Eureka

A research-based application that helps readers find independent bookstores.

Watch this case study on YouTube

(8 minutes)

I presented Eureka at the Flatiron Show and Tech Final Project Showcase. You can watch the recording by clicking the video. My presentation starts at the 45:16 mark.

A play button in a rectangle representing the youtube icon.A youtube thumbnail showing the video for the Eureka presentation

Project Overview

Role
Product Designer, UX Researcher, UX Designer
Timeline
Two weeks, Winter 2023
Challenge
Independent bookstores need a way to stay competitive in a market saturated with low cost and high convenience options for purchasing books.
Project Outline
  1. Problem
  2. Goals
  3. Competitive Analysis
  4. User Research
  5. Personas
  6. User Need Statement
  7. Features
  8. Sitemap
  9. Prototype
  10. Takeaways
Three iPhone 13 minis showing low-fi prototypes for the Eureka bookstore finder app. A map, a favorites page, and a store details page.
Sample wireframes
Jump to Final Product

Discovery

Problem

01

Brief
It’s a great time to be a reader. Books are readily available in many formats, and it’s never been easier to find something you like.
However, in this modern age of convenience independent bookstores are being left behind. Low prices and quick shipping are driving more and more readers to purchasing books online from huge retailers, leaving independent bookstores in the dust.
This project explored readers’ mindsets about purchasing books, and looked for opportunities to help independent bookstores compete in the digital age.
Stacks of books in a bookstore.
Inside of an independent bookstore

Goals

02

Goal Oriented
This was an exploratory UX research project, so by nature it was fairly open-ended.
It was key to keep a few clear goals in mind to guide the project in the right direction and provide a measure of success.
Three Main Goals
  1. Understand readers’ motivations and deciding factors for where they purchase books
  2. Determine low-effort high-impact options for independent bookstores to compete in the digital age
  3. Identify opportunities for readers to support local businesses while saving money and time
A thought bubble representing user mindsets.
Understand motivations
A circle and arrow depicting increased conversion rate.
Low-effort high-impact options
Hands shaking representing support.
Support local business

Research & Analysis

Competitive Analysis

03

Understanding the Space
I started off with a competitive analysis to get a better understanding of the domain I was working in. This included large players like Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as companies known more for supporting independent bookstores.
Market Gaps
The first gap was the lack of a mobile app for companies that support independent bookstores. This meant a mobile app might help reach users that were not aware of current digital solutions for supporting independent bookstores.
The second gap was a lack of in-store pickup. This possibly signified that there was some difficulty facilitating e-commerce, particularly in support of independent bookstores.
A competitive analysis depicting gaps for a mobile app and in-store-pickup.

User Research

04

Data on interview participants. 4 participants, ages ranged 25-80, reading 8-30 books per year.
Target Users
I started with a wide range for target users, including people of all ages who read at least three books per year.
Interviews
I conducted semi-structured interviews with four users, in the age range of 25-80, who read from 8 to 300 books per year. The 300 books mark belonged to a subject matter expert who worked in an independent bookstore.

Key Quotes

"Amazon is the evil empire and they're trying to take over the world."
“I definitely use Amazon a lot. Here's a system that already has my card saved, it's pretty hard to turn that one down.”
“I'm just a big proponent of independent bookstores, they're a dying breed. I know that but I like supporting them.”
“Easy delivery and cost effective are things I'm looking at.”
A divide in the user base was apparent: some users never use Amazon and love supporting independents, some users primarily use Amazon and prioritize cost and convenience.
Synthesis
I synthesized the interviews through a coding process that led to an affinity diagram. I used the affinity diagram to develop an empathy map for each side of the user base, and then expanded the empathy maps into personas.
A diagram showing the synthesis process for interviews.

Personas

05

Divided User Base
It was apparent from the interviews that the target user base was split into two camps. I created personas based on the interview data for each side of this split in order to focus my research on real human problems.
A user persona for Carla.
Carla wants to support independent bookstores. She never buys on Amazon, and she cares about her local community and supporting smaller retailers.
A user persona for Wil.
Wil is perfectly happy buying on Amazon. He wants to save money, and likes the convenience of shopping online and getting quick shipping.
Problem Solved
Wil has a solution to his problem: Amazon. He is focused on cost and convenience and doesn't mind buying from Amazon. Because of this, I removed users like Will from the target user base because they already had this problem solved. I was then focused on users like Carla who would never use Amazon, and effectively eliminated Amazon as a competitor.

User Need Statement

06

Carla, a community-focused reader who loves to shop local, needs a convenient way to identify and support independent bookstores because she can’t always go to a physical bookstore.
Take One
With Carla's needs in mind, I wrote a user needs statement to better focus the goals of the project.
Scope Check
The initial statement needed a scope check. Discovery and e-commerce were a big ask, so I looked back at the research to determine where to focus.

Knowledge Gap

“Bookstores in airports, I think are all pretty much owned by large chains.”
“The bookstores in airports tend to be affiliated with a local independent bookstore.”
These quotes show a knowledge gap in the user base. Readers did not fully understand what bookstores were independent, and as a result would not spend money in places that actually did match their values.
Take Two
With this in mind, I reformulated the user need statement to focus on the bridging that knowledge gap.
Carla, a community-focused reader who loves to shop local, needs a convenient way to identify independent bookstores in order to spend her hard-earned money in a way that aligns with her values of community, localism, and personal connection.

Solution

Features

07

Keep It Simple
I started with feature ideation and prioritization, focusing on high-impact and low-effort features that could solve Carla's problem.
An effort/impact matrix for feature prioritization.

Sitemap

08

Visualized Functionality
With the core features identified, I built out a site map to visually understand the functionality of the app.
A sitemap for the Eureka app's primary functions.

Wireframes

09

Ideation
I started with rapid sketching of the core features, and quickly took the most promising options into low-fidelity wireframes.
MVP
I added copy and iconography to better flush out the experience, and brought everything together into a mid-fidelity prototype of the MVP of the app.
Map View
Only verified independent bookstores are shown in the app, and the map view helps users see what stores are available close by.
A map view with search, filter, and sort options.
List Modal
The list is sorted by distance from the users, with the ability to quickly add a bookstore to the Favorites list by tapping the heart, or to view details by tapping a listing.
A list modal above a map view.
Store Details
Details about the bookstore are displayed, along with the ability to add the bookstore to Favorites, call the bookstore, get directions, or access the store's website.
A bookstore details page.
Favorites
The Favorites page is sorted by distance from the users, with the ability to see store details and add/remove the store from Favorites.
A favorites list.
Account
Users can log into their account to access additional features, and the hours of the closest bookstore in the user's favorites are displayed for quick reference.
An account screen with login and sign up buttons.

Prototype

Reflections

Takeaways

10

Goal Recap
The final product does an excellent job of addressing the initial goals that were set at the beginning of the project.
A thought bubble representing user mindsets.
Understand Motivations
I was able to eliminate a portion of the user base and target readers that aren't going to use Amazon. The target users are focused on supporting independent bookstores, so Amazon is no longer a competitor.
A circle and arrow depicting increased conversion rate.
Low-effort High-impact Options
The solution is a simple and effective mobile app that covers features to help users like Carla.
Hands shaking representing support.
Support Local Business
The app bridges a knowledge gap by identifying independent bookstores, and in turn facilitates business.
Next Steps
The next steps for this project would seek to validate design decisions, develop additional features that would provide value to the MVP, and bring everything into high fidelity:
  1. User Testing
  2. Feature Design
  3. High Fidelity
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