New interface designs and colour scheme variants

New visual designs based on some research into other travel apps and websites. Many of these are to be given minor cosmetic adjustments in the final working version based on where in the app you are - the icon at the top of the page will change, for instance. Also, the colour scheme is subject to change. Below the mockups are a number of colour variants to be user-tested.

interface design mockups

colour scheme variants

Screenshot data structure version 2

More visuals added to the sitemap.

Broadening out the experience of discovering gems

In continuing on from my post with personalising the experience and profile building I have been looking at how linked in connections people in its network,

For this first image it shows how many "connections" away from someone you are and I feel this could be implicated in our app in terms of how many "friends" away from someone we are. This could help with suggesting people based on our friendlist

For this it shows how many skills on linked in I share with someone, for Pickaxe this could be how many saved gems I have in common with someone. This the suggests fellow users to add based on our shared interests.

And finally this suggests people similar to the person you are view which once again broadens the circle of connections out more. It is basically users similar to the user you are viewing which could open up a wide avenue in the app for social exploration

Screenshot data structure version 1

Started replacing sections of sitemap with more visual ideas of what each section will look like to give users a more clear idea of how the app will run. Waiting until interface design is set before creating a more complete version.

Design research

A look at the interface designs of other travel apps for reference purposes, and to inform a possible overall shift in the visual design. Already seeing where things could maybe change, esp. colour scheme.

Foodspotting:

FourSquare:

Musement:

TripAdvisor:

User Test 6

For the user testing I conducted on the 18th of April, I had five people tell me what their favourite and least favourite colours were from the list I had given them. I also asked them if they had any other comments about the colours shown to them. The test took place in a common environment for the users. The most common consensus was that number 2 was the one most people liked. Another results was that some of the users didn't really like the brighter colours.

Icons Variants

After some of the user test feedback from last week, I've been rethinking how the gem icons appear - the elongated diamond shape recalled, to some people, the pointer of a compass, and I admit I had briefly noted the resemblance. Below is an attempt at an alternate gem design, emphasising the look of a cut gemstone. This will alter the design wireframes somewhat, and the other icon ideas as well, as the original design did rely somewhat on the sturdy, vertically-symmetrical nature of the simple diamond. More to come.