Based on three years of experience as a writing teacher, I design a scholarly search platform that's more intuitive and approachable for novice researchers
Project Overview
Problem
Client
Duration
Role
Collaborators
Output
Design a scholarly search platform that's more intuitive and approachable for novice researchers
U of Michigan coursework
September 2017 - December 2017
Researcher, Designer
Professor, TA, other students
User Personae
Sketches, storyboards, and paper prototypes
Discovery Phase
I chose this project based on my three years of experiences working with students as a college writing instructor. The students found the research process challenging and the search tools confusing. I wanted to make something better.
While I had lots of anecdotal feedback from previous students,
I hadn't done any ideation around how to make changes to their workflows. I spent several weeks performing additional interviews, conducting literary research, and doing lots of sketches. By using with these techniques concurrently I worked in generative cycles of discovering, ideating, and critiquing.
Initial brainstorming yielded eight unique concepts. After quickly storyboarding all eight, I picked the two best options, created more detailed storyboards, and discussed them with end users.
I used the feedback I received from end users, my peers, and the instructional staff to inform the next project phase.
Lesson Learned
Approaching a problem with multiple techniques at the same time allows for creative intersections.
Prototype Phase
I had a lot of ideas that I wanted to represent in the paper prototype, and each idea had a separate UI element and interaction. This approach made for a pretty busy design.
By surfacing all the elements in a complete mid-fidelity prototype, I was able to better evaluate which elements could be simplified, combined, or removed.
The design process -- moving from sketches to paper prototypes
-- was familiar, like moving between drafts in writing process. In both processes, ideas are refined and arguments are strengthened with each subsequent project phase.
Lesson Learned
Being comfortable with ideating broadly and quickly early on leads to stronger and more nuanced designs after refinement.
Mockup Phase
I used Sketch to build a high-fidelity mockup at the end the semester. Based on previous research, designs, and feedback, I wanted the design to have two core features:
-
a significant visual layer to the interface
-
meaningful representations of how search modifications affect the results
I addressed the both of these features with color. Unfortunately, as I learned later from my accessibility work, this particular solution failed one of the key guidelines: don't use color as the only means of communicating information.
This project was valuable because it helped me see areas relating to UI best practices where I could improve and gave me a starting place from which to begin with the next project.
Lesson Learned
Each new design is built on the successes and missteps of all
previous designs.
Gallery
