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02: Kongo Funplex
September 2021 to January 2022
Lead over research, writing, and design for UX certification project
Conducted interviews; created personas, paper and digital wireframes, and low- and high-fidelity prototypes;
conducted usability studies; and iterated on designs.
The problem
All group events currently need to be scheduled by telephone, and all passes are currently purchased in-person.
The goal
Design an app where users can book group events and purchase passes online for a hypothetical arcade.
Pain points
Searching for cost
When users have to click through multiple screens—making ticketing selections before pricing is disclosed—they feel very frustrated. Price is often the primary thing they are looking for when they get on the app.
Add-ons
Users feel betrayed when they have almost completed a transaction only to learn they now have to pay additional money for something like parking. They want to know up front what is and isn’t included in the package deals.
Group containment
Users know that they will be sharing the arcade with others, but they still want a means of keeping their group somewhat contained.
User research summary
I conducted interviews to assess what users’ primary needs would be when scheduling group events at a local arcade. Most users felt the primary events that would require scheduling would be small-group events, hosting 10 - 20 people. These events include birthday parties, bachelor and bachelorette parties, and church youth groups. Some users said the venue would be ideal for hosting company parties, but it would need to be handicap accessible for larger, corporate groups.
Persona
Journey map
![Google UX Design Certificate - User Journey Map [Template].png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d3e752_0a1e2381b48f41359a08bd5d3049a785~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_960,h_540,al_c,q_90,enc_auto/Google%20UX%20Design%20Certificate%20-%20User%20Journey%20Map%20%5BTemplate%5D.png)
Paper wireframes
My goal as I started wireframing on paper was to make the app as simple as possible. I mapped out large buttons on the homepage to quickly orient and direct users, then I integrated an intuitive user flow to help speed up the scheduling process.
Digital wireframes
User research communicated that one of the biggest pain points was not having relevant information be immediately accessible. This design worked to both visually and contextually make pricing and room descriptions top-priority information access points.
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Low fidelity protoype
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Usability study findings
I conducted two rounds of usability studies. Findings from the first study indicated that users wanted simple navigation and clear information, which guided the mockup design and high-fidelity prototypes. The second study helped us recognize the need for making relevant information even more prominent.
The low-fidelity prototype created a flow whereby users could select a room, see availability, schedule a time, order group passes, and review their order to complete the process. The prototype was then used as part of the usability study.
Round one findings
Round two findings
Users wanted clarity on how a room reservation and group passes worked together; users felt selecting the facility location should be the first task; and users wanted links to be more intuitive.
Users wanted the calendar and group passes on separate screens; users wanted the time or duration to be a pop up; and users wanted the room capacity to be more noticeable.
Mockups
Early designs enabled users to easily select rooms based on price and group size; however, after the usability study, we realized the price and room size could be even more prominent and implemented this change by altering the color to orange and placing the room capacity by the hourly rate.
High fidelity prototype
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Key takeaways
“This app was simple and straightforward, making it less intimidating for me to purchase all this online rather than having to do it in person.”
Impact
Users will now be able to schedule group events and order passes online. This will shorten purchasing lines at the venue and provide guests with more play time.
What I learned
While designing for Kongo FunPlex, I became keenly aware of how important it is to ensure the users have all the information they need at their fingertips. Everything from word choice and tone to images and flow influences how well a user understands and can navigate through a product.