The Problem:
People are bombarded with news from multiple sources all day long. Television, radio, websites, social media and more push news articles in front of users all day long. How do these users know what news they can trust? How do you easily find articles you are interested in or information that is less present in standard news outlets?
The Overview:
Politics can seem intimidating and overly complex and that leads people to not involve themselves and to not learn more about the political on goings in this nation. By simplifying and clarifying the political system of the U.S. and the current issues and predicament of politics, people could be more active in politics.
Our main concept for this app was to effectively simplify and clarify political topics and news which would in turn develop a person’s political knowledge and activeness. We wanted to create an interface that was immediately understandable and simple in every way: form, function, visual design, content, language and, perhaps most importantly, experience. Throughout the process of developing this solution, we met up periodically and discussed our design and strategy, allocating tasks to each other and keeping in close contact. Every idea and decision we made was a mutual agreement. The two of us made certain to balance the work and energy in our partnership.
The Research:
Competitors:
User Testing Survey Results:
The Concept:
So how do these users easily find trustworthy articles they are interested in or information that is less present in standard news outlets? The answer is Boost. Boost is a personalized app that allows a user to filter news articles the way they want, see what events are happening in their area, and connect with others. A typical user of Boost is a young adult that is looking to become more active in the political scene by staying informed and involved. They likely want to keep up with political news outside election time. Boost acts as a friendly friend who knows exactly what the user wants to read and learn about. A user knows where their information is coming from and what the news is they may be missing. The Boost app features three main components. First is the home screen, a central hub for trending news.
The home screen shows the most relevant news for the user and can be organized in a variety of ways. The app also has an event page that director users to local and national events that may interest them. Finally Boost includes a profile which is meant to organize the user’s interests, track their readings, store saved articles and provide connection with other users. The format of Boost keeps information very simply organized, and has clear navigation. The home page allows users to find what they are looking for without having to wade through articles they have no interest in. Access to events keep users engaged in politics year-round and the profile makes sure users are not missing vital areas of politics.
The Brand:
The User Goals:
1. To inform people of information that they want
2. Access information in an organized format, according to:
a) what the user already knows
b) what the user wants to know more about
3. To stay informed about unbiased political information
4. To be aware of bias
5. To better understand personal political stance
The Prototype:
Usability write-up by Isabelle Gomez
The Final:
