MerchPerch

Understanding the User

I conducted preliminary research to understand my primary user group of working young adults who frequently attend concerts. Although this research supported some of my initial assumptions, it also indicated accessibility options play a significant role in merch buying decisions for my participants. Using this information, I concluded there were three major pain points for users when buying merchandise at concerts.

A persona and problem statement were also created and through the use of a user journey map, I was also able to understand the persona’s feelings while purchasing merch and highlight potential opportunities for improvements.

Initial Designs

After gaining insights from preliminary research, I began sketching out some paper wireframes of the mobile app. I used the crazy eights method to quickly devised a few home screen ideas on paper and combined my favorite aspects from each into a low-fi digital wireframe using Figma.

Next, I created several screens which would be necessary to complete the user journey of buying a merch item. Here, you can see my low-fidelity prototype in action. I felt it was important to use large text, clear buttons, and to implement a zoom function on item pages. Not only would this help users with visual impairments, it would also help all users using the app in a low light environment like a dim concert.

Refining the design

I conducted round one of user testing with the low-fidelity prototype, using a mix of moderated and unmoderated methods. As this was an independent project with no additional resources, I gathered data from friends and family. I had a total of 5 participants and I used Google Meet to virtually moderate some sessions. I gave them instructions to think out loud as they used the prototype. I wrote notes on their feedback. From this round of testing, I found three major insights.

Users gravitated toward the search bar as their first click
App navigation is difficult
Adding an item to the cart is confusing

I addressed these concerns by allowing users to use the search bar to find their concert. Additionally, I added a bottom toolbar with Home, Cart, and Account tabs for easy access on every page. Finally, I made my new design clearly distinguish the add to cart button from the zoom icon.

After updating the low fidelity prototype to meet user needs, I began work on creating mockups of the final design. This was an equally fun and challenging part of the project as I had little experience in aesthetic design. However, equipped with an understanding of UX design principles, I successfully produced a high fidelity prototype to undergo a second usability study.

Final Design

With a high fidelity prototype created, I conducted the second of my usability studies. Once again, I had 5 participants from a pool of friends and family. From the user feedback, I identified three additional areas for improvement.

Users want feedback indicating a successful button click
Bare design turned users away from app
Users need clarity on app’s function on home page

After incorporating the findings from the second usability study, I had reached my final iteration of the project. The MerchPerch app design successfully allows users to find and select their concert, purchase merchandise, and integrate music player apps through a user-friendly and eye-catching design. Additionally, accessibility considerations were also met, with large and legible text, zoom function, and labels for icons on the bottom toolbar. You can access the final prototype here on Figma.

As my first experience in the world of UX, I found this project to be extremely fun and quite challenging. Although I did make some pretty obvious mistakes in hindsight, I believe through research and iteration, my final designs turned out great for my first project. My hope is through practice and more case studies, I will further develop and refine my UX research and UX design skills.

If you'd like to know more about MerchPerch or my design process, please email or connect with me!

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