Situation

When I joined CircleIt, the application was in its formative stages with just a few general ideas and preliminary mockups. The design was far from finalized, lacking in detail and depth, which left much room for development and refinement. Additionally, there was a lack of solid user research to guide the design process. The primary business goal set by stakeholders was to make the app appealing and easy to use to attract users to this unique platform designed for creating family trees and sending gifts to loved ones in the future.

Task

As the sole designer for the CircleIt app, my primary objective was to create a seamless user experience that made it easy to send and receive e-cards, which could only be opened at a specified date and time. This required designing and thinking through each section, including the sending and receiving process, tracking family members, and designing a comprehensive family tree. I was responsible for creating layouts for each section and ensuring cross-platform compatibility for both iOS and Android. Despite tight deadlines and the pressure to launch the app as soon as possible, I was tasked with delivering an intuitive, user-friendly interface that would encourage user engagement and align with business goals.

ACTION

  1. Research and Development: I led exhaustive user research, including sketching, high-fidelity prototyping, and multi-tiered user testing to ensure the app met diverse user needs.
  2. Design Execution: I designed and optimized over 50 cross-platform user interface screens using Adobe Creative Suite and Figma, focusing on intuitive design that aligns with best practices in UX.
  3. Testing and Refinement: I implemented rigorous testing phases for each design iteration, employing both qualitative and quantitative research methods to validate and refine our design choices.
  4. Tool Integration: Throughout the design process, I utilized a blend of tools, including digital design platforms, user journey maps, hand-drawn layouts, and agile brainstorming techniques.

Result

The innovative features I designed for the CircleIt app, such as the ability to schedule future gifts like flowers, were well-received during our initial testing phase with a select group of users. This functionality introduced a unique surprise element that was anticipated to enhance user engagement. My contributions, from concept to execution, were instrumental in meeting our project deadlines and setting a strong foundation for the app’s user-centric approach. The feedback from these tests was positive, indicating a successful alignment with our design goals and user expectations. This prepared the app well for a broader launch, promising a delightful and engaging user experience.

This approach resulted in a product that was incredibly well-received, reflecting its popularity with a remarkable number of millions of downloads.