Activity Randomizer

WannaDO was a mobile app to help busy adults find activities by generating suggestions
based on personal preferences, entering only minimal data points. The app aims to alleviate
the stress of planning and maximize free time for urban professionals and parents of young
kids.

Summary

Freeform mobile app group project stemming from researched user needs around adults aged 25-40

Project Goal

To create a prototype of a mobile app that solves a problem

My Primary Responsibilities

Project Management
Information Architecture
Affinity Map
Style Tile
App Idea/Problem Statement
Lo & Mid-Fi Prototypes

The Process

Genesis

The genesis for the app sprang from the first bootcamp project- individual creation of a travel app prototype- because the idea generated enough interest in both the initial research phase and user testing to warrant expanding on it in a (remotely) collaborative working environment

Lessons Learned

Information Gathering

• Lessons Learned from the WannaDo Project
• Collaboration and Adaptability:
• The team worked closely in real-time and stepped in for each other if and when personal obligations arose.
• This flexibility prevented delays and maintained project momentum.
• User-Centered Design Approach:
• User research discoveries proved very effective: interviews confirmed, without leading, a need for a product, given societal time constraints.
• Iterative Design Process:
• User feedback during the iterative process resulted in immediate & clear product improvements
• Presenting the project with clear explanations of choices and iterations demonstrated effective communication, crucial for both team alignment and stakeholder engagement.
• User feedback suggested a need for balance, which guided the team to some middle ground, like finding a sensible number of activity suggestions—avoiding both choice overload and restrictive options.
• Focus was maintained by prioritizing MVP features using the MoSCoW method & feature prioritization matrix. This prevented mission creep and no overload at the end

• Flexibility in Design Tools:
• Opting out of certain frameworks like the Value Proposition Canvas ensured time was spent on real added value.
• Recognition of Future Opportunities:
• Always something more to do, product improvements to add

Insight

Modern day professionals lack a way to easily decide on and plan activities, because busy work schedules and family obligations make it difficult to make a decision about what to do for fun with family, friends, or solo

Human Problems to Solve

Urban professionals are getting overwhelmed deciding on and planning activities for themselves and loved ones
Find it hard to use whatever free time they have to its full extent
Want to find new and exciting activities but don’t know where to look
Parents, especially, are too stressed from overpacked schedules to put time and energy into planning or even deciding what to do

Ideation

Problem Statement

Modern professionals want to get out to have fun but are too busy with work and/or family obligations to plan or find activities. We observed that the resulting stress can prevent people from enjoying their free time as much as they would like to. How might we make users feel less stressed and maximize their free time.

Proposed Solution-in-an-App

A mobile app focused on helping busy adults find things to do in a given moment or plan for the future through a randomizer that generates suggestions to the user based on personal wants, needs, and preferences.

Setting up a user scenario

We know that people are busy and anxious about how to plan; we created a user story to give us a grounding to work off of in thinking about solving the problem.

Storyboard

1. Eevee and husband are relaxing after a long week

Eevee and her husband just finished a long and stressful work week and are looking to unwind.

2. Eevee and her husband want to go out and have fun

They would like to get out and blow off some steam. The husband asks what Eevee is feeling up to. She doesn’t want to go to the same places the usually frequent.

3. Eevee recalls hearing about WannaDO

Eevee remembers that her friend mentioned WannaDO, a mobile app that randomly suggests activities and establishments near a given location.

4.Eevee signs up and inputs her preferences and location

After downloading WannaDO, Eevee signs up and inputs her location and several interests and preferences.

5. WannaDO suggests a new spot for Eevee and her husband to try

Using WannaDo’s main feature, a new micro brewery that just opened up is suggested to Eevee. She and her husband are excited to check out a new spot!

4. Eevee and her husband enjoy a new location

Relieved that they didn’t have to waste time and energy looking for a new place to go, Eevee and her husband sit on a patio, enjoying the fresh air and a tasty craft beer.

-Art by Sam Lafalce

Product Feature Prioritization

We know that people are busy and anxious about how to plan; we created a user story to give us a grounding to work off of in thinking about solving the problem

Initial Design

Problem Statement

My pictographic brain has led me to determine that a true sketch process usually slows me down (unless I have no ideas to start with). I can visualize the rough layout in my head well enough to get started on digital design, even if those wireframes are extremely rough at first. What follows are my initial greyscale wireframes.

User tests of the wireframes revealed insights to incorporate into design iterations:

Users feel a lack of a “home base” to which to feel centered inside the app.
All users tested confirmed wanting multiple results instead of a single one (A/B tested with colleague’s prototype).
Confused by interests vs filters; why both?.