planet firebomb

VIEW PROTOTYPE
What it is: A social networking site that highlights art by black artists
My Role(s): Development, Research, UX Design, UI Design
Deliverables: Site map, user flows, personas, design sketches, wireframes, high-fidelity prototype and screen mockups
Project Duration: June 2022-August 2022 (Course project | Client project)

the challenge

client background & brief
I developed and designed this site for Ja'Mon Kimbrough, a queer, black DJ/organizer based in St. Paul, MN. He wanted to put together a social networking database for black artists to network, connect and find gigs. While the site centers black perpsectives and content, anybody can create an account, contribute art and search for artists to commission.
client requirements
  • Onboarding flow for new users
  • Extensive search function/filters
  • The ability to save filtered searches
Black man with dreads and wearing reflective shades

process

Hand reaching up over a neon pink background
what i did
  • Quantitative and qualitative user research (user survey and user interviews)
  • Competitive analysis
  • Defined the problem and audience with user stories and personas
  • Developed user flows, sketches, wireframes and prototypes
  • Style and branding
  • Cognitive walk-through/task analysis usability testing
  • Delivered high-fidelity prototype and mockups

research & findings

User stories
  • As a user, I want to be able to choose what I see on my feed, so that I only see what's relevant to me.
  • As a user, I want to be able to filter search results to match my preferences, so that I can find exactly what I'm looking for.
  • As a user, I want the ability to save my filtered settings, so that I can easily search within those parameters all the time.
key survey findings
  • 67% of users discover new artists on Instagram
  • 53% of users pay for subscription-based content from artists they follow
  • 63% of users find sharing art on social media to be the most effective way of supporting artists non-monetarily
  • 42% of users make $40k or less annually
  • 58% are between 25 and 35 years old
Water droplets against a hot pink background

Style & branding

Planet Firebomb style guide including logos, typeface, color scheme and design elements
style guide
  • Logo provided by the client's brand, Ariesfirebomb
  • Cyberpunk/Afrofuturist aesthetic
  • Bright pinks and neons against black
  • Inspired by Blade Runner or a futuristic Tokyo
  • ADA and WCAG compliant

THE SOLUTION

  • Simple onboarding process
  • Extensive filter to set search parameters
  • Option to save and name filtered searches for quick future browsing
  • Prominent "Advanced Search" button on home feed to promote exploration
  • Art categorized by style, genre and artist demographic
Search filter screen

hi-fi prototype

The sign-up screen for Planet Firebomb
The Planet Firebomb home feed for a returning user
Save search screen with results and pop-up window
High-fidelity mockup screen on an iPhone 14
usability testing tasks
  • Complete onboarding
  • Utilize the advanced search function
  • Save a filtered search
VIEW HI-FI PROTOTYPE

conclusion

final thoughts

Working on such an ambitious project with tight time constraints left no time for second-guessing, which I feel shows in my visual design. Unfortunately, I didn't have the experience to take on such a daunting project as a one-man team in such a short timeframe and my visual design took the hit. Users responded very well to the UX design during testing and my client loved the UI (I guess we're our own worst critics). However, I would like to make some visual design revisions now that I have more experience. I'm looking forward to working with Ja'Mon on developing this idea further and potentially creating an entire design system for Planet Firebomb.
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A young woman in an orange and white-spotted jacket standing on the bus