Lookwide Mobile App Redesign
A voice social networking app where users are able to record knowledge, thoughts and stories in short audio and broadcast it to the world.
UX Research, UI
Understanding Lookwide
Lookwide is a social media platform that uses voice recording to talk to other users. The purpose of this app is to create a medium that allows micro-podcasting features like sharing knowledge and stories whilst conversing with others throughout the app to create a sense of community.
As of December 2018, Lookwide rebranded itself to Chirp.
Background
As our society evolves, more and more students and young adults are using social media. It is what skyrockets the usage of most mediums. In order to create a successful app, it has to appeal to a variety of users. Per evaluation and research, the Lookwide app seems to be missing a younger demographic of users. This redesign focuses on improving the content format of the Lookwide mobile application to appeal to the target audience of university students.
Task
Duration
To improve the content format with the purpose of making the product appeal to the target audience of university students by adding or taking away app features and integrating our own ideas.
We were to critique, study and improve the application within a strict deadline of 7 days.
Approach
Project Plan
Research & Observe
Question & Collaborate
Sketch & Design
Initial Observations
We were given extensive research on the user demographics of the Lookwide App to help further analyze what pain points to look at. As for 2018, the majority of the user base was middle aged adults in the USA. I also downloaded the app to take note of the problem areas that I felt were within the application itself.
User Demographics
Age
Location
Gender
2%
63%
46+
12%
38%
40%
8%
18-24
25-31
32-38
39-45
40%
60%
USA
Male
Female
37%
Rest of the World
Problem Areas within Lookwide
No sense of collaboration or social media features
Limited amount of younger generation (problem statement) + Users as a whole
Unorganized layout and flow/ repetitive features
Best Practices & Inspirations
Because Lookwide is a micro-podcasting and social media application, I took a look at other podcasting and social media applications. I compared each of the applications and pinpointed the strong points that Lookwide did not obtain.
Radio Public
-
Short and Sweet
-
Easy to use
-
Simple application interface/organized layout
-
Has short shows, etc.
-
Variety of genres
Podbean
-
Different stations
-
Suggestions/collections
-
Organized full shows
-
Layout is organized
Spotify
-
Variety of things to listen to
-
Genres & Playlists
-
Organized episodes within each collection
-
Full shows
-
Includes Music
-
Social Media Platform
-
Organized layout
-
Photo Sharing
-
Photo posting
-
Replies and Comments for collaboration
-
Has a purpose to each post
User Studies & Testing
To ensure that the redesign would pertain to its target audience of a younger demographic, I decided to conduct two user interviews with two young adults who enjoy listening to podcasts. The questions I asked were centralized around the reasons they liked certain podcasting applications over another. After I asked them questions over their opinion, I had them open up Lookwide and had them look around, given specific tasks.
Catherine Cho
Age: 19
Year: College Sophomore
Location: River Forest, IL
Tech Savvy: 5/5
Insights:
1. What apps do you gravitate towards and why?
I like Facebook because I'm able to share photos and posts without photos which is pretty straightforward.
2. Do you listen to any podcasting apps or voice sharing apps?
I do! My favorite is ABG and I listen to it on Spotify because its already a music app so I have both when I feel like it.
3. What makes this app different from other podcast apps that you use?
Honestly, I don't know what to pay attention to because the first thing I see is just following people and then I have to scroll down to listen to people's posts.
4. Do you like this app? Why?
I like the vibrant colors! But I wouldn't use this to talk to friends or listen to podcasts.
Allyson Nguyen
Age: 21
Year: College Junior
Location: Chicago, IL
Tech Savvy: 4.5/5
Insights:
1. What apps do you gravitate towards and why?
I like Twitter because there's a lot of memes and funny posts!
2. Do you listen to any podcasting apps or voice sharing apps?
I don't usually listen to podcasts. But I do use iMessage's voice notes to record and send stuff to friends.
3. What makes this app different from other podcast apps that you use?
There's a lot of words...I don't know but I'm pretty sure podcasting apps just focus on the podcast itself?
4. Do you like this app? Why?
No. I don't know where to find what I need to find, like all the posts are out of order.
Solutions
Based on the initial observations, application comparisons, user interviews and testing, I chose four features within Lookwide to focus my redesign on:
Provide a more organized layout
Encouragement to users to post through organization
Provide necessary and relatable content imagery
Provide a collaboration aspect to enhance social media
Implemented Solutions
