Application Design I - Project 1: Mobile Application Proposal

1.9.2023 - 22.9.2023 (Week 1 - Week 4)
Tan Yi-Tyng (0353327)
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Application Design I
Project 1: Mobile Application Proposal

LECTURE

Week 2 (8.9.2023): Usability: Designing Products for User Satisfaction

Week 3 (15.9.2023): Card Sorting Method

INSTRUCTIONS

PROJECT 1

Mobile Application Proposal

For the first project, we are required to create a proposal document for our mobile application project. We must redesign an existing mobile application that we find unsatisfactory in terms of the user experience or interface design, and this project is subject to preliminary approval by the module coordinator. The document will determine whether the mobile application idea is worthy of advancing to the next development phase.

Things to include in the proposal:

1. Introduction

- Introduce the purpose of the proposal.

- Explain the importance of mobile application design and how it impacts user experience.

2. Background and Context

- Describe the existing mobile application and its current design.

- Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the current design.

- Explain the user demographics and user needs of the application.

3. Goals and Objectives

- Define the objectives of the redesign.

- Identify the primary and secondary goals for the new design.

- Explain how the new design will address user needs and improve user experience.

4. User Research

- Describe the user research methods you will use.

- Explain how you will gather user feedback and insights.

- Provide a plan for user testing and validation.

5. References

- Include any references used for research and inspiration, such as articles, books, or design examples.

Selected an app to redesign

Here are the 3 options for apps:

1. The Body Shop

2. Watson

3. Batik Air

In Week 1, we were instructed to identify an app that we believe needs improvement. We should look for aspects that can be enhanced, focusing on apps with poor user interface design and user experience. Our task is to prepare a simple report summarizing our findings, which will be presented in slides. Drawing from my previous experiences in the Interactive Design course, I understand that while our prior work involved redesigning websites, this time, we are tackling the redesign of a mobile app. As a first step, I began by reading articles to learn how to analyse the quality of UI/UX in apps. This research provided me with valuable insights on how to approach the app redesign project.

At first, I considered two options for redesigning apps: The Body Shop and Watson. I believed that there was room for improvement in both of these apps. In Week 2, I received feedback from Mr. Shamsul. Initially, I proposed my first choice, which was the Watson app. However, he pointed out that the app didn't have any major issues in terms of its UI/UX, which would limit my scope for improvement. Consequently, I proposed my second choice, The Body Shop app, and he approved this idea, suggesting that I conduct a more detailed analysis to identify areas for improvement.

Fig. 2.1 - Watson App

Fig. 2.2 - The Body Shop app

However, as I delved into the analysis of The Body Shop app, I found that it had a decent user experience and didn't have any major issues that needed addressing. My goal was to redesign an app and enhance both the UI and UX. This realization led me to spend some time downloading numerous apps and observing their designs and user experiences. Eventually, I narrowed down my research to focus on the travel airline category, where I discovered the Batik Air app.

Fig. 2.1 - Downloaded numerous apps for study.

As a university student studying out of town, I sometimes take flights back to my hometown during semester breaks or holidays., I understand the importance of an airline app for performing tasks such as booking flights. I organized all my findings into presentation slides and shared them with Mr. Shamsul for feedback. He approved my choice of working on the Batik Air app for my project.

Click HERE to access the draft of proposal in Canva.

Fig. 2.2 - Proposal of 3 Redesign Ideations for an App

Final Proposed Idea

Category: Air Travel

Application: Batik Air

The Batik Air mobile application, formerly known as Malindo Air, serves as a comprehensive travel companion for passengers of Batik Air. Available for both iOS and Android, this app streamlines various aspects of air travel. Users can effortlessly book flights, select preferred seats, complete check-ins, and receive real-time flight updates. The Batik Air mobile app enhances the travel experience by providing convenience and efficiency throughout the journey.

Fig 2.3 - Batik Air app on App Store

After receiving the comment, I continued with the next phase of developing the project, which involved conducting more in-depth research. I proceeded step by step, following the criteria provided in the proposal. This process required me to observe, study, analyze, and brainstorm in order to determine the content of the proposal.

During the process of working on the proposal, I found myself delving deeper into exploring the features and functionalities to analyze what can be improved in terms of the user interface and user experience. I then visited the app store to check the overall rating, which stands at 1.3. This rating is quite low. Next, I read through all the user reviews and feedback, and I noticed that many users mentioned issues with the lack of a login feature, which is a significant problem, as well as concerns regarding the currency option and the online check-in process. Considering these factors, I gained a better understanding of the user perspective and the reasons behind the low rating. This insight will help me identify areas for improvement in app performance.

Fig. 2.4 - Ratings and Reviews of Batik Air app

I also took some time to download competitor apps such as Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and Air Asia, among others. I did this to observe how these apps are designed and how they receive good reviews and high scores. This information will be valuable when redesigning the Batik Air app.

Fig. 2.5 - Competitive Analysis

Starting with the homepage, it becomes evident that there is a significant lack of crucial information, such as promotional deals and the best-fare flights. Additionally, the absence of the most important feature, which is the login feature, is noticeable. This same issue is also apparent in the sidebar menu. Moving to the booking flight page, the primary user concern is the limited currency options. Prices are exclusively displayed in Indonesian Rupiah (IDR), even for domestic flights within Malaysia. Furthermore, the booking process lacks options for selecting baggage, seats, meals, or distinguishing between economy and business class fares. These observations demonstrate a significant opportunity for improving this app in terms of user interface and user experience.

Figure 1.4 - User flow of Batik Air

Final Proposal Slides - Batik Air App

Click HERE to access the proposal in canva.

FEEDBACK

Week 2 – Proposal 2: Ideation for Redesigning an App

I don't encourage selecting The Body Shop app for redesign since its UI/UX is actually quite good, and there aren't major improvements for you to undertake in this project.
A better choice would be the Watson app. You can start by comparing it with the Guardian app and analysing what can be improved.

Week 3 – Proposal for Redesigning the Batik Air App

I would strongly suggest choosing the Batik Air app for your project as it presents more opportunities for improvement compared to the Watson app.

Week 4 – Presentation of Proposal

Regarding the competitive analysis, I suggest not choosing the Qatar Airways and Emirates apps. Since Batik Air is considered an affordable standard airline, it would be more suitable to select airlines of a similar standard, such as AirAsia and MyAirline.

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TAN YI-TYNG (0353327)