Project Specs
Problem
I am deeply passionate about comic books and manga, which inspired me to embark on a personal project to enhance my product design skills. Through this project, I built a concept from the ground up, free from the constraints of real clients and tight deadlines, allowing me to focus on creativity and quality of the final outcome.
Solution
This is a case study use case that highlights my skills as a product designer while showcasing my passion and enthusiasm for all things related to comics and manga.
User Persona
John, 29
"I like to stay up to date with the most popular anime and manga"
Tags
Friendly
Intelectual
Likes Animals
Likes Plants
Tech-Saavy
Adrián is an Industrial Designer from Bogotá, an extrovert who enjoys socializing with friends. He developed a passion for manga at 15 when his father gifted him a manga. Adrián has tried various manga apps but feels frustrated with them due to language barriers and paid memberships for popular titles. He often resorts to illegal sites, risking viruses. He needs an app to read manga without high fees and avoid unreliable sites. Adrián also wants to comment on comics and join a larger manga community in Colombia.
Introverted
Extroverted
Analytic
Creative
Busy
Free
Messy
Organized
Tech-saavy
Not Into Tech
Benchmark
Crunchyroll
Crunchyroll is a site for anime and manga with a low-cost subscription model accessible on desktop and mobile. It has two apps: Crunchyroll Anime and Crunchyroll Manga, but the latter has poor reviews due to an unintuitive interface.
Comixology
Comixology started as a DC Comics platform with a vast catalog spanning decades. It later became an Amazon-owned service offering high-quality comics through a paid subscription.
Shonen Jump
Shonen Jump, a leading manga magazine, launched an app to reach a wider audience, letting users read manga on the go.
SCAMPER Strategy
This are the steps that I want to take to improve the experience compared to what I've seen in other platforms.
Substitute
Make the login experience much easier by using common options (Gmail or social media). Provide an alternative payment method.
Combine
Combine the functionality of side arrows with a progress bar in the manga viewer.
Adapt
It would be interesting to link the mangas to their respective animes if they are already in production.
Modify
Allow users to share mangas directly on social media (e.g., 'I'm reading - Bleach -'). The new app needs a more modern look, as current app designs are outdated. It's important to prioritize the community and users.
Put to Another Use
Create a comment section at the end of each manga to build a user community. Allow users to download mangas for offline reading. Link the app with anime streaming services so users can watch episodes.
Eliminate
For the first MVP, it’s better not to rely too much on subscriptions for accessing new mangas. If needed, the model could have a low cost. The menu should be in English only.
Reverse
The main screens of the reviewed apps have an order that doesn't make sense for the user, simply showing a complete list of mangas without better filtering options (e.g., Netflix and its categories).
Low Fidelity Wireframes
High Fidelity Wireframes
Reflection
I believe that, every now and then, designers deserve the opportunity to create a project from scratch purely for fun. This project was an eye-opening experience, helping me identify the flaws I had as a product designer at the time and highlighting areas for improvement in my practice. It served as a valuable exercise to revisit various research methods and techniques that are integral to my day-to-day product design tasks. I realized that my focus shouldn't solely rely on UI design but must also emphasize the UX and the research that drives it.
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