Concept
CheepBooks is an application that gives users a place to buy, rent and sell books at great prices. There are many different places for students to buy their textbooks. From their campus bookstore to local and online retailers. We offer a solution to any indecision by showing users prices from many reputable sellers.
Tools:
Adobe XD,
Adobe Illustrator
My Role:
UX/UI Designer
Problem
Students have a difficult time finding fair prices on their textbooks wether they are renting or buying. Large online retailers such as Amazon and Chegg have over saturated the market and it is difficult and time consuming to cross reference prices from different retailers to make an educated decision. This consumes time and money that many students do not have. The goal of Cheepbooks is to connect students and retailers and present them with a platform to browse and peddle college textbooks, we strive to create an online marketplace full of options and opportunities.
Research
Competitive/Comparative Analysis
I began the research process by comparing existing websites that share similarities with CheepBooks. I wanted to have an idea of how existing online competitors solve this problem and analyze any weaknesses and strengths they may have to have an idea of how they present themselves on the market. Moreover I wanted to gain some insight on what features they deemed important and what products they offered.
Through this I found that the majority of the sites focused mainly on their search navigation than any other relevant feature. Many of these websites did not offer books from local retailers and offered very little aside from buying online. I also found that many of these websites did not have working mobile applications and had little to no pick-up options as well as order tracking and risk free returns.
User Interviews
To validate the findings from the comparative analysis we conducted user interviews to help gather data on what key features users deemed important when searching for textbooks online. Although we have a wide range of users, from the data that was gathered we can define the main points. Users valued in-store pick-up options, free services over subscriptions, advanced search options, low prices over sales and promotions as well as digital textbooks.
User Personas
Riley
20 y.o.
Riley is a sophomore at Arizona State University. She is a full time student and works part time to be able to afford her classes. She finds it difficult to find low prices on her textbooks every semester and has a hard time finding credible websites that will allow her to rent for a very low price.
Goals:
Save money on buying/renting textbooks, and have the opportunity to make money back.
Challenges:
Provide as many price ranges as possible from existing retailers and allowing her to buy, rent and sell her textbooks directly through us.
Robert
45 y.o.
Robert is a full time university professor. He knows how difficult finances are for his students and although he has been teaching for some time, he struggles to help his students find the right prices for the textbooks his class requires.
Goal:
Find the best option for his students to get the books they need for class.
Challenge:
Provide a wide variety of textbooks and offer multiple methods of distributing textbooks and materials.
Amanda
38 y.o.
Amanda works full time and is a single mother of 3. Her oldest child is a freshman in college and her middle child is a junior in high school. Although Amanda has a stable income she has to find ways to work around her expenses at home to provide for her family. She struggles to find an easy way to compare textbook prices and save money.
Goals:
Save money by finding the best price on their books.
Challenge:
How do we provide Amanda with a way for her to compare all available book prices in the market.
Ted
32 y.o.
Ted is the owner of a textbook retailer that offers a wide range of textbooks.
Goal:
Maintain and promote their inventory as an option for students.
Challenges:
How do we allow retailers to maintain their inventory within our app as well as promote offers to buyers.
Solution
We determined that CheepBooks has the ability to provide a way to connect all of our users in one platform. This direct connection will influence buyers, sellers, parents, and professors to use our application before looking directly to major retailers and will provide a sense of comfort knowing we work with reputable sources.
Information Architecture
With all of the research findings and user data in mind I began the design phase by structuring the information architecture and features that are to be included in the application. The new site map will include four major categories in which the rest of our design will be focused on. Users will be able to have advanced search methods to find exactly what they are looking for, they will be able to contact retailers directly if they encounter issues with their orders, users will be able to track their orders and their saved libraries, we will also provide updates on new listings, shipping updates and price changes.
Sketches, Lo-Fi Wireframes, Prototype & Usability Tests
I begin building the navigation layout of our mobile application based on the information we previously put together. After adjusting the main sketches I created in Adobe XD the Lo-Fi wireframes that would later be tested with the users. After conducting usability tests with the new prototypes I received some positive and negative feedback that led to changes in the final application. Although users liked the content structure they had assumptions that led them to different paths than the ones that were intended.
Style Guide
I decided on harmonious colors that stand out and they are synonymous with the natural world. Because the name of our app is CheepBooks we wanted to create something that felt natural and connects with the audience but also something that stood out in the modern world that can guide the user’s attention towards our product.
Notifications are an important part of this app. With a marketplace, we want to give users the options of immediate action upon changes to their cart or inventory. We’ve also decided to grey out the background to avoid excess visual noise when these changes do occur. This was implemented to increase interface literacy, as well as add convenient options for the user when the need arises.
Results
Hi-Fi Wireframes & Mobile Mockup
After gathering user feedback from the low-fi prototype I implemented changes to the final prototype such as better app literacy, call to action and exit buttons following visual hierarchy to guide users through the application and have them reach the content they are looking for. I also increased natural navigation patterns following heuristic rules such as making action elements and user options clearly visible.
Hi-Fi Prototype
Delivery