Free app of the week

Make it easy to find out the Apple free App of the week

01freeappoftheweek stivenskyrah designwithlove

Status quo

Research into the established scenario. Fifteen users interviewed and six users interdependently taken through each scenario and timed. Their pain points were identified and listed out and then grouped by themes.

Aims

Aims.

In response to the earlier research and identified pain points

Reduce:  

The number of steps from 13. The effort needed for a user to discover the apps. The time needed to set up a notifcation from 52 seconds.

Remove: 

The need for the user to remember to check. 

Present:

Only relevant content and notifications and brand the service appropriately. 

Make:

Setup easy and clear. The #freeappoftheweek more discoverable. It require less clicks for more value. A range of notification methods. It open and acessible. 

Reliable sources.

Reliable sources.

Using google searches and pre-existing knowledge a series of primary and secondary sources for information on the #freeappoftheweek were found. 

03freeappoftheweek stivenskyrah designwithlove

Proposed input and output diagram.

Proposed input and output diagram.

After the inputs and outputs were sourced I made the decision to use rss feeds as the medium for streamlining the #freeappoftheweek experience into one feed. In theory rss inputs are fed into ifttt a free web service that then pushes the collected data out to twitter, tumblr, a streamlined rss feed and a series of other optional notifications.

04freeappoftheweek stivenskyrah designwithlove

Test service.

Test service.

The best way to test the service was to build a simplified version of it. After creating accounts with ifttt and twitter, feeds from the official Apple page were used to create a twitter linkup. I.e if apple tweets with info including the variable (X) then copy tweet and tweet out as applefreeapp. 

The best way to test the service was to build a simplified version of it. After creating accounts with ifttt and twitter, feeds from the official Apple page were used to create a twitter linkup. I.e if apple tweets with info including the variable (X) then copy tweet and tweet out as applefreeapp. 

05freeappoftheweek stivenskyrah designwithlove

Working prototype.

Working prototype.

Hello world!  ifttt was used to spot a specific phrase in the official Apple feed and then push out a tweet. Service tweaked further for some miss-fires.

working prototype- it works! ifttt used to spot a simple phrase in the official apple feed and then push out a tweet. service tweaked for miss-fires.

Visual design & branding.

Visual design & branding.

Apple kindly provides a icon grid for use when designing. In order link to the app store the same blue gradient was used.

07freeappoftheweek stivenskyrah designwithlove

Icon design & selection.

Icon design & selection.

A range of ideas across three directions mocked up using the Apple design grid as a base. Comparative process of elimination used to reduce the number of options.

08freeappoftheweek stivenskyrah designwithlove

Final icon.

Final Icon.

Design tweaks made to align with the grid system and Apple gradient applied to the background.

09freeappoftheweek stivenskyrah designwithlove

Issue one & solution.

Issue one & solution.

When tested over a three week period, Apple intermittently posted news of the #freeappoftheweek promotion. The solution... expand the service diagram to incorporate more inputs.

10freeappoftheweek stivenskyrah designwithlove

Issues two and three.

Issues two and three.

2. Some irrelevant notification triggers.      3. Notifications coming too close together

11freeappoftheweek stivenskyrah designwithlove

Updated input and output diagram.

Updated input and output diagram.

Buffer integration for time split posting. expanded output and notification types to make things as accessible as possible.

12freeappoftheweek stivenskyrah designwithlove

Notification flow.

Notification flow.

Notification sign up process: simplified through a sign up page.

13freeappoftheweek stivenskyrah designwithlove
14freeappoftheweek stivenskyrah designwithlove

Notification instruction page.

Notification instruction page.

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Measured sucess.

Measured sucess.

Comparison to aims and metrics.

Before

Steps

Before

Steps

13

Time

52 seconds

Notification methods

One

Other:

Effort to remember.

Irellevant notifications.

No self established brand.

Complex setup.

Low discoverability.

After

Steps

After

Steps

3

Time

28 seconds

Notification methods

Six

Other:

Totally automated.

Only relevant content.

Relevant branding.

Easy setup.

More discovery opportunities. 

Designed for you  (with love)
Designed for you  (with love) 
Designed for you  (with love)
Designed for you  (with love)
Designed for you  (with love)
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