Challenge

The challenge when developing this app was to answer the question of how to provide political, social, and civic information directly to users, to allow them to better engage with their communities.
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This study seeks to deliver timely, relevant, and actionable information in an easy to use, low impact, mobile app.

Proposed Solution

Initially, the proposed solution was to create an alternative news app, but as this idea developed, it became clear that users wanted more information than purely news. They required engagement events, locations, reminders, and community.

What I did

Competitive Audit, User Research, Persona Journey Mapping, Unmoderated Usability Study, UI Redesign, Lo-fi & Hi-fi Prototyping

Initially, I designed a layout similar to many popular streaming news apps, but once I realized the potential for this type of application, I adjusted the format to reflect common interfaces that users were familiar with by adding calendars, event reminders, and saved folders.

Outcome

A Figma Prototype that provided the lowest barrier to entry and allowed users, of all ages, to engage with the app immediately.

Additional findings indicated that there was concern over how to support the app financially. Any sponsors would want to cater towards their specific political leanings, so it is important to develop a mission statement and declare our political viewpoints as a neutral company from the beginning.

Table of contents

1. Design thinking process

• RESEARCH QUESTIONS, Challenges, Summary
• COMPETITIVE AUDIT
  
  

2. User Persona & Journey Map
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3. Sketches & Prototypes

• Wireframes
• Lo-Fi, Hi-fi prototypes
  
  

4. Interactive PROTOTYPES
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5. key takeaways

Design Thinking Process

Primary Research

At the start of this project, I assumed that there would be many similar app offerings, and gaining a foothold in this marketplace would be difficult and unnecessary. However, upon conducting a competitive audit, it became apparent that there was no one specific location to inform users of upcoming civic events.

As I dove deeper into the question of "Where do users get their primary political information", I learned the majority of users rely on social media and word-of-mouth to stay informed of recent news and active engagement opportunities.

Additionally, I learned many users, especially those in the 20 - 30 age group, would like to become more politically involved in events such as Black Lives matter, Women's Rights, Stop Asian Hate, Indigenous rights, and so many more. The fact that there was no one source, made it ever more necessary to develop a resource which catered to providing relevant and actionable information.

Reducing the sheer amount of information on this app's landing page was also important. Users want to be informed, but not overwhelmed. The goal is to give them a fraction of the information (not click bait), and trust them to dig deeper into topics and discussions they care about.

Interview Questions

1. Do you stay informed about political / civic events?
2. What is your primary method for learning about / staying informed about current local or national events happening near you?
3. Which Social Media Apps do you actively use?
4. Would you like to engage more in your community?
5. Which recent political topics are you most concerned about?
6. Do you discuss recent events with friends or family?
7. Do you discuss recent events with an online community?
8. How likely are you to use an app that provides realtime updates to events happening in your area?

Secondary Research

Competitive ​Audit

The most surprising revelation when researching similar services was that there was no one location to find political movements happening near me. Black Lives Matter has their own website, Gay Rights has many different apps/sites that provide more niche information about specific issues, and numerous other causes all provide their own services with varying ability to deliver information in a timely manner.

I believe this primarily to be a funding issue. Civic causes, most likely, only raise money from their specific followers, sponsors, and organizations, non-dependent on whether they want to support additional causes. Given this information, I believe users are not limited to the causes they support. Many users would like to support multiple causes, but without a central point of information, they are often unengaged or unmotivated to do additional research. This is a perfect opportunity to build an app that specifically highlights current and ongoing political causes.

Research Challenges

1. There are varying social and civic causes in the world today, from broad sweeping movements, to more niche beliefs that really drive to the root of many injustices.
   
   
2. Users get overwhelmed when they receive too much information and are inclined to close the app.
   What is this threshold?
   
   
3. Users want discovery tools that are easy to use and provide quicker results. They would also like a place to save or share information with their networks.
   
   
4. Users want to know what upcoming events are happening in their area and would like an option to sign up, support, and be reminded when these events will take place.

Research Summary

Through exploring the various App Store and web-specific offerings, and after conducting interviews with users who are politically inclined, I have learned that yes, there is a high demand for an app that offers relevant and current information. Additionally, users don't need, but would be interested in an app that offered community resources to meet likeminded individuals who support similar causes.
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The largest frustrations were that users don't want to do their own research beyond what they learn from social media. This disengagement creates a false sense of participation for a cause, but doesn't educate the user as to the political and social ramifications of events happening around them.

User Personas & Journey Map

Personas

I designed personas which I referred to throughout the entire process to ensure my product didn't deviate from the needs of my users.
Included in each user persona are Age, Education, Hometown, and Occupation. Additionally, it provides context for app needs, personal goals, and family life.

The desired intent was to provide a wide look at users with different life demands and a varied approach to getting involved in their local community.

Tiara

As an 18 year old college freshman, Tiara wants to become more politically engaged in protests and movements on campus. She would love an app that informs her of upcoming marches and info sessions on causes that she supports.

Pooja

Pooja is a 65 year old grandmother who wants to take her grandkids to their first political rally to educate them on the importance in civic engagement. She wants an easy to use app to informs her of upcoming events and tracks her family in case they're separated.

Meredith

Meredith is a local politician seeking to inform her community of upcoming local elections. She wants to build a community that believes in similar causes, and inform them of her upcoming speaking engagements.

Brien

Brien Daugherty is a 29 year old social media influencer who sheds lights on LGBTQA+ activities happening around the country. They would like a forum where they can engage and inform their community of new and upcoming events.

Costumer Journey

For a better understanding of how users interfaced with this app.

Sketches & Prototypes

Sketches, Wireframes, Prototypes

The easiest way to get ideas on paper without focusing too much on perfection of the end result was to use pen and paper. 

Early iterations were found to be too congested, but after receiving user feedback, the concept was trimmed down to reduce excess "noise". 

Additional user feedback helped to condense this even further resulting in the final prototype.

Initial Lo-Fi Prototypes

Prototypes after User Feedback

High Fidelity Prototype

Interactive Prototype

Figma Prototype

Features I changed:

• Users thought the landing page was too busy.
  • Too much news on the home page was annoying.

• Engagement options felt "out of place".
  • ​The purpose of this app is to Engage. Feature moved.

• Users wanted a calendar to know about upcoming events.
  • Added a calendar feature to inform, store, and share selected events.
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• Offline mode would be nice in large crowds.
  • Map feature should continue to evolve to support the needs and demands of the users.

• Community section of the app needs work.
  • ​How are communities going to find their crowds? Focus on creating groups to help share information.

Click the screen above to navigate the prototype. Interactive elements will be highlighted briefly in blue on each screen.

Key Takeaways

Impact

Moving Forward

​From the onset of this project, the product felt as if there was increasing demand for users to learn more about events that they care about. As society and younger audiences become more aware of local, national, and global events, trends have shown that they are more willing to get involved.

​Since each user is involved in a different political or social movement, it is considered a highly desirable product to have an app that offers a variety of options. A social engagement app that is convenient, safe, reliable, and easy.

The apparent demand for this application has shifted the way I look at this project, and in fact, has evolved to researching a need to develop this app for a real-world audience.

​My plan is to speak with app developers as to the scope of developing this app. Additionally, I will reach out to partners and non-profit organizations to inquire about funding for the app in order to start directing desired information to users.

Wanna know more?
Drop me a line

Email:  [email protected]