Event planner
Product design
Time Frame
Nov 2021 - Mar 2022
Duration
4 months
My Role
Product management
User research
Ideation and strategy
UX, UI design and branding
Usability testing and prototyping
Team
As the sole designer on this passion project, I collaborated closely with an engineer and wore multiple hats throughout the design process.
PROBLEM SPACE
So, was there a problem worth solving?
As a parent juggling a million things, I find it frustrating to plan weekend activities for my kids. Existing options lack family-specific features, and coordinating plans with other families is a nightmare. Curious if others share my challenges, I consulted fellow parents and conducted a survey to gauge the experiences of at least 50 others.
Scroll for the story, or jump to the solution here.
1
The majority (65.5%) reach for their smartphones at least 1-2 times a week, if not daily (32.8%), to scout for events.
2
Nearly half (48%) resort to social media (Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest), while others rely on Google search (37.9%), feeling frustrated from sifting through multiple platforms for relevant activities.
3
A significant 67.2% of respondents consider age filters crucial in their search process. Over a third (36.2%) grapple with the lack of these filters, while 31% are frustrated by the scarcity of event options.
4
Sharing weekend plans and organizing playdates is a pain because parents have to manually copy and paste event details to discuss and decide on activities together.
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Uncovering market gap and opportunities
Based on survey findings, I dove into analyzing the top apps parents prefer for children's events, focusing on features they prioritize. This research revealed a significant gap in the market for a product that consistently offers:
Filters that fit families looking for age-appropriate activities.
Easy organization of events from organizations families belong to.
Simple sharing of multiple events with other families.
RESEARCH SYNTHESIS
From pain points to personas: mapping the needs of modern parents
I conducted interviews with 8 parents who have children between the ages of 2 and 12. The goals of these interviews were:
Understanding the current planning methods and habits employed by other parents.
Uncovering the pain points experienced throughout the process.
Using Affinity and Empathy Mapping techniques, these interviews led to the identification of two distinct personas: Adventurous Alice and Efficient Emily. As their names suggest, Adventurous Alice has a fear of missing out (FOMO) and values the excitement of event discovery, while Efficient Emily prioritizes getting plans made efficiently.
Age: 37
Job: Bakery Chef
Relationship status: Married
Family: 2 kids (3 and 5 years old)
" I'm always hunting for new events; don't want to miss out on the fun!"
Pain Points
Struggles to find fun events
Tired of sifting through the same old listings
Feels like she's missing out on hidden gems
Goals
Wants a one-stop shop to search
Needs relevant filters for quick searching
Craves accurate event details complemented by plenty of visuals
Age: 35
Job: Accountant
Relationship status: Married
Family: 2 kids (4 and 7 years old)
"I just want to efficiently plan fun stuff without all the hassle."
THE MVP
Feature prioritization
Upon discovering potential needs via personas, I listed out solution ideas and consulted with a software engineer to verify the ideas' technical viabilities. The solution ideas were placed in a priority matrix to determine the app's MVP. These features were selected based on impact (users' desirability of the features) and the level of technical difficulty.
LOW FIDELITY PROTOTYPE
Sketches & wireframes
I outlined user flows, red routes, and sketched multiple rough ideas. Selected sketches were then refined into wireframes. Included below are the before and after pictures of some keyframes.
USIBILITY TESTING
Verifying design decisions
Throughout the design process, I prioritized testing high-fidelity prototypes because I found that users could better comprehend and engage with concepts when presented in a format closer to the final product. I conducted remote testing of the prototypes via recorded Zoom sessions. Below are some standout comments and improvements.
HIGH FIDELITY PROTOTYPE
The solutions
Here are some of the design solutions tailored to address the core problems identified.
THE UI
Branding & visual design
The "Kidtivity" app is designed to help parents find and plan child-friendly activities. I've infused it with a playful vibe to capture the joy of childhood. The mood board and app design use rounded shapes, friendly orange tones, and a clean sans-serif font like Avenir.
TAKEAWAYS
Lesson learned
Staying True to the Core Issue
Throughout my design journey, I made sure to stay grounded in the real problem we were tackling. This meant resisting the temptation to add bells and whistles and staying focused on what truly mattered to the users.
Simplicity is Key
I learned the hard way that simpler is often better, especially when you're dealing with busy parents who barely have a moment to breathe. It was all about finding that sweet spot where functionality meets ease of use. So, I made a conscious effort to trim the fat and streamline the user experience. It wasn't always easy, but seeing users breeze through tasks made it all worth it.