PicGo
MOBILE APP DESIGN
PicGo is a mobile app that matches photographers and models in your area.
CONTEXT
As an amateur photographer, I had difficulty finding models to work with since they were located in different area or country. I felt the need to create mobile app specific for building photography community in user's area.
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PicGo targeted amateur photographers and models searching for people to collaborate with. By using this app, the user can connect with photographers and models nearby and join the local photography community.
MY ROLE
Product Designer
UX research, User Survey, Wireframing, High Fidelity Mockups, User Flow, User Interface, Design System
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PROBLEM
Amateur photographers and models often face challenges finding people to work with.
Building a first portfolio can be difficult for amateur photographers and models. Since they are not experienced, it is challenging for them to find a photographer or model to collaborate with. There is no community where they can connect, collaborate, and grow as professionals.
So, I decided to create a community app that connects photographers and models in the local area.
Research
Before embarking on this passion-driven project,
I conducted user research to have a deeper understanding of my target user.
User Survey
I targeted amateur photographers & models aged 18 to 55 searching for people to collaborate with.
I sent out a survey through various channels including photography community on instagram, acquaintances, and online photographer & model community. As a result, I successfully conducted surveys with 32+ participants.
68.8% had difficulty finding photographers & models to collaborate with as an amateur without portfolio
90.6% uses instagram to browse photography contents and connect with photographers and models
There are specific needs in building local community for photographers and models.
37.5% wished there was a feature that matches photographers & models based on their locations
QUESTION
How might we connect amateur photographers & models so they can easily collaborate and grow as professionals?
Key features
Locate using Google Maps
The decision to incorporate Google maps for this feature was an easy one. Due to its popularity and simple navigation, the user can easily locate photographers and models nearby.
Match with people near you
Inspired by dating app Tinder, I decided to add a match feature. The user can discover local photographers and models in their area.
User Flow
Final Product
Discover local photography community using the map and match features.
Explore other photographer's work
for inspirations.
Request commissions and rate your photography experience.
CONCLUSION
Conclusion + Takeaways
This was my first mobile UX UI design project and these are the few things I've learned.
1. Iterate as much as you can. At the beginning stage, I explored so many different versions of designs to find the right solution for my problem. I ended up restarting my project with over 5 iterations to reach my final product. Now I understand better on how to design apps with intention.
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2. Be insightful and concise. Despite weeks of research and development, the first version of this case study was too lengthy and contained unnecessary details. I cut down the content by 50% to focus on the major problem and how I resolved it through my designs.
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3. Trust yourself. Although the first draft of my UI design seemed very unpolished and had lots of UX / UI problems, I pushed myself to complete the project as best as I could. I never stopped questioning what is the best decision for the user while creating this product.