Dallasites101 App (Hypothetical)

Dallasites101_phone .jpg

OVERVIEW

Dallasites101 is a lifestyle brand with a large following on Instagram. They are a community built in Dallas, TX of transplants and natives pushing each other to go beyond their comfort zones and try something new in the area.
This hypothetical app gives the community another channel in which to connect with each other and promote local businesses at the same time.

Tools

 
icons8-wrench-100.png

  • Figma

  • Google Docs

  • Optimal Workshop

  • Pencil and Paper

 

My Role

I worked in a team of two designers. We worked simultaneously building this app through user research, ideation, wireframing, and creating hi-fi mockups.

Problem Statement

 
icons8-decision-100.png

How can we increase revenue and promote local businesses through Dallasites101?

 
 

Target audience

  • Millennials and Gen Z

  • New to the Dallas Area

  • Adventurous and explorers

 
 

Research Plan & Results

  • Competitive Analysis

  • Secondary Research

Through the research, it was discovered that:

  • DS101 earns revenue by partnering with local businesses by providing: advertising through social media, email campaigns, and ad space on website.

 

Persona

Based on our study of the Dallasites101 site and Instagram page, we were able to see who the users were.

The user base consisted of individuals in their early adult lives to those who were a bit more settled but still had the energy and drive to explore. People who were new to Dallas

The Dallasites content also gave us some insight into who was consuming this information. Based on the large amount of content surrounding cuisine and restaurants, it was safe to say that some of the users would consider themselves adventurous foodies.

Dallasites101 Persona.png
 

User Journey Map

Affinity Diagram

Next came the ideation process. We used an affinity diagram to throw out as many solutions we could think of. Here we grouped, labeled, and decided what was most important. The groups we came up with gave a loose mental structure on what our app should look like.

Information Architecture

We wanted to map out a basic site map to make sure we were on the same page for our organization of the app when sketching. It also helped make sure we were focusing on the key components of the app and its capabilities.

 
DS101 Sitemap.png
 

Sketching and wireframes

We went through several rounds of sketching individually, and after each round, we would talk about sketches and our reasons behind them. We then could take bits and pieces from the other’s design that we liked into our own.

We eventually came together on a single sketch flow that would be made into our wireframe.

hi-fi mockups & Prototype

When the wireframes were finalized, it was time to create high fidelity mockups. This included making a prototype.

 
 
 

Buying a Ticket

On the home screen, there are personalized events to the user based on their interests and location that can be seen by swiping through the carousel.

The local stories allow users to see what events are going currently going on and get a visual sense of what the event is like or give a greater sense that more people are going to the event. This could be another way for businesses to advertise and promote their events to DS101’s users.

Users can clearly see the great discounts they are getting based on the percentage decrease and the original cost of the tickets.

(Ideally, the users’ interests would be selected in the sign-up process but due to the scope of the project, we did get to this process. That is something we hope to add to the project soon).

 
 
 

Exploring Events

Find new events is made easy with categorized events for the user to see that involved what is trending in their area. Searching gives you options based on other users recently searched. You can then observe the results in the list form or map form to give a more spatial view of what events are going on around you.

Sharing is made easy by a quick tap that would further generate revenue for the local business and DS101 but also spread the DS101 brand and app.

 
 

visions for the future

icons8-eye-100.png

  • Allow users to interact with each other through the app

  • Connect to social media accounts

  • Include perks for paid subscriptions

  • Review events and businesses

 

Reflections

Due to the pandemic, this project was done completely remote. It was the first time where I was not in the same room with another collaborator. We had to adapt and adjust. The other designer and I were constantly on phone calls or video chatting with each other. We had to learn how to communicate our ideas and thoughts in new ways.