MOVIEZ
/ Mobile app design
YEAR
2022
Moviez, the high-end movie theater chain, is dedicated to providing a premium cinematic experience that combines the charm of classic movies with the excitement of new releases.
CLIENT
RESPONSIBILITIES
In my role as a UX designer, my responsibility involved crafting a mobile application that enables users to seamlessly follow, search for, and purchase tickets while embodying the brand's vision of a distinctive and user-friendly experience.
MY ROLE
Conducting interviews, paper and digital wireframing, low and high-fidelity prototyping, conducting usability studies, accounting for accessibility, and iterating on designs.
Busy adults often find themselves investing significant time searching for the movies they want to watch currently playing on the big screens. This process can lead to back-and-forth coordination with their companions as they try to align their preferences regarding the movie, showtimes, and locations.
THE NEED
Create an intuitive and user-friendly movie theater app that streamlines the process of searching for and purchasing tickets online. Additionally, introduce a collaborative feature that facilitates group discussions and ticket orders within the app, enhancing the communal experience of planning a movie outing.
THE SOLUTION
UNDERSTANDING THE USER
To gain a deeper understanding of the users, I conducted interviews and developed user journey maps. These research methods allowed me to comprehend their specific needs and pinpoint the pain points they were experiencing. As a result of this research, I was able to identify a primary user group that accurately represented the core needs and preferences of our users.
STARTING THE DESIGN
PAPAER WIREFRAMES
When creating paper wireframes, I approached the task with a keen awareness of how each app feature could address the pain points identified during user research. My design process was guided by a user-centric approach, ensuring that I considered the users' needs as the primary driver for prioritizing and iterating the design concepts effectively.
DIGITAL WIREFRAMES
During the digital wireframing phase, I meticulously analyzed and synthesized the findings from the research study. This synthesis process informed the creation of the initial wireframe frames, which served as the foundation for developing the actual screens of the app. This approach ensured that the wireframes were grounded in user insights and aligned with the needs and preferences uncovered during the research.
LOW FIDELITY PROTOTYPE
I transformed the digital wireframes into a low-fidelity prototype by designing a series of interactive screens. The primary focus was on creating a seamless user flow for searching and ordering movie tickets. This low-fidelity prototype was purposefully constructed to be utilized in a usability study, allowing for valuable user feedback and insights to inform further design refinements.
USABILITY STUDIES
In the wireframing process, I conducted an initial usability study to gather valuable feedback from users. Using the insights and conclusions drawn from this study, I advanced to the development of mockups. Following this, a second round of usability testing was carried out. The findings from the second study played a pivotal role in shaping and refining the mockup designs. These iterative steps ensured that the final mockups were well-informed, user-friendly, and aligned with user expectations and preferences.
REFINING THE DESIGN
VISUAL DESIGN
The selected color theme embodies the timeless elegance of classic cinema, perfectly reflecting the brand's identity. The harmonious blend of these colors not only please the users' eyes but also stirs a sense of excitement among moviegoers.
Every color choice was made to harmonize with the typography, striking a balance between aesthetics and usability. This ensures not only a visually pleasing design but also optimal legibility and user-friendliness.
COLORS
TYPOGRAPHY
ACCESSABILITY CONSIDERATIONS
To ensure an inclusive user experience, I incorporated the following accessibility features into the app's design:
Text and Icon Pairing: Icons were thoughtfully paired with descriptive text to provide accessible navigation
Guided Help: I implemented an accessible feature that offers guided help on each frame of the app. This feature provides assistance and instructions for users who may require additional support or clarification while navigating the app, improving overall usability for a broader audience.
Contrast and Visual Elements: I used contrasting colors and interactive visual elements to enhance the clarity and ease of understanding the design flow.
GOING FORWARD
TAKEAWAYS
Impact:
The app has had a significant positive impact on users, delivering on its promise of a fun, interactive, and efficient experience. One noteworthy quote from peer feedback highlights the app's success:
“The app features not only a fun, innovative way to coordinate with your friends and book a movie, but also very intuitive and easy to use. I believe it is going to be helpful for many people. I would definitely use it the next time I plan to go out for a movie!'"
What I learned:
My experience working on the Moviez app has been a valuable learning journey. I've come to appreciate the significance of the design process and how each step contributes to refining the app's usability and overall user experience. Through this process, I've acquired the knowledge and skills to create a more straightforward and enjoyable experience that caters to a diverse range of users.
NEXT STEPS
1. Implement Support for Assistive Technologies: To enhance accessibility and inclusivity, the next step is to integrate support for assistive technologies. This ensures that the app is usable by individuals with disabilities, complying with accessibility standards.
2. Conduct Another Round of User Research and Usability Testing: It's crucial to continue gathering user feedback and conducting usability tests, especially for finalizing the shared frame feature. This iterative approach ensures that the feature meets users' needs and expectations effectively.
3. Iterate the Search Features: The search functionality is a fundamental aspect of the app. Continuing to iterate and refine this feature will improve its effectiveness, making it even easier for users to find the movies they want to watch.
By focusing on these next steps, you can further enhance the app's accessibility, usability, and overall user satisfaction. This iterative approach ensures that the app continues to evolve in line with user feedback and emerging needs.