Major Project 1 / Final Compilation
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Teh Ming En/0364908
Major Project 1-Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media--Taylors University
Major Project 1
Instructions
Proposal Development
After we formed the group, we started discussing the topic. At first,
we wanted to create an app focused on recommending or introducing
restaurants in Malaysia, but the scope was too broad. Following Dr. Wong's
advice, we had two options: either narrowing down the theme or identifying
and solving problems from a modern societal perspective. We chose the former
and decided on a theme that introduces the cuisines of different Malaysian
states while recommending restaurants.
We wanted to develop an app specifically designed for food lovers to
discover authentic local dishes and hidden gems. To ensure the app's name
is memorable while retaining a Malaysian touch, after discussions, we
ultimately decided on the name: MakanBuddy.
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| Fig 1.1 Interview Questions |
After that, we come to the next part - User Interviews. Each of the members
needs to find 3 interviewees to complete the task. We prepared two sets of
interview questions for local users and international users. The interview
was conducted via Zoom meeting.
Fig 1.2 Interview Document
I conducted interviews with one local and two international. The above is my
interview record. Of course, throughout this process, we also discussed
and decided on many aspects, such as: How Might We (HMW) Statement,
Aim & Objectives, Target Audiences, and Unique Features of the
app.
Fig 1.3 Proposal Development PPT
Design Proposition
We continue to develop user insights and data from interviews to create user
personas and user journey map. Based on the interview data, we created two
user personas:
- Local – Young adult (Student)
- International – Young adult (Student)
The user journey maps were created based on each persona. Below are the full
details of Design Proposition.
Fig 2.1 Design Proposition PPT
Concept Presentation
Moving to the next stage, we come to the concept presentation. In here, we
need to refine and complete the slides and will have a group
presentation.
Card Sorting
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| Fig 3.1 Card Sorting - UX Tweak |
We first conducted card sorting to better understand how users expect
information to be structured. We decided to use UX Tweak to complete the
card sorting. We provided 20 cards and 3 basic categories and the users are
allowed to rename, add, or modify categories. There were 3 users invited to
complete the card sorting, including 2 local students and 1 international
student.
Information Architecture Map
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| Fig 3.2 Information Architecture Map |
Based on the results from card sorting, we construct the information
architecture map. This map outlines the app’s hierarchical structure, defining
the main categories, subcategories, and overall navigation flow.
User Flow Chart
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| Fig 3.3 User Flow Chart |
With the Information Architecture Map established, we develop the user flow
chart, which visually represents the paths users take to complete key tasks
within the app. We need to ensure the user flow has seamless navigation to
guide users toward their goals with minimal effort.
Design Guidelines
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| Fig 3.4 Initial Design Guidelines |
To maintain consistency and usability, we define design guidelines that
establish the app’s visual language. This includes visual reference,
typography, color schemes, icon sets, and icon design. Each member is
responsible for preparing different parts, and then we discuss and decide on
the final design.
Wireframe Sketches
In the last steps, we each create wireframe sketches that serve as the
blueprint for the app's interface. These sketches will show the placement of
key elements, navigation components, and content hierarchy.
I drew the homepages for each interface, including Onboarding page, home page,
spinwheel page, makanpedia page, community, and the account page. Below are my
sketches:
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| Fig 3.5 Sketches - Onboarding & Home Pages |
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| Fig 3.6 Sketches - Spinwheel Page |
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| Fig 3.7 Sketches - Makanpedia & Community Pages |
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| Fig 3.8 Sketches - Account Page |
Fig 3.9 Concept Presentation PPT
Final Submission
Fig 4.1 Final Proposal Slides
Fig 4.2 Final Presentation Slides
Fig 4.3 FigJam Board
FigJam Board Link: https://www.figma.com/board/pZUZNf7h21MKkrfdjkFrvU/G4--(Nom-Nom-Squad)-Major-Project-1---MakanBuddy-App?node-id=0-1&t=q1k0tbFcYjnc3Tjk-1
Feedback
Week 1:
Dr. Wong asked us to propose our initial preliminary ideas for this module, where we finalized and narrowed down our options to two ideas: a Food Reviews & Guide app and a Smart Parking app. After presenting both ideas to her, she advised us to avoid the Smart Parking app, as many other groups had already proposed similar concepts, and the scope was too broad. She mentioned that the Food Reviews & Guide app was a slightly better choice, but she encouraged us to clearly define its strengths and uniqueness compared to existing platforms like Google Maps or other social media apps. To refine our idea further, she recommended that we conduct additional research and discuss our approach in more depth.
Week 2:
Dr. Wong advised us to narrow down our Food Guide app by focusing on a single concept. After further discussion, we decided to specialize in state-specialty cuisines, refining our app’s scope to Malaysian authentic local food, primarily promoting traditional dishes from each state. Once we finalized this idea, Dr. Wong approved it and instructed us to proceed with user research, including interviews and other relevant methods. She also reminded us to ensure that our interviewees align with our target audience to gather meaningful insights.
Week 3:
Dr. Wong approved our user interview questions after we presented two sets of interview questions: 10 questions for local interviewees and 10 questions for international interviewees. We also explained our reasoning for having two sets of questions, as these two groups face different challenges and approaches when discovering local food. She then instructed us to proceed with the user interviews, after which we could work on the interview transcripts and affinity diagrams to compile and analyze the information gathered from the 12 interviewees. Additionally, she recommended synthesizing the data after collecting all responses to facilitate better comparison and identification of common insights.
Week 4:
Dr. Wong asked us to include the raw data input for the user interview answers, before come to the synthesis data. For the user personas, we have only included basic information about the users. Dr. Wong suggested that we add a section that delves deeper into the users' habits, preferences, and needs to enhance our understanding of them. Also, the user journey map need to be revised too. The map contains five stages: Exploration, Consideration, Onboarding, Engagement, and Loyalty. While the content for the last three stages is acceptable, however, the first two stages are incorrectly written. These stages should reflect the user before using the MakanBuddy app, not describe users who are already using the app.
Week 5:
In Week 5, Dr. Wong suggests that we should move the user personas to Figjam for better visualization and organization. Additionally, our ppt animations should be removed to maintain a cleaner and more professional presentation. For the slides, we should use pickup point to clearly present the content. To enhance clarity, each user persona should be presented on a separate slide. Furthermore, the summary of interviewee insights should be highlighted to emphasize key findings. Our user journey map need to modify specifically by changing "Awareness" to "Exploration" to better reflect user actions before using the app. Lastly, user habits should be incorporated into the user persona to provide a more comprehensive understanding of user behavior.
Week 6:
MDr. Wong gave us feedback mainly on our User Flow Chart and Presentation Slide. First, she mentioned that the User Flow Chart needs some changes. When users log in, they should go to the Home Page first instead of other pages. Other than that, our User Flow Chart is complete, so no further changes are needed. For the Presentation Slide, she suggested removing the excessive details. We don’t need to present everything, like the Interview Questions and Interview Data Summary. Instead, we should focus on the key points to make our presentation clear and concise.
Week 7:
All the lecturers advised us to refine the market positioning of our MakanBuddy app. Mr. Shamsul pointed out that similar functions could be achieved through Facebook groups and other platforms, while Mr. Razif raised concerns about user retention, questioning how we could keep users engaged. He suggested looking at Duolingo, a popular language-learning app, to understand how it successfully attracts and retains users. Our group realized that we had not clearly highlighted our app's unique selling points, making them less understandable. To address this, we incorporated new pages in our final submission and presentation slides to clarify our app’s uniqueness. We also responded to the lecturers' feedback and Q&A session questions by providing well-structured answers to ensure our concept was more compelling and well-defined.
Reflections
Throughout Major Project 1, I experienced a dynamic and iterative design process that required in-depth research, critical problem-solving, and user-centered thinking. Initially, I was excited to start this project, as it provided an opportunity to apply my UI/UX knowledge in a practical setting. However, as I progressed, I encountered various challenges, particularly in balancing user needs with functional design solutions.
One of the challenges was that I needed to find out and understand user pain points and translate them into effective design strategies. Me and my group members spent a few days brainstorming for the topic initially. Another significant learning point in this project was the process of creating user personas, as it directly influenced subsequent developments such as the user journey map, information architecture map, and user flow chart. Because of its foundational role in shaping the overall UX strategy, we spent some time to refine and revise the user persona to ensure it was as accurate and effective as possible. This process was more complex than expected, as each modification had a ripple effect on later stages. We need to carefully consider how the persona would impact navigation, interactions, and content hierarchy.
Overall, Major Project 1 has been a valuable learning experience for me as it has strengthened my problem-solving skills and adaptability in UI/UX design. While there were challenges, overcoming them helped me grow both creatively and technically. I also want to thank Dr. Wong for her support and feedback. Her careful guidance helped our group improve our projects and better understand how they connect to the user. Her advice made our project more structured and complete.
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