Overview
This case study explores accessible resources for users during COVID-19, focusing on how people discover new hobbies, stay engaged, and improve mental health while at home.
Solution
PopBox offers a unique online shopping experience that:
Timeline
1 month
My Role
User experience design, User experience research, Brand design, Product thinking, Contextual inquiry, Wireframing, Rapid prototyping, Problem-solving, Cross-functional collaboration, Communication and presentation
In April 2020, the shelter-in-place order left many people seeking new hobbies and interests to fill their time at home. However, discovering suitable hobbies and acquiring supplies without risking exposure posed challenges. Parents, especially, struggled to keep children entertained indoors. Existing e-commerce platforms like Amazon were inefficient for collecting materials needed for hobbies, presenting an opportunity to create a streamlined shopping experience.
“How can we provide activities to engage those who are isolating themselves during the pandemic?”
We designed an iOS app concept called Popbox for a seamless, intuitive shopping experience for hobbyists. Through user research and iterative prototyping, we gathered feedback to refine the user experience.
Before diving into design, I conducted secondary research to better understand how COVID-19 was affecting different groups, with a focus on those most impacted: low-income families, students, and essential workers. Challenges for these groups included limited mental health resources, difficulty balancing work and home life, and increased stress from prolonged isolation.
To gather firsthand insights, I created and distributed a survey via a public Facebook group, receiving 50 responses. Key findings from the survey included:
These findings informed our focus on low-income families and students as key users for our solution, setting the stage for in-depth interviews.
We interviewed students and low-income households using the interview guide we've crafted to understand the mental health impacts of COVID-19. Key questions focused on changes to routines, priorities, and relationships at home. Interviews included two students from UCSD, a parent from a low-income household, and a student from a low-income family.
Kyle (He/Him/His), 22, Student
I’m an outdoorsey person. I don’t really stay at home because there is nothing to do here. I used to go to the gym and play baseball with the boys a lot but I can’t. I’m currently seeking new hobbies that I can do where I don’t get bored at home.
Marlon (He/Him/His), 22, Student
Ever since lockdown, I’ve been on social media a lot more. The website I go to is Youtube. I watch cooking videos, gamers in the gaming industry, gameplay, journalism, vlogs, etc. Even then, I do get bored of just being on social media the whole time.
Valerie (She/Her/Hers), 33, Parent
I’ve been trying to do meditation which I haven't had the time to do when I would drive to work but now I actually have the time to get into a bit more self care. I’m not in the best state mentally but I’ve had a lot more time to get into yoga, mediation, stuff like that so... I‘d say its not a new hobbie but it’s something I’ve had a lot more time to get into.
Based on our user interviews, we developed two key personas to guide our design decisions. These personas allowed us to focus on users’ needs, challenges, and behaviors, ensuring we created a product experience that effectively addressed their pain points. By understanding their goals, we were able to craft a more tailored and impactful solution.
Using the personas, we sketched six storyboard scenarios to explore how our product could best meet users' needs. We presented these concepts to our interviewees—Kyle, Marlon, and Valerie—and used our storyboard interview questions to gather feedback and identify the most effective solution. The chosen storyboard focused on helping users discover hobbies and improve mental health during isolation, providing value both during and after COVID-19.
Based on user interviews, this was chosen to be the best solution for the users’ needs. This provided a unique solution to students and low-income families because of its innovative approach towards helping our target group during their pastime. Our target users do not lack any resources during COVID-19, therefore, designing a solution pertaining to delivering or navigating essentials is not necessary. They chose this storyboard because it can boost one’s mental health during home isolation, which is what many of them tend to struggle with. Moreover, the idea of the app is a solid foundation that can thrive after COVID-19 has passed.
To refine the user experience, we conducted a competitive analysis of similar services like Hello Fresh, Thrive Market, and Marley Spoon. We evaluated their strengths and weaknesses, focusing on accessibility, branding, and key features. This analysis helped us improve our app by adopting best practices while ensuring our approach to DIY kit delivery remained unique.
We developed a UX Flow Chart to map out the app’s core user journey. By defining each interaction step, we ensured the design aligned with users’ goals, creating a smooth and intuitive experience.
This flow helped us visualize how users would log in, browse kits, and make purchases efficiently.
Following the audit of food delivery platforms, we mapped out the user flow, detailing the process from logging in, selecting and ordering a craft box, navigating through the checkout process, to viewing order history within their account.
After defining the user flows, we created low-fidelity wireframes to map basic components such as text, screens, and the overall app structure. These wireframes allowed us to quickly capture our ideas and vision, iterate faster, and minimize development costs.
We conducted user testing with 4 participants, asking them to search for and purchase an item. During these tests, we gathered valuable feedback:
This feedback informed updates to our wireframes, improving the overall user experience before moving into hi-fidelity prototyping.
To establish the app's visual direction, we created a moodboard to inspire the design. This helped us align on the app’s aesthetic and emotional impact, focusing on colors, typography, and imagery that convey the desired user experience.
We selected a palette of pastel colors for the mood board to align with PopBox's mission of fostering creativity during the pandemic. The soft, vibrant hues are intentionally chosen to contrast the monotony of lockdown life, evoking a sense of energy and playfulness. By incorporating these cheerful colors, we aim to create a delightful, uplifting experience that encourages users to explore their creative potential. Each color choice reflects the idea of "unboxing fun" and reinvigorating daily routines, making the app feel like a breath of fresh air that inspires and excites users as they engage with DIY projects.
Using the moodboard, we developed a style guide for PopBox, documenting typefaces, colors, icons, spacing, and components. This ensured consistency and reinforced trust throughout the app's design.
In our style guide, we carefully curated a pastel color palette to inspire users to unleash their creativity while cultivating a cheerful and inviting atmosphere. This choice reflects our commitment to enhancing the user experience by making interactions with the app enjoyable and uplifting.
We applied the style guide to create our hi-fidelity prototype. During user interviews, we tested the prototype and received feedback primarily focused on visual design. We quickly iterated based on this feedback, refining the final design to enhance the user experience.
To view the final prototype, click here!
Community Suggestion Box
The Community Suggestion Box allows users to propose ideas for new DIY kits, with selected suggestions earning a free kit. This feature fosters trust and engagement, showing users that we're here to support their creativity and make their time during the pandemic more meaningful.
GiveBox Program
The GiveBox initiative offers discounted DIY kits to low-income families, students, veterans, and first responders. Eligible users can apply for the program, where their identity and eligibility are verified manually through the ID.me database. This program ensures that PopBox remains accessible to those most in need, providing a supportive, community-focused experience.
Review Feature
We incorporated an interactive review system to create a space where users can leave and read feedback on products. This feature enhances trust in the platform, allowing users to make informed decisions based on the experiences of others within the PopBox community.
This project marked my first experience collaborating in a team to develop an app, and over the course of two months, we completed an end-to-end design process. The collaborative nature of our work—from research to critique and design iteration—pushed our solutions to meet the high expectations of both users and stakeholders. Teamwork allowed us to harness diverse creative perspectives, elevating the user experience.
PopBox, to me, is a breakthrough concept. As a creative individual, I appreciate the app’s ability to help users efficiently discover and acquire supplies for their passions. By offering accessible DIY kits, users can save time and focus on pursuing their interests. PopBox not only caters to the current context of the pandemic but also creates a platform for lifelong creativity. Whether a user is exploring a new hobby or deepening an existing passion, PopBox provides a gateway to continued discovery and growth.
