RESEARCH
After approximately four hours of observation and interviews with three students, I collected data on how the library was being used and viewed by the patrons. It was clear that many students entered the library with intent to study or look for a desk. A majority of the patrons headed towards the study section looking for a place to sit, and if the seats were occupied they would head to the elevator looking for more desks or seats.
INSIGHT #1
Students view the library as a quiet space.
This insight is evident from the interviews with the 3 different patrons. All three had very similar answers into how they view the library as a space. They didn’t see it for its services, but rather the quiet place for them to get work done or relax in between classes.
INSIGHT #2
Students visit the library with a premeditated goal.
They visit the library with a purpose and don’t intend to browse or explore the library as a whole. This was common throughout the 3 interviews. Each patron has made it a habit of some sort to visit the library with their purpose; to either get work done in between classes or just in general.
INSIGHT #3
Students don’t see a need for the services provided by the library, other than to study.
From the observations of patrons not utilizing the other services and further solidified by how the patrons view the other services. During the interviews, when asked why they didn’t utilize the other services the library provided, all three patrons had the same answer: “I don’t really need them.”
IDEATION
From the ethnographic research and interviews, it was clear that studying and utilizing the space of the library were key needs for the users. So I decided to create a mobile app to allow the users to utilize the library more efficiently. The app's main functions would allow users to both quickly book a study room and view if there were any open tables to study at. To do this I would need to streamline and simplify the process of reserving a study room and design a viewport for users to quickly find open seats.
BOOKING A ROOM
At the time of the project, the user flow for reserving a study room on the library website was a not ideal for a mobile format. There was too much information and options for the user to quickly complete the task or easily view all the options available to them.
In order to reduce the amount of clicks necessary to book a study room, I excluded the option for users to choose which room. The logic behind the decision was that users who want to quickly book a room did not care which specific room they were assigned, as all rooms provide the same amenities. By excluding that option, the amount of information needed to complete a booking was more manageable on a single mobile screen.
Original Mobile View
Redesigned User Flow
App redesign allows the user to quickly pick available times without having to scroll and sift through all the rooms.
SEAT VIEWER
Using futuristic theoretical technology (I’m sure the university can afford it), each desk at the library will be able to tell the app if it is in use or not. To display this information I used the floor map provided by the library and used simple colors to display any open desks. As there are many floors to each library, I utilized a quick snapshot of the number of open seats to every level of viewing. This will help the user quickly asses which library and which floor has vacant desks without having to click into every floor to check.
RESULTS
Using Invision, I created a high fidelity prototype to show the user flow of the two main functions of the mobile app. For future updates, I would refine the visual look of the app and conduct user testing to see if the user flow could be further refined and more efficient.
LEARNINGS
This project helped me strengthen my designing and prototyping. It was my first time using Invision and I learned a lot about how to design for the user. By conducting the user research myself, I familiarized myself with user's key needs and pinpoint how to solve them. This project also let me experience and fall in love with UX design, and how it challenges me to creatively solve a problem with my design knowledge. By breaking down the original interaction design in booking a room, I learned that sometimes having too many options can hinder the user form making a quick and easy choice.