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Major Project

23.04.2024 - 11.08.2024 (Week 1 - Week 16)
Lulu Luisa Linardi / 0349358 / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Major Project
Final Year Project

Fig 1.0: Thumbnail


INSTRUCTIONS

Week 1

During the first meeting of the Major Project class, we received briefs outlining the project requirements. Mr. Asrizal highlighted three approaches we could take for our project:
• Take a look back at your dissertation
• Find a real-world brief that qualifies as a major project (the client must be approved by the teaching team).
• Choose a topic and start from scratch, ensuring it includes:
1. The purpose
2. The beneficiaries
3. The problems being solved, incorporating the Blue Ocean Strategy (focus on a market that doesn’t yet exist, e.g., AirAsia, Grab).

I personally have one idea in mind to propose, which is a platform that focuses on helping individuals discover great recipes and plan their daily meals while also maintaining a healthy diet. This idea originated from another subject in a previous semester but wasn’t selected for execution, so I decided to refine it for this project.

Week 2

TThis week, I consulted with Mr. Asrizal to propose my project idea. He approved the concept and assigned Mr. Razif as my supervisor, but suggested a few refinements before presenting it to Mr. Razif. Here's Mr. Asrizal's feedback for my idea:
• Research more on the target audience
• How to overcome accessibility

During my first consultation with Mr. Razif, it seemed like he didn’t fully grasp my idea and recommended that I outline it on a Miro board, breaking it down into key problems.

Week 3

I refined my key propositions and added a few more key activities. However, Mr. Razif still wasn’t fully on board with the idea. He advised me to explore a new concept to compare with my current one, so we could determine which is better. 


Week 4

After being advised to brainstorm new ideas, I came up with two new topics. One is about home maintenance service. However, I realized that this type of platform already exists in some countries, though it isn’t yet available in Malaysia or Indonesia.

Since I struggled to develop a fresh idea, Mr. Razif suggested that I observe my surroundings and identify any issues that could be addressed. I turned my attention to social issues in my hometown, Jambi (Indonesia), and noticed a severe problem with trash management. I began researching similar platforms to see if any were tackling this issue, but I found none. However, I remembered that there is a group of volunteer in Indonesia, under the name 'Pandawara Group', addressing environmental issue, and I used them as inspiration for developing this platform. Here's the Miro board for the fix idea.

Mr. Razif also added few ideas for my app, here's the list of his suggestions:
• The platform should involve local authorities to ensure that the collected rubbish is disposed of properly in designated areas.
• Organizers could have a button that generates a standardized email template for the volunteer event, based on the information provided.
• With a single click, the email or notice can be sent to local authorities, and the app will display the approval status.
• Additional Feature: Once approved, the app can provide details on what the authorities will contribute, such as rubbish disposal services or even manpower.

Furthermore, he also suggested to create this kind of user flow:
• The general public reports an issue, takes pictures, and posts it in the app.
• A volunteer is needed to organize the cleanup event.
• The app includes a button for users to volunteer as an organizer.
• If no one has volunteered yet, a button will appear to lead the campaign.
• Once someone volunteers to lead, the lead button disappears, indicating that the campaign is now active and has a designated status. As for the campaign status, there will be:
1. Waiting/Pending for Leader: Indicates that a leader is still needed.
2. Pending for Partners/Organizers: Shows that partners or organizers are required.
3. Active: Once an organizer is confirmed, the button changes from “Organize” to “Join” to allow others to participate.

As there will be organizer and volunteer participant, there will be a slight different flow for both.

For Organizers:
- Once someone volunteers to organize, they need to plan the event’s flow, considering all the necessary coordination and tasks.

For Participants:
- Participants need to understand their responsibilities once they join the event.
- Although there are separate flows for organizers and volunteers during the planning process, both groups will ultimately see the same official event agenda page.
- Organizers are responsible not only for coordinating volunteers but also for planning the event’s agenda.

Week 5

This week, I finally began my research. I conducted a more in-depth study of the issue by creating a survey aimed at Indonesians, particularly those from Jambi. From the survey results, I identified the main issues and the users' preferences, which will guide the focus of my project.

Here is the link to the survey results:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15ALFMmFNbEu8Z-KAYLAnohVYw0tJfWS-pClgKWzNOz8/edit?usp=sharing

Based on public preferences, I analyzed the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) of my topic.


I also developed three user personas.



And finally, I decided on the name "Tangan Bersama" for my app.

Week 6

With the user-related things done, I proceed to look for mood board as the reference for my design style guide, including the UI style, colors, and typography. Below is my mood board for the user interface. 

In the end, I decided on a clean-looking UI, as my target audience is the general public, so I wanted to keep the color scheme simple and not too vibrant. Here’s what my design style guide looks like.

Initially, I considered using either DM Sans or Manrope, but then I discovered a better-suited typeface for my UI: Plus Jakarta Sans.

Besides creating the design style guide, I also began to build the user flow.


Week 7

This week, I focused on creating low-fidelity prototypes for some of the main screens, including the Home screen, Report Details, Event Creation, Event Details, List of Participating Events, and Message-Chats. These initial sketches helped me establish the basic layout and functionality for each screen, laying the base for the more detailed designs to come.

I showed this to Mr. Razif during the consultation, and he told me I can proceed to high fidelity prototype already.


Week 8 - 10

During these weeks, I began translating the low-fidelity prototypes into high-fidelity designs. I also worked on screens with more complex user flows, requiring careful attention to detail. However, I encountered some challenges as certain features and flows were difficult to visualize. To overcome this, I sought inspiration from existing apps, studying their design and functionality to help guide my own work. This process was time-consuming but essential for ensuring that my design was both intuitive and effective. Here’s a sneak peek at some of the most important screens.


Week 11

This week, I began designing the app's icon, focusing on creating a logo that represents the platform’s purpose and values. I created four different design versions since I’m still unsure which one will be finalized.

In addition to the logo, I worked on mockups for the app showcase as well. I also created key visuals for the presentation board, which will be used during the final showcase to highlight the app’s unique aspects. 



Here's the link to my final key visuals:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/11ZQvzKMA8I23R385L2LgAC2exswBirDC?usp=sharing

Alongside these tasks, I started designing the low-fidelity microsite, which will serve as a promotional site for the app. The microsite is planned to include three pages: a landing page, a features page, and an about us page.


Week 12

Presentation week! I was a bit nervous at first, but I soon realized that my progress was on track, so I tried not to overthink it. The lecturers were generally pleased with my UI design, but a few of them were confused by the user flow. After the presentation, I immediately consulted with Mr. Razif to discuss the next steps. Based on our discussion, I decided to make a few improvements:
• Refine the user flow according to Mr. Razif's suggestions
• Update the app icon
• Enhance the UI on some screens, as they still looked a bit like low-fidelity designs

Week 13 - 14

With the feedback I received, I focused on refining everything as quickly as possible to ensure I still had time to complete the remaining screens. My goal was to get back on track and finalize the designs without compromising quality. I experimented with gradients to make the design look more polished. I applied different gradient styles in several screens to see which ones worked best. Below is the preview of me playing with the gradient.


As for the app icon, I decided to use this as the final one.


Week 15

This week, I conducted user testing with nine people, including four fellow UI/UX designers and five members of the general public. This helped me gather diverse perspectives on the app's usability and design. Here is the link to the user testing results:

From the user testing, I gathered all the feedbacks and concluded these.


I also created collateral materials, such as promotional posters, sticker packs, social media ads, and billboard ads, to promote the app.




Week 16

It's the final week! I made final adjustments to the app's UI and completed the microsite. I also participated in the final year showcase from August 9 to 11, marking the end of my journey as a design student at Taylor's University. I'm glad that I was given an opportunity to present my project to the public and gain valuable feedback, not only from the peers, but also lecturers and the visitors. 




FINAL SUBMISSION

Here's the Google Drive link for all the assets:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tKjf0SxDi8WAauS5tRqe7AcUJ7Y4seS2?usp=drive_link

• Mobile App


• Microsite


• Promotional Poster


• Social Media Ad



• Sign Board Ad


• Sticker Pack


• Presentation Deck


REFLECTIONS

Looking back on this project, I’m proud of the progress I made each week, from empathize to user testing, coming out with ideas to refining ideas, wireframing to finalizing the app design. The feedback I received along the way helped me improve my work and stay on track. Participating in the final year showcase was indeed a memorable experience, allowing me to present my project to the public and receive valuable input from all the visitors. This journey has been challenging, but it has also been an invaluable learning experience that has strengthened my skills as a designer. Thank you Taylor's for the unforgettable three years!