INTRODUCTION
Dive into a realm where learning meets imagination with App of the Anointed (AOTA), the innovative vocabulary app that transforms the way readers of the Olivia Book Series experience this science fiction world. Crafted as part of CareerFoundry’s Intro to UX project, AOTA aims to enhance the reader’s understanding of world-specific complex concepts and characters, making their reading journey more immersive and engaging.
THE CHALLENGE
Science fiction enthralls us with its intricate realms, futuristic marvels, and otherworldly ideas. Yet, embarking on these journeys can prove daunting, particularly in the face of unfamiliar terminology. The Olivia Sci-Fi Book Series presents a similar conundrum, unfolding on a fictional planet with its distinct culture and rules, demanding a lexicon of its own. Whether you’re a devoted parent, a soul crunched for time, or an impassioned reader, the intricacies can disrupt the harmony of your odyssey.
THE MISSION
AOTA’s mission is threefold—
Enhanced Comprehension
Empower readers to grasp vocabulary effortlessly, so they can focus
on the thrill of the story.
Seamless Immersion
Immerse readers in the sci-fi universe, staying absorbed without
interruption.
Personalized Assistance
Minimize reliance on context and memory, allowing the reader to
fully enjoy the narrative.
THE READERS
The Busy Parent
Juggling numerous responsibilities, they yearn to maximize
their limited reading time.
“As a busy parent I want to be able to access world-specific vocabulary definitions, no matter what format I’m reading in, so that I don’t lose too much of my valuable and limited reading time.”
The Busy Beaver
With a bustling work and social life, they seek a seamless way
to stay engaged in their favorite novel.
“As someone with limited time to dedicate to my hobbies I want an easy-to-use resource for accessing vocabulary definitions, character profiles, and world mapping so that I can remain engaged in reading with the smallest possible interruption.”
The Serial Reader
Consuming multiple books at a time, they require a tool to
navigate the intricate web of vocabulary that’s part of the
Olivia series.
“As an avid sci-fi/fantasy reader—and huge Olivia fan—I want to be better able to understand the vocabulary, characters, and other world-specific content relevant to the book I am reading so that I can better follow along with the storyline.”don’t lose too much of my valuable and limited reading time.”
MY APPROACH
To develop AOTA, I followed a comprehensive process:
Competitive Analysis
Studied popular vocabulary apps Memrise, Vocabulary, and WordPal to
distill best practices.
User Interviews
Engaged with avid sci-fi and fantasy readers to uncover pain points
and needs. During this process I learned that users get frustrated
when reading a book that has too many details and/or characters to
keep track of, that it takes seeing the vocabulary words a couple
times before they recall it, and they find that it can be difficult
to reference back to challenging vocabulary.
Persona Creation
Metamorphosed the insights from those virtual interviews into a
relatable persona, Samantha “Sammie” Brown. As a busy mom of 2, she
leads a very full life with limited downtime. She loves reading
whenever she can and can benefit from having limited distractions
while reading the latest novel from her favorite Olivia series.
User Flows
Mapped out intuitive user journeys for seamless interaction. This
included the main tasks: account sign up, manually request
information or definition, and using the phone’s voice command
feature.
Sketches
Translated user flows into tangible app screens for clarity. I
first quickly iterated some lo fi sketches to flesh out my idea of
what I thought the screens should look like.
Prototypes
Crafted mid-fidelity wireframes to visualize the app’s core
features. I took my sketches and recreated them in Adobe
Photoshop, iterating as I did so.
Usability Testing
Involved real readers to refine the app’s usability. I created a
usability test plan that involved five 10-minute sessions with
potential users and observed their words and actions as they
attempted to complete specific tasks.
THE SOLUTION
AOTA’s design is elegant and user-centric. Seamlessly access word definitions by typing them in the dynamic search field or effortlessly integrate the app with voice command features like Siri or Alexa. For visually impaired users, the voice command feature displays answers on-screen for easy comprehension. Unveil the Secrets of the Anointed With AOTA (App of the Anointed), you’ll explore this science fiction world with newfound confidence. Say goodbye to interruptions, lost context, and confusion over terminology. Immerse yourself in the intricate details of your favorite series, as AOTA transforms your reading experience into a captivating adventure.