WORDMASH APP
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WORDMASH is an iOS and Android app that helps artists and writers jumpstart the creative process by providing a simple way to generate subject matter, an organizer that keeps a record of the ideas that spark inspiration, and a platform to log your progress.
The Problem
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For many art and design students, the bane of everyone’s existence is the sketchbook. It needs to be filled with something and it needs to be amazing.
But it's hard. Many struggle to find ideas to draw. Anxiety robs them of their creativity. How do you overcome self doubt and come up with ideas? |
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User Research
Methods and Predictions
I conducted user interviews and user testing. Interviews were conducted both online and offline with creatives within the US and abroad.
I predicted users needed help creating projects for their portfolios. I also thought it would be an great motivational tool for users to be able to compare their progress to other artists on region/worldwide leaderboards. |
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Interview Highlights
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Interview Findings
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Through interviews, it was clear WORDMASH was needed to aid the development of the budding artist, those rediscovering their talents, and those discouraged along the journey.
Contrary to my initial predictions, motivation by comparing themselves to other artists was actually counter-intuitive to boosting confidence, so the leaderboard idea was scrapped. Persona
Competitive Analysis
There were a number of word generators in the app store with complex feature sets, but few had the simplicity and depth I wanted.
Most of the visual design was lacking quality, and because the amount of words in the database of each app was so small, all of the word generators did not have a long shelf life. Usability
Low Fidelity Sketches
The lo-fi sketches comprised three screens: the home screen displaying your profile info where you generated words, a settings screen for profile and sound info, and a library screen where you could review and export all of your saved brainstorm lists.
Prototyping and Usability Testing
The home screen was cleaned up to be less visually cluttered. Users didn't value the option to change profiles, so the settings screen was scrapped. The sound toggle was moved to the home screen for better user flow.
Low Fidelity Wireframes
Initial usability testing showed confusion with the icon design, causing users to mistake the link to the "saved list screen" with the “favorite” option to save a generated a word list.
Icon redesigns were implemented to solve the issue. The link to the "saved list screen" was changed to "Library" with a distinct icon, and the Library screen header was cleaned up and made consistent. User Flow
Low Fidelity Prototype
Click the InVision icon above for the interactive prototype.
High Fidelity Wireframes
The final step was to create a beautiful user interface so that using the app is a joyful experience. I settled on a clean interface using whites and transparent elements so that the background can be a continually shifting window of moods and colors.
Measuring Success
The success of the app can be measured by comparing the number of projects created with and without the app by noting the number of saved lists in user libraries. Additionally, users can measure further success by comparing the number of lists saved to the number of lists completed.
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Other Case Studies
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