Persona
Avid comic book fans who are passionate and visit their local shop weekly or at least once per month.
Goal Story
As a comic book fan, I want to have a list of newly released comics as well as my personal pull list on my phone, so that I know what I’m buying and what to sample each week when I walk into my local comic book shop.
There is currently no easy way to accomplish this task. My interviews with fellow comic book customers show that they must rely on memory, handwritten lists, or the (sometimes questionable) accuracy of whoever is in charge of the pull lists in their local comic shop. I begin sketching a solution that may remedy this. At the moment, all of this is simply a design exercise.
After removing unnecessary features (such as locating one's local comic book shop) I begin wireframing. Throughout the process, I go back and forth on the merits of having users create a simple profile. Though I can't see the need for it, I need to discuss this with senior product designers and developers.
For my color palette, I look to the cover of Batman #1, but instead decide on Superman's color scheme. I purposely avoid word balloons, speed lines, sound effects, and comic book panels in the design, as they are all too obvious. I want this to be clean and easy to use above all else.
After completing my first screen below, a few flaws become apparent: first, I need to tone down the primary colors in the UI as they are overshadowing the comic art. Secondly, the comic book covers do not have the anticipated visual impact since they are so small if shown in their entirety. I'm all for white space, but this design isn't working.
My solution is to show just a section of the comic book covers, but allow that section to occupy the entire width of the screen. This gives me the stronger visual I was looking for. Reserving color for only the tappable elements in the UI helps as well.
I find that from wireframing to high fidelty mockups, I tend to find more clarity and end up simplifying the functionality as seen above and below.
For the monthly pull list, I decide not to display the comic book covers and opt instead to use the available screen area to show more of the items that users will purchase over the course of the month. I need to test this with users for their feedback on whether or not this was the right approach.
For the app's icon, I chose a silhouette of arguably the most famous heroic pose in superhero comics and give it an art deco treatment referencing the style of the great Bruce Timm.
