Tao Wei – #thursdayapp

HEED is an app that helps user to get informed about fashion trends. With HEED, the user can follow the latest fashion trends and style advice, the user can catch streams of runways shows from around the world. The user can also upload a selfie and get personalized styling tips, then participate in the style challenge for a chance to win beauty products from top stylists. It is easy and intuitive to use.

Tao Wei – 3 things learned from iOS HIG

3 things I learned from iOS HIG:

  1. Before perusing the HIG, I did not know much about the specs regarding typography except that San Francisco is the default system font. There is so much more to it than just the font choice. There is variation regarding the display and tracking specs depending on the font size as well. As a iOS user, details like this often go unnoticed because we get so used to the design and take the experience for granted. However, as a designer, it is critical to pay attention to details so that we can craft the experience that lives up to the user’s underlying expectations, since good design is often invisible. When the design principle is not strictly enforced, even the smallest detail can be raise a red flag to the user’s eyes.
  2. I find interaction design about feedback is so critical in delivering a smooth user experience. I used to think a stand-alone page of dialogue telling the users what to do is sufficient for communicating with and guiding the users to navigate. Little did I know that there was a whole art of communicating using feedback in a way that enhances the discoverability of the app while not obstructing the flow. As a designer, we are in charge of how the user will be interacting with the system. Much like any communication system, a designer should pay attention to the semiotics of the system because the language of the system determines how easy and delightful it is for the user to quickly pick up and adapt to the app.
  3. Animation breaths life into the experience, evoking delight and building a visual sense of connection with the users. But animation should be used with caution. Excessive animation can create visual clutter and distraction, taking away from the integrity of the app in terms of the services it provides.

Tao Wei – Digital prototype

Prototype Link: https://vimeo.com/206620874

Visual Mockups

Changes from the paper prototype:

  1. Took out recipes and diary section to focus on the concept of “one-stop” holistic daily solution through delivery
  2. Simplified the order view (threw out the “on the way”) for easy navigation
  3. Enabled users to add recipes to the cart from the menu instead of overwhelming the users by forcing them to order fixed number of recipes from each meal category in a row

Tao Wei – Food app – app map(2) + wireframe(2)

Iteration statement

I went on to do some quick informal interviews to further define my app. I found out that people who meticulously count calorie for their diet also tend to work out more, which sets my app up for a dilemma. I either had to scale up to incorporate the fitness component or scale down to throw out the hassle of calorie counting and diary logging to streamline existing convoluting relationship between diary, orders and recipes. I ended up going for a lightweight approach and focusing on saving the trouble of grocery shopping and food preparation for those who want to eat healthy in general but do not have time to do so on their own. As this broader audience are less likely to be fussy about calorie counting as long as the food itself fits into the healthy category. This way I ensure the app excels at doing on thing for the target audience. The caveat is that I still want to maintain the one-stop nutrition concept as much as possible so I keep the idea of providing whole day’s nutrition.

App map

Tao Wei – Food App Wireframe 1

Concept

I’m trying to create a mobile app that provides holistic nutrition plan by delivering customized meal plan based on body type and fitness goal.

App Map

Wireframe

The major flow I intend for the app to have is to allow the user to order meals according to the preference set through onboarding and log the each delivered meal into the diary so the user can keep track of their healthy eating progress.