My design thinking process: a short series - The UI pt.1
My design thinking process: a short series - The UI pt.1
“I used the human centered design/user-centered design process”
We all know the drill, Hello my fellow designers, product managers and You ??.
Let me take you on a journey through my recent design project. It all started a few weeks ago when I landed a gig that seemed pretty straightforward at first glance: create a product where users can create and join challenges within a supportive community to stay motivated.
Now, if you're anything like me, you've probably got a good handle on the basics of what needs to be done.
However, here's where it gets interesting: for an application like this, the real key to success lies in ensuring an engaging user experience from start to finish. Note: they also had their existing primary color and design.
Let's start with the initial draft I shared with the stakeholders. Their feedback? "It looks clean, but we need something that grabs our attention, like Headspace does." Hearing that made me realize that I had to up my game and make the design truly stand out.
To ensure I was on the right track, I reached out to some trusted peers for their input. Their thoughts mirrored the stakeholders' feedback: the purpose of the app wasn't immediately clear, and it needed a touch of visual flair.
But guess what? I thrive on challenges like these! So, I rolled up my sleeves and got to work.
So, what truly makes an application engaging, you ask? That's when I had to dive deep into the core principles of design and trust my instincts. What did I do?
Research?
The first step was conducting thorough research on existing to-do apps, productivity tools, and health and wellness apps like Headspace, Onit, and Habit. I wanted to understand what made these apps engaging and successful.
?Here’s what I found:
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Use of colors & Imagery?
Throughout my research, I discovered that a well-crafted color palette played a pivotal role in creating a captivating user experience. Colors like red, orange, blue, and purple were cleverly used to signify different tasks, actions, and icons. Additionally, vibrant primary colors added a dynamic touch to the overall design.
But colors alone weren't enough. Illustrations were the secret ingredient that brought these apps to life. They conveyed various categories and tasks in a delightful and visually engaging way. Some apps even used emojis to inject creativity and playfulness.
Here’s what I did
Inspired by these findings, I began incorporating them into my design. I experimented with different color palettes, carefully selecting shades that suited the industry and target audience. The primary color choice took several iterations to get just right(you will see in a later post), but I knew it was crucial for capturing attention and setting the right tone.
When it came to imagery, I initially planned to collaborate with an illustrator. But as luck would have it, finding the one proved to be more challenging than I expected, I had to rethink again - the thinking in design is no joke??. Undeterred, I stumbled upon an app that cleverly used emojis, and I knew I had found my solution. I utilized emojis to represent the various tasks users could create, infusing the app with personality and a touch of fun. To complete the picture, I sourced SVG icons that perfectly aligned with the chosen categories.
With each step, the design began to take shape, but it was missing that special spark that would make it truly remarkable. Don't worry, I'll reveal the final design at the end of this series. Together, we'll uncover how the design evolved and witness the magic that brings it all together.
Let me know what you think in the comments and what your design process is.