CommnRoom
Client: CommnRoom
Role: UX/UI Designer
Year: 2021
CommnRoom is a social app focused on learning and education that offers its users a space to expand their knowledge and meet other people with similar interests and tastes. The main function is to learn in a more natural and relaxed way through conversation and the exchange of ideas and experiences.
Select an interest, spin the interest wheel, and boom! Find a match. Or just join any of the groups, meet your teachers, fellow students, and join a class!
Project Goals
Design the interface of a native end-to-end app that allows users to search, enter, and create chat rooms (posts) with common content and communicate with other users. The goal is to achieve an attractive and modern visual that matches the “vibe” and tone of the brand.
Research
It should be noted that although other similar apps cover the same or more needs, in theory, CommnRoom would be a pioneer in the country (Perú) if we focus only on the need it seeks to cover. After further research into other similar digital products, the following points were obtained:
These points helped us identify our competition and their differentiating points. They also helped us as a guide to understand the functionalities, attributes and options offered by similar applications.
Competitive Analysis
Competing apps were selected taking into account: platform functionality, target audience, and method of communication between users. Competitive analysis was performed to more clearly define direct competition and to gather as much information as possible regarding content, service options, and usage features.
With this we understood that offering the user the possibility of filtering the content of interest was our greatest differential and asset compared to the competition and alternatives.
Focus Group, Interview and User Insights
The interviews aimed to obtain feedback and suggestions from users about the application, its concept, and its users. The client provided us with the user group (M/F 18 - 26 years old: students) which made the arrangement and communication much easier.
A focus group was held in which users completed activities and answered questions together and also their own. We focused a lot on finding the possible reasons for use and the feelings and frustrations towards applications of this type. It also helped to lay the foundation for the architecture and visual concept of the application.
It is believed that there are bot profiles as users in the applications.
Insecurity due to possible exposure of information.
There is a relationship between social apps and explicit topics.
Not being able to make video calls is a negative point.
It is not a spending priority.
Persona
Taking into account the target audience and the people interviewed, it was decided to create a persona that more accurately englobe and describes our unique user.
Card Sorting
A group card sorting was carried out with the users with the aim of structuring the content of the application. This would help us in the construction of the site map and facilitate the creation of the navigation flow.
This activity helped us understand the user's priorities and the main functions that the application should offer. Summarizing the information, we found that:
Prioritizes information and navigation security above all else.
The user's main objective is to be able to chat and get advice or suggestions through similar experiences or previous knowledge.
The user seeks to create his/her posts/rooms but is open to exploring other interests that are not necessarily related.
Other functionalities are not a priority for the user.
Competition or payment for membership is the least attractive.
Design
Solutions is a web platform focused on specialized medical assistance, online appointment service, and management. The application was launched in 2021 as an alternative means of providing medical care due to the high demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused medical centers and hospitals to become saturated and prevented many people from having access to a doctor or health services.
Wireframes
I created low-resolution wireframes as an initial sketch and guide for component placement and space distribution. * These also helped us a bit to correct some informational content issues.
Design and Style
Based on the research results, we found that some industry-specific design and visual parameters must be followed and supported by previous studies.
We aimed to obtain a modern design with a serious tone that projects the medical experience and, above all, is direct and easy to navigate.
Based on the research results, we found that some industry-specific design and visual parameters must be followed. We aimed to obtain a modern design with a serious tone that projects the medical experience and, above all, is direct and easy to navigate.
Finally, it should be added that the graphic guidelines of the brand were followed in the design, without affecting or altering the components in their design kit and the instructions of the client and its communication team.
Understanding that there are some mandatory specifications regarding information content, the design has always focused on fluidity, so many selection options were used through radius buttons and selection dropdowns.
For registrations and questionnaires, we tried to distribute the content step-by-step to make it more organized so that the user does not have to swipe or scroll repeatedly.
At all times, we have tried to ensure that the user always has the necessary elements visible and at hand, easy to distinguish or differentiate, and that the interface is pleasing to the eye without losing the serious tone that the field of medicine requires.
I used Figma as the main tool for design and prototyping, and Adobe Illustrator for the creation of icons and vectorized elements. Also looked for inspiration and visual references from sites like Behance, Dribble, and Pinterest.
In this project, I not only had to design and see the creative aspect, but I also had the opportunity to get deeper into the research side. Directing the interviews and focus groups helped me improve my communication skills and understand a little more about the users' feelings in relation to their health and situation.
