Scope
Product Design UX/UI Visual Identity Usability Testing User Experience Design MSc
Year
2024 Case Study
Unlock the city's secrets with your ultimate local companion: Roamers app
Problem statement
Problem statement
Settling in a new city poses many challenges. Thorough research on housing, costs, transport, shopping, and entertainment is vital. Yet, much information targets tourists, neglecting those building a life locally. Social media and apps offer fragmented, impersonal insights that often miss individual needs.
Aims and objectives
Aims and objectives
This project aims to ease newcomers’ transition to a new city by creating a product that simplifies adaptation. Through interviews, observations, and data analysis, user needs and challenges will be identified. A human-centred design approach will guide collaboration, iteration, and refinement for a personalised, seamless experience.
Scope
Product Design UX/UI Visual Identity Usability Testing User Experience Design MSc
Year
2024 Case Study
Unlock the city's secrets with your ultimate local companion: Roamers app
Problem statement
Settling in a new city poses many challenges. Thorough research on housing, costs, transport, shopping, and entertainment is vital. Yet, much information targets tourists, neglecting those building a life locally. Social media and apps offer fragmented, impersonal insights that often miss individual needs.
Aims and objectives
This project aims to ease newcomers’ transition to a new city by creating a product that simplifies adaptation. Through interviews, observations, and data analysis, user needs and challenges will be identified. A human-centred design approach will guide collaboration, iteration, and refinement for a personalised, seamless experience.
Design Thinking
Design Thinking
Design Thinking
Stanford’s Design Thinking methodology guided this project, emphasising user needs through an open, iterative approach. Following the five stages—empathise, define, ideate, prototype, and test—provided a structured, user-centred framework that effectively met the objectives.
Surveys and interviews findings
We listened to user’s challenges of adjusting to a new lifestyle. A series of interviews were performed with users who have recently relocated to the city, aiming to understand the primary challenges they encounter in adapting to their fresh surroundings. These insights were extracted from their responses.
Participants enjoy exploring but prefer unique, quieter spots. High living costs limit activities and cause frustration. Many struggle to connect socially, feeling isolated despite using platforms.
Participants enjoy exploring but prefer unique, quieter spots. High living costs limit activities and cause frustration. Many struggle to connect socially, feeling isolated despite using platforms.
Digital platforms are used for authentic reviews but large databases can be overwhelming. Instagram is trusted for lifestyle tips, TripAdvisor and Google for discoveries, with MeetUp, Yelp, Reddit, and Facebook providing valuable insights.
Digital platforms are used for authentic reviews but large databases can be overwhelming. Instagram is trusted for lifestyle tips, TripAdvisor and Google for discoveries, with MeetUp, Yelp, Reddit, and Facebook providing valuable insights.
Users prioritise efficient city navigation but face challenges like TFL strikes and delays. Proximity and accessibility guide activity planning. Google Maps and City Mapper are preferred transport apps.
Users prioritise efficient city navigation but face challenges like TFL strikes and delays. Proximity and accessibility guide activity planning. Google Maps and City Mapper are preferred transport apps.
Design process
User personas
User personas
User journey
Information architecture
Usability test feedback
Five participants tested the app using the 5-act interview method, performing tasks like exploring, saving favourites, and creating shareable lists. This yielded insights into user behaviour and pain points, guiding design improvements.
Users valued detailed place info but faced broken filters and wanted walkability details. All completed tasks easily, rated 5/5, and praised the UI.
Users valued detailed place info but faced broken filters and wanted walkability details. All completed tasks easily, rated 5/5, and praised the UI.
Users praised place and route tags but noted navigation issues. They requested TFL info and wish list separation. Tagging remained a key strength despite missing Google Maps features.
Users praised place and route tags but noted navigation issues. They requested TFL info and wish list separation. Tagging remained a key strength despite missing Google Maps features.
Users requested transport icons, budget tips, notes for saved places, and search-by-address. They valued route editing but preferred flexibility. Privacy concerns were noted. Seamless TFL integration was essential. Routes showcased creators’ tastes and fostered connections.
Users requested transport icons, budget tips, notes for saved places, and search-by-address. They valued route editing but preferred flexibility. Privacy concerns were noted. Seamless TFL integration was essential. Routes showcased creators’ tastes and fostered connections.
Insights, learnings and next steps
Navigation features, issues and weaknesses
Navigation features, including live transport updates, are comprehensive but underdeveloped, limiting usability. Enhancing budget management with spending estimates, expense sharing, and payment integration would aid financial planning. Lists and routes need better curation, with engaging headlines and guided suggestions to boost content quality and user experience.
User experience goals and future opportunities
Roamers app was designed and tested with features that strongly engaged users. Moving forward, the focus is on enhancing the social aspect by boosting user engagement and fresh local content, and introducing sponsored entries plus social media integration to create an editor’s picks section for better discoverability.
Insights, learnings and next steps
Navigation features, issues and weaknesses
Navigation features, including live transport updates, are comprehensive but underdeveloped, limiting usability. Enhancing budget management with spending estimates, expense sharing, and payment integration would aid financial planning. Lists and routes need better curation, with engaging headlines and guided suggestions to boost content quality and user experience.
User experience goals and future opportunities
Roamers app was designed and tested with features that strongly engaged users. Moving forward, the focus is on enhancing the social aspect by boosting user engagement and fresh local content, and introducing sponsored entries plus social media integration to create an editor’s picks section for better discoverability.