Action (CTAs) - missed opportunities.
  • Inadequate error handling
Key Usability Principles
  • Consistency - everything looks together, not a mix&match (intuitive, familiarity, stronger brand identity - recognition without effort).
    • Navigation system (exactly the same though different locations).
    • Page layout & menu structure (use universal wide-known, try not to invent new ones).
  • Simplicity 
    • Minimize steps to complete task, 
    • Use general standard symbols & terminology - reduce confusion) - doesn't always mean less, can be achieved by adding too.
    • Provide less info first (enough to know essential), then option to view more - prioritization.
  • Visibility
    • What do I see, where do we want people to look & do. Find as quick as possible.
    • Levels (no brainpower > main suggestions (popular/trending) > secondary (recommendations, in your region) > third (similar to what you've visited), etc.)
    • All information & elements displayed set expectations on how things work.
    • Eye-catching CTAs, ell placed icons, clear labelling, 
  • Feedback
    • Reaction after interaction - confirmation clarity (no context id stressful).
    • Text message, visual cues (color, icons), sounds, progress confirmation, haptic feedback.
  • Error Prevention
    • Reduce unintended actions > adding layers of confirmation for determining actions.
    • Prevention is less costly then repair.
Note:
  • People don't want to learn something new unless they ask to.
  • Guide people's attention to main goal, but allow them to go back.


Week 4
No class, no lectures

Process Work

MOBILE APPLICATION PROPOSAL

Instructions:
Choose a company app
  1. Build version 2.0 (new features, better competitions)
  2. Bring a new side/segment (e.g. uniqlo for pets)
  3. Better goverment apps - more 
Choose a company that we like and use - we know already/has room for improvements.
Alternative: Bring underdogs and bring them up.
Work on an existing company is easier since we have a base, just build on.

Use gut feelings, see reviews (comparisons, what to keep, what to remove).

1 selected app: research from reviews
3 direct competitors
left field: connected to unrelated apps

Screen captures, make slides.

Chosen App: Duolingo
Proposal Slides
Link!

Week 2
!

Week 3
Problem statement, short, just intention, no details
Short intro of company
Company App - 3 strengths & 3 weaknesses
User reviews (+ & - use points)
Gut feeling
Usability

Market research - 3 competitors (+ & -)
Left field
Conclusion

Week 4
No class,

Feedbacks

Week 1
General Feedback
      • Main focus - make it work, beauty additional
      • Many research - analyzing users and scenarios.
      • A long process, from ideation to final product - can determine part of the process we like best and specialize.
      • Every week one hour of work. Necessary to keep up every week.
      • People may forget concepts as we're in the process designing.
      • Respect our brain - start with pen and paper.
        • reduce distractions
        • visualize imagination
      • Make things that are easy for us to come back - all things we created are for us.
      • Do one part very well than everything.
      Specific Feedback
      • Don't focus on the lessons for the sign language app, but focus on how the app works.
      Week 2

      General Feedback
        • We can do external research & exploration, one reference: The design of everyday things - Don Norman.
        • In looking at reviews, don't look for technical points.
        • Try to make the proposal with minimal texts.
        • Final prototype result - at least 6 pages, complete experience.
        • Imagine what we're doing now is for our portfolio.
        Specific Feedback
        • Put images & screen captures of the application - visualization.
        • Summarize the reviews found as points, no need to insert captures of the full review.
        • Try applications with recognition features for left-field apps.
        Week 3
        General Feedback
        • What we create is what we'll rely on and get back to onwards. So make it easy for ourselves to find & understand.
        • Test application on 
        • Don't break relationships, leave on good terms - invents probability. Who knows, we might meet/came back.
        • Proposal don't need to be too detailed, keep the it concise.

        Specific Feedback


        Week 4
        No class, no consultation

        Reflection

        Experience
        !

        Observation
        !
        Findings
        !

        what learnt, what's easy, what's hard

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